AP US History Flashcards: The Great Depression

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on The Great Depression, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP US History.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: Which New Deal program was declared unconstitutional in 1935?

Answer: National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). Supreme Court ruled it violated constitutional separation of powers.

Flashcard 2: Identify the agency created to regulate the stock market during the New Deal.

Answer: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Restored investor confidence and prevented market manipulation.

Flashcard 3: Which region of the United States was most affected by the Dust Bowl?

Answer: The Great Plains. Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and surrounding states suffered most.

Flashcard 4: Which New Deal program aimed to assist homeowners with mortgage payments?

Answer: Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC). Refinanced mortgages to prevent widespread home foreclosures.

Flashcard 5: Identify the policy that reformed the banking system and restored confidence.

Answer: The Banking Act of 1933. Glass-Steagall Act separated commercial and investment banking.

Flashcard 6: Which U.S. President initiated the New Deal programs?

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt. Elected in 1932, implementing extensive government programs.

Flashcard 7: Identify the author of 'The Grapes of Wrath,' depicting the Depression-era struggles.

Answer: John Steinbeck. Documented migrant workers' hardships during the Depression era.

Flashcard 8: What was the impact of the Great Depression on global trade?

Answer: Global trade declined significantly. International commerce collapsed due to reduced purchasing power.

Flashcard 9: What was the main goal of the Wagner Act?

Answer: To protect workers' rights to unionize. Strengthened labor movement and collective bargaining rights.

Flashcard 10: Which program was known for establishing minimum wage and maximum work hours?

Answer: Fair Labor Standards Act. Established basic worker protections and labor standards.

Flashcard 11: Which event marked the end of the Great Depression?

Answer: The onset of World War II. War production finally ended unemployment and economic stagnation.

Flashcard 12: Identify the New Deal program aimed at providing electricity to rural areas.

Answer: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Brought modernization and economic development to the region.

Flashcard 13: What was the primary cause of bank failures during the Great Depression?

Answer: Massive withdrawals or bank runs. Panicked depositors withdrew funds, causing institutional collapse.

Flashcard 14: What was the main goal of the New Deal?

Answer: Relief, Recovery, and Reform. The three Rs strategy to address economic crisis comprehensively.

Flashcard 15: Identify the term that describes the severe drought and dust storms during the 1930s.

Answer: The Dust Bowl. Caused by severe drought and poor farming practices.

Flashcard 16: What was the purpose of the Emergency Banking Relief Act of 1933?

Answer: To stabilize the banking system. Restored confidence through federal oversight and regulation.

Flashcard 17: Identify the year the stock market crashed, marking the Great Depression's beginning.

Answer:

1. Black Tuesday occurred on October 29, 1929.

Flashcard 18: Identify the author of 'The Grapes of Wrath,' depicting the Depression-era struggles.

Answer: John Steinbeck. Documented migrant workers' hardships during the Depression era.

Flashcard 19: Identify the policy that reformed the banking system and restored confidence.

Answer: The Banking Act of 1933. Glass-Steagall Act separated commercial and investment banking.

Flashcard 20: Which economic theory did John Maynard Keynes advocate during the Depression?

Answer: Keynesian economics, promoting government spending. Advocated government intervention to stimulate economic recovery.

Flashcard 21: Which New Deal program provided jobs for young men in conservation projects?

Answer: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Employed youth in reforestation and park development projects.

Flashcard 22: What was the unemployment rate at the peak of the Great Depression?

Answer: Approximately 25%. Peak unemployment reached historic levels in 1933.

Flashcard 23: State the purpose of the Social Security Act of 1935.

Answer: To provide financial assistance to the elderly and unemployed. Created a social safety net for vulnerable populations.

Flashcard 24: Identify the initiative that aimed to create jobs through infrastructure projects.

Answer: Public Works Administration (PWA). Built roads, bridges, and public buildings nationwide.

Flashcard 25: What was the significance of the Wagner Act of 1935?

Answer: It guaranteed the right to unionize and collective bargaining. Strengthened organized labor and protected workers' rights.

Flashcard 26: What did the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 establish?

Answer: Workers' rights to unionize and bargain collectively. Protected union formation and collective bargaining processes.

Flashcard 27: Identify the initiative that aimed to create jobs through infrastructure projects.

Answer: Public Works Administration (PWA). Built roads, bridges, and public buildings nationwide.

Flashcard 28: What was the purpose of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)?

Answer: To raise crop prices by paying farmers to reduce production. Reduced supply to increase agricultural commodity prices.

Flashcard 29: Which New Deal program was declared unconstitutional in 1935?

Answer: National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). Supreme Court ruled it violated constitutional separation of powers.

Flashcard 30: What was the primary economic policy used by President Hoover to combat the Depression?

Answer: Laissez-faire economics. Minimal government intervention, believing markets would self-correct.

Flashcard 31: What did the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 establish?

Answer: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Protected bank deposits and restored public confidence.

Flashcard 32: What was the purpose of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)?

Answer: To provide direct relief to the unemployed. Provided immediate assistance to those without work.

Flashcard 33: Which New Deal program focused on providing public works jobs?

Answer: Works Progress Administration (WPA). Largest New Deal employment program for infrastructure projects.

Flashcard 34: Which New Deal program focused on providing public works jobs?

Answer: Works Progress Administration (WPA). Largest New Deal employment program for infrastructure projects.

Flashcard 35: What event is widely considered the start of the Great Depression?

Answer: The stock market crash of 1929. Black Tuesday signaled economic collapse and widespread financial panic.

Flashcard 36: What was one effect of the Great Depression on American families?

Answer: Increase in unemployment and poverty. Economic hardship devastated household income and stability.

Flashcard 37: Identify the program that provided financial aid to the unemployed and elderly.

Answer: Social Security Act. Established permanent social welfare system for Americans.

Flashcard 38: What was one effect of the Great Depression on American families?

Answer: Increase in unemployment and poverty. Economic hardship devastated household income and stability.

Flashcard 39: Identify the New Deal program that helped stabilize agricultural prices.

Answer: Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA). Addressed farm overproduction and falling commodity prices.

Flashcard 40: Which New Deal program aimed to assist homeowners with mortgage payments?

Answer: Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC). Refinanced mortgages to prevent widespread home foreclosures.

Flashcard 41: What was the purpose of the Public Works Administration (PWA)?

Answer: To fund large-scale public works projects. Created jobs while improving national infrastructure systems.

Flashcard 42: Identify the policy that aimed to insure bank deposits up to a certain amount.

Answer: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Prevented bank runs by guaranteeing individual deposits.

Flashcard 43: Which act aimed to alleviate poverty among the elderly?

Answer: Social Security Act. Provided retirement income and support for elderly Americans.

Flashcard 44: What was the main criticism of the New Deal by conservatives?

Answer: It expanded government intervention too much. Conservatives feared socialism and loss of free market principles.

Flashcard 45: What did the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 establish?

Answer: Workers' rights to unionize and bargain collectively. Protected union formation and collective bargaining processes.

Flashcard 46: What is the term for government spending that exceeds revenue?

Answer: Deficit spending. Keynesian strategy to stimulate economic growth through spending.

Flashcard 47: What was the outcome of the 1936 presidential election regarding the New Deal?

Answer: A landslide victory for Roosevelt, endorsing the New Deal. Overwhelming public support validated Roosevelt's reform agenda.

Flashcard 48: Which region of the United States was most affected by the Dust Bowl?

Answer: The Great Plains. Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and surrounding states suffered most.

Flashcard 49: What was the main goal of the Wagner Act?

Answer: To protect workers' rights to unionize. Strengthened labor movement and collective bargaining rights.