SS8H8 The student will analyze the important events that occurred after World War I and their impact on Georgia.
a. Describe the impact of the boll weevil and drought on Georgia.
WWI Aftermath
With the End of WWI, the U.S.A. had established herself as a World Power.
Soldiers returning from overseas brought back new ideas and different views of the world and society.
The U.S. experienced a "Party Atmosphere" known as the Roaring 20s in which society was riding a wave of economic prosperity and times were great.
Farmers had produce massive quantities of cotton for wartime uniforms. Textile Mills made the uniforms and overall business was GREAT.
Women began to experience more freedom with the right to vote (19th Amendment)
In general LIFE WAS WONDERFUL.
Downfall
In the late 1890s an insect known as the Boll Weevil began to make its way from Mexico into Texas and eventually into GA.
This insect destroyed the Ga cotton crop in the mid 1920s and by 1929, Ga cotton production had dropped to almost 15 of its war time production.
To make matters worse, the worse drought in the states history hit in 1924.
Farmers began to go broke.
Banks that lent them $$ went Broke.
By 1929, the impact of banks over lending credit was felt and the Nation went into a depression.
Better jobs were in the North at Factories so a Great Migration of people left the South
Among this migration were many blacks who felt they would get better$$ and more equal rights in the North.
b. Explain economic factors that resulted in the Great Depression.
Great Depression
During the War, Europe was so busy fighting that many factories and farms were not in operation. Many people did not have jobs so the U.S. economy was growing rapidly to meet their demand but after the war ended and the people of Europe started rebuilding things slowly changed throughout the 1920s while the U.S. was having its "Party."
Causes of Great Depression
People had borrowed more money than they could repay
Factories produced more than they could sell
Farmers produced more food than in demand
All of these factors brought about Black Tuesday in which the Stock Market crashed (went broke) on Oct.29, 1929.
Banks had invested large amounts of $$ in stocks and when people found out the banks were short on cash they demanded their money. When the banks handed out all the cash on hand. The bank closed and people lost their savings.
d. Discuss the effect of the New Deal in terms of the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Agricultural Adjustment Act, rural electrification, and Social Security
Great Depression Solutions
Herbert Hoover was the President at the start of the Great Depression but lost the office to Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)
Hoover had a policy of letting people dig out from their own problems but FDR believed the Government should set up programs to help the people. He called his program the "NEW DEAL."
FDR started Gov't jobs and programs such as the
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – this organization paid men a dollar a day for working on projects from building sewers to repairing state park facilities to improve the state
Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) – this organization gave grants of money to property owners for farming. Tenant farmers and sharecroppers did not get $ since they did not own the land.
He also set about getting electricity to rural (country) areas of the United States and not just the cities. Ex.
Tennessee Valley Authority dammed up the Tenn. River to produce Electricity for North Ga
He also started the Social Security Program in which you get $ when you retire.
c. Discuss the impact of the political career of Eugene Talmadge.
Eugene Talmadge
Became Gov of Ga in 1933
Was opposed to FDR New Deal Policies
Was a conservative white supremacist that disliked federal Gov't involvement in the state and was very popular in GA
Often used force to get what he wanted and did not follow federal guidelines on New Deal Programs
He served 2 terms (2 years each) and then was re-elected in 1940.
His opposition to New Deal Policy ideas softened But he got into trouble when plans to integrate UGA and Georgia Southern were revealed. He opposed integration and fired several members of the faculty and Board of Regents that oversaw the schools.
His actions drew National attention to Ga and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools threatened to take accreditation from ALL white schools in GA.
People became upset with him and the Association.
