We recapped and reactivated prior knowledge and discussed the end of the Depression. We read about Roosevelt's decision to cut the deficit and decrease spending, which led to another dip in the nation's economy known as the Roosevelt Recession. We began to discuss the climate in the world after the events of World War I, noting that tensions were growing due to high demands for land and resources and countries forming alliances with each other. We defined xenophobia (dislike of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange) upon noting that it was on the rise and powerful nations were blaming their problems on innocent groups of people. We defined totalitarianism (a system in which the government acts as absolute ruler with complete control over every aspect of life), and Ben agreed with the statement that totalitarian leaders did bring stability to their countries, but at the cost of individual liberty. We discussed fascism in Italy under Mussolini, Stalin in the USSR, a military dictator in Japan, and Hitler who promoted the idea of Aryan superiority and blamed the economic and social problems plaguing Germany on the Jews. We read how each totalitarian leader believed that his country was superior to all others and had the right to conquer. Tomorrow we will note the countries that began invading and conquering others.