Tuesday, February 23, 2010

World Events Set Stage for Isolationism

1. What was the Japanese reaction to the Treaty of Versailles? (pgs. 4 - 5)
Japan was split fifty-fifty on the Treaty of Versailles because some people believed that supporting the nations would lead to greater wealth, resources, and economy for Japan. Others thought that it was a mistake because they thought that japan would never be treated with respect by the other nations, and that they would only be a second tier power. Japan also experienced multiple problems with racism. During the Paris Conference there were a few instances when delegates made racist comments. The Japanese saw the conference as a way to amend this situation. They tried to make a racial equality amendment at the Peace Conference, but the US and other contries felt uneasy about this. Asian immigrants in the US were discriminated against in America as well. Because the amendement did not pass, Japan said that it would be less inclined to listen to the League of Nations and the US's proposals in the future.

2. Read the pull-out box on page 4 entitled, "Japan Becomes a Great Power." Cite specific evidence Japan was becoming a strong power that rivaled European & American interests. And, why specifically was Japan threatened by U.S. actions?
Japan had modeled its banking system after the US's, its navy off of Britains, and its constitution after Prussias. These were essentially the best traits of each nation, and Japan's domestic products increased by 3 times and its manufacturing and mining by 6 times. Japan won the Russo-Japanese war against Russia and was given parts of Manchuria. They annexed Korea in 1910. The Japanese felt America was becoming a threat because of its expansion into the Pacific islands (Guam, Hawaii, the Philipinnes).

3. Why was the Washington Naval Conference convened and what was accomplished? (pg. 6) (Note: Japan signs the agreement.)

4. The Senate's willingness to ratify the Kellogg-Briand Pact relected two strong and widely held sentiments. What were they? (pgs. 6 - 7)

5. Why did Hitler enjoy popular support in Germany for most of the 1930s? Give three reasons. (pgs. 9 - 10)

6. Japan voiced its intentions to invade China for what two reasons? (pg. 10)

7. Compare the Reichstag fire and the explosion on the Japanese railway in Manchuria. What did they accompllish?

8. Why was the united States unable to oppose Japan in the early 1930s with a significant military force? (pgs. 11 - 12)

9. Describe the major similarities and differences among liberal democracy, fascism, and socialism. (pg. 8)
POSTED BY MR. HYER AT 1:16 PM

Sunday, February 7, 2010

New Deal Essay Outline

How, and with what success did the United States try to solve the problems caused by the great Depression?

Thesis: The United States made many attempts and tried very hard to solve the problems of the Great Depression, through the New Deal, FDR created many remedies to solve the issues of the Great Depresssion, which were the poor state of the economy, relief for the impoverished, and financial reform. Most of the solutions were hard on taxpayers, and had many critics the main ones were "Federal emergency relief administartion" program, The AAA, and the NRA. The United States was unseccesfull in ending the Great Depression, so they had little success in reducing the turmoil the Great Depression had caused.

Main Point 1: The Federal Emergency Relief Administration was unsuccesfull
-It was costly
-It Limited the long term benefits
-1 billion was spent in the first five months of the CWA (civil worker's administration)
Main Point 2: The AAA did more damage then help because of the waste and farmers put out of work.
-The First AAA bill (1933) declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court.
-government was taxing processors and giving money back to farmers.
-Millions of hogs and other products went to waste. 10 million acres of cotton crop plowed under at the cost of $200 million.
-Modernization put some farmers out of work
Main Point 3:The NRA
-As businesses got concessions, workers then sought them as well. (Wagner Act).
-Businesses and politicians critical because of too much government control of free market.
-Later ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court.
FDR was successfull at coming up with programs to help remedy the damage of the Great Depression, but the programs usually backfired in some way (to much of the taxpayer's money, unconstitutional, etc.) making the government unsuccesful in solving the problems of the great depression.