Running head: A new deal to recovery

From Boom to Depression
HIS105: Contemporary U.S. History
May 10, 2012

From Boom to Depression
The period after the civil war was a time of physical, economic, social, political and geographical reconstruction for the United States of America. The nation had experienced mark destruction by the civil war. Slaves were now emancipated and must be considered. These events were marked turning points for the country. Of these turning points, the social security act and the 19th amendment were most influential in that they initiated an act of government that is still practiced today. 1. Identify at least (2) two major historical turning points in the period under discussion. The 19th Amendment

The woman’s fight for their own equality and for others was not an easy one. It can be traced as far back to the first woman’s right convention in Seneca Falls, New York in July of 1848. It was here that the woman suffrage movement was launched and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was born. Some of the key sponsors for the launch were courageous women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia. Contributors to the movement were also abolitionists, whose goals at the time were to include equal rights for all, including that of the Negro male. In 1870, their fight was partially won with the passage of the 15th amendment to the Constitution, thus giving the Negro male the right to vote.
The passing of the 15th amendment spurred the movement on for their own equality, and in July of 1890, the Territory of Wyoming, became the first state to allow women voters. By 1900, other states such as Utah, Colorado, and Idaho followed
By 1910, NAWSA was in full speed, this in part of their change in tactics. Instead of attacking their goals from a state to state basis, they decided to push for a constitutional amendment. With the full support of women such as Carrie Chapman Catt, Anna Howard Shaw, Alice Paul, in 1919, the 19th Amendment was adopted by Congress.
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, decrees that all men and women, both black, white and Native Americans, has equal voting rights under the law, it stats that American citizens "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” (http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/suffrage/history2.htm: retrieved May 02, 2012).
This victory did by no means mark the end of the battle for the NAWSA;they continued their arduous fight for the rights for children and for equal justice for the blacks and the poor.

The Social Security Act

The Social Security Act was signed into law on August 14, 1935 by President Roosevelt. This is considered to be one of the most monumental achievements of the Great Depression era as it provides the basis for future welfare policies for all level of the government, to this day.
The Social Security Act would bring a sharp end to the American way of life prior to its passing. Americans has always held to the tradition of ‘pulling oneself up by the bootstraps’ and was a believer in volunteering to improve their social issues. There was no assistance, “as such programs as old-age pensions, public assistance, unemployment compensation, or health insurance — except for war veterans, from the federal government” (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1609.html: retrieved May 02, 2012).
The Great Depression is considered to be one of the bleakest times in the nation’s history “that placed millions of Americans out of work and signifies the beginning of government involvement in the economy and in society as a whole” (http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/p/greatdepression.htm: retrieved May, 02. 2012). Between 1929 and 1933, the nation saw a dramatic drop in wholesale prices, a 25% increase in unemployment, pay cuts, and an 85% fall in the stock market. On Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, it all came to a halt with the crash of the Stock Market that marks the beginning of the depression, thus it was dubbed, The Black Tuesday.
The nationwide misery caused by the depression, sparked fervent outcries across the country for old-age pensions. Champion for this charged was led by a retired California doctor, Francis Townsend. In response to this campaign, the Roosevelt administration enacted the Social Security Act of 1935; to be funded by payroll taxes 2. Analyze the impact of the two (2) or more major historical turning points selected on America’s current society, economy, politics, and culture.

The 19th Amendment Impact
Ever since its enactment in 1919, the 19th Amendment has had an enormous impact of the lives of the nation’s women. This can be seen in all sphere of society; it has uplifted the woman’s life politically, economically and culturally. Decades after, it’s still riveting the nation.
Today, not only does women enjoys equal rights to vote, but they are now able to work a real job, vote and run for political office. Today women are head of huge corporations; they are entrepreneurs, teachers, vice president and Secretary of State.
The National Woman Suffrage Association that was founded in 1890 has paved the way for women such as s Nancy Pelosi, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice and Michelle Obama for today’s society.

The Social Security Act

The Social Security Act of 1935 is without a doubt one of the most important pieces of legislation in the nation’s history. Enacted as a response to the Great Depression, it has evolved through the years to include programs intended to provide income and services to individual in event of retirement, disability, death or unemployment. There are almost forty percent of Americans that are dependent on these programs to help keep them from going below the poverty line.
To show the economic impact the Social Security has on the nation, research shows that “ if Social Security payments were reduced by only five percent, the nation’s economic output would decrease by $63 billion, 419,000 jobs would be lost and tax revenues would decrease by $7.8 billion” (http://www.dailyyonder.com/economic:-retrieved May 03, 2012). 3. Speculate as to why women earned the right to vote in the frontier states of the West before eastern and southern states.

Wyoming, known as the Equality State, was the first Western state and that of the country, to have acknowledged the woman’s right to vote. Other western states such as Utah, Colorado and Idaho followed; it was not long after the women of the east started to want their rights also.
Women earned the right to vote in the frontier states of the West before eastern and southern states, because the west was frontier land. It was new and just developing without the “cultural norms” of the traditional gender roles. Women were free to chart their own paths. The politicians also played a role as well, by supporting the women movement with the hope of attraction attention and settlers to the west. Unlike the east, women of the west enjoyed more economic and social freedom. There were female business, teachers and writers. Then there were the Mormons, who supported the movement with the hope “that women votes would help tip the balance of powers in their favor in the power struggle with the non-Mormon population” (http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/Unit5/westwebquest/womenvote/: retrieved May 02, 2012). The suffrage in the west is one of the most important political challenge fought by the human rights women. 4. ADescribe at least two (2) pieces of legislation in the Roosevelt–Taft–Wilson progressive era years that have influenced the conduct of business to this day and what that influence has been.

The progressive era under Presidents Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson was a period of reforms. Laws were enacted in an attempt to influence the way Americans lived and to safeguard society against social wrongs. The courts were also used to improve the work conditions women and children and also the brutal racial animosity that was prevalent during that period.
During this period, the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act was passed. This law made it illegal for employers to employ children less than 16 years of age; it also establishes a maximum of eight-hour workday.
The Federal Trade Commission was also created during this period. The purpose for the formation of this commission was to ensure and investigate unethical and corrupt business practices. 5. Explain the role that the Spanish American War played in America’s development of an Empire.

The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, was as a result of the America’s intervention in the ongoing Cuban War with the Spanish for their independence. It was believed at the time, that the exposition of the USS Maine in the Havana harbor, that killed 250 American sailors, was the work of sabotage by the Spaniard. The conflict with Spain eventually spread to the Philippines.
The conflict lasted for four months. America, despite not being prepared for a war, was victorious. The Treaty of Paris was signed which granted Independence to Cuba and relinquished most of Spain’s possession to America, including Porto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. Spain in return, received twenty million dollars for its losses.
The end of the war signifies the end of Spain's colonial empire and the marked the beginning of America’s world power. 6. Explain at least two (2) ways in which the boom and bust of the Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression affected the federal government’s involvement in the national economy.

The 1920’s or the as it’s called, Roaring Twenties saw an end to the Progressive era. This was a less intrusive period form the government. Times were good, and people were happy.
The 1920’s saw a new culture. Thomas Edison’s invention of the movie film became popular as Hollywood became a dominant force it the culture. As the economy continue to boom, there were religious conflicts, immigration restriction and a sharp increase in racial intolerance.
On October 29, 1929, the robust economy of the Roaring Twenties came to an end with the crash of the Stock market and the Great Depression made its entry.
The depression created great suffering and hardships to millions of Americans especially the poor and the elderly. And in response to the nation’s outcry, the government had to intervene with recovery measures. Two of the most notable steps taken were the creation of the National Recovery Administration (NRA) and the Social Security Act.
The NRA, led by General Hugh Johnson, was created to stop the “cutthroat” competition that was rampant between small and competing business. It would focus on stopping the practice of price slashing, and the lowering of wages, that was impeding the economic recovery. The NRA wound enforces industry standards of Fair-Trade Rules and to oversee industrial compliances and to assist in employees grievances against their employers.
The Social Security Act passed in August of 1935, was created as a safety net for those in financial woes.

References

Grossman, H. B. (2011). A Comparison of the Progressive Era and the Depression Years: Societal Influences on Predictions of the Future of the Library, 1895-1940. Libraries & The Cultural Record, 46(1), 102-128.

Shultz K. M. 2010; History Volume 2,2nd Edition

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/woman-suffrage/resolution.html

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/nineteentham.htm

http://www.brynmawr.edu/library/exhibits/suffrage/nawsa.html

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/p/greatdepression.htm

http://www.dailyyonder.com/economic-impact-social-security/2011/12/18/3649

http://middle.usm.k12.wi.us/faculty/taft/Unit5/westwebquest/womenvote/