Vlad and I watched the first half of ABC/History Channel's "The Great Depression' video. We discussed the impact on individuals, families and society.

-The Spanish Civil War and the "Abraham Lincoln Brigade" of U.S. volunteers who go to Spain to fight-The unhappy presidency of Herbert Hoover, -Causes of the Stock Market Crash reviewed: 1) lack of economic diversification in the U.S. economy, 2) a "maldistribution" of wealth, 3) decline in exports, 4) unstable international debt structure, 5) banking collapse, 6) GNP plummets in capital investment, the consumer price index, gross farm income. -widespread, national unemployment, -the "Dustbowl" - "Okies" - Even harder times lay ahead for minorities in America...
-FDR elected President in 1932....a BIG DEAL leading to a NEW DEAL!

We reviewed the causes of the 1929 stock market crash that add to the Great Depressions of the 1930s. Unemployment, the "Dust Bowl" and the "Okies," urban and rural poverty... The importance of Depression Era radio and movies. ..The beginning of Walt Disney's reign as the champion of animation and children's entertainment... The Spanish Civil War... The presidency of Herbert Hoover...

Today we took at look at the causes of the unprecedented Stock Market Crash of 1929 that will cause the devastating Great Depression of the 1930s. Issues that led to the stock market crash and the collapse of the American economy were: 1) Over speculation in stocks/buying stocks on margin, 2) Lack of economic diversification, 3) Uneven distribution of wealth, 4) Declining exports, 5) Unstable international debt structure, 6) Banking collapse, 7) Decline of consumer price index.

Today we focused on the second half of the 1920s leading to the stock market crash of 1929. Earnest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms," the voice of the "Lost Generation" - the name was coined by American writer Gertrude Stein... The Harlem Renaissance... The failure of Prohibition... We watched two 2-minute presentations: one on the rise of organized crime in the 1920s and the other on the Scopes Monkey Trial. We had about 30 minutes as Vlad was in rehearsal for the talent show tomorrow. I know he has been working hard on his presentation. I look forward to it!

Today we looked at America in the 1920s. From Prohibition, women gaining the right to vote, the growth of Hollywood, the KKK, the Harlem Renaissance, the Scopes Monkey trial, the scandal wracked administration of President Harding and the Teapot Dome Scandal, to the events that will lead to the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.

We discussed that the Treaty of Versailles, written at the end of WWI, was not truly a peace treaty, but a treaty the Allied leaders of Europe insisted be based on revenge. The reparations levied against Germany were so harsh and unrealistic that this will pave the way for more problems in Europe over the next two decades, culminating in the rise of a leader and another war - the likes of which the world had never seen.
-Paranoia in the U.S. due to the Russian Revolution of 1917. A new govt. agency called the FBI was created to prevent "radicals" and communists from taking over anywhere in the U.S. Palmer Raids, the Great Migration... The "Lost Generation," the name given to the young generation of Americans who had lived through WWI... They felt alienated, that the war had been a fraud. Prohibition - the sale and manufacture of alcohol went into effect in 1920 and it quickly led to organized crime here in the U.S.

Vlad scored 100% on his take home sample A.P. questions on WWI! Way to go, Vlad!
Today we looked at the 1920s in the U.S.; a period of almost uninterrupted prosperity and economic expansion.
-The U.S. continues to move from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial society.
-The rise of the urban industrial society created new challenges and opportunities for women and African Americans.
-WWI resulted in intensified nationalism and led to new, restrictive immigration laws into the U.S.
-After WWI, the U.S. returned to isolationism, led by conservative politicians.
Vlad was not able to complete the entire reading assignment last night. Tonight, he must complete reading Chapter 22.

Vlad forgot to complete his A.P. sample test questions for H.W. He said he completed 1/2 of them this morning. I advised him to please work on completing them again tonight for H.W. and to take his time. We don't want him to rush through these sample test question assignments. They are not only great practice, but Vlad does receive a grade on these sample tests.

Back to WWI: the Selective Service Act was passed in May 1917. Three million men were drafted into the U.S. army, another 2 million enlisted. It was the first time in U.S. history that any substantial number of soldiers had fought overseas for an extended period. Nearly 400,000 African Americans served in WWI. They served in segregated units under white commanders.
-The new technology of warfare. (p. 594) -High casualty rates (p.595)
-Economic and Social Results of WWI: 1) produced a remarkable period of economic growth for the U.S. 2) The "Great Migration" (p.598) 3) Race Riots, 3) The Espionage & Sedition Acts (p. 602),
-Woodrow Wilson becomes the first sitting U.S. President to travel to Europe in 1919 to meet with the other Allied leaders to devise a peace treaty in the aftermath of the war. Wilson is proud of and excited about his 14-Point Plan (what many called an idealistic vision of peace).

We carefully reviewed the causes of WWI:

1) By 1914, Europe was a delicate house of cards - a system of very complex alliances.
2) Ethnic Tensions in the Balkan Peninsula, the "powder keg of Europe"...
3) Germany's practice of unrestricted submarine warfare...
4) The sinking of British passenger ocean liner the Lusitania, by a German u-boat in 1915...
5) The Zimmerman Telegram - 1917...
6) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - 1914...

We began to discuss how the Russian Revolution of 1917 impacted WWI and the U.S. decision to enter the war. After three years of fighting on the front line with Germany on the eastern front, the Russian populace rebelled against Czar Nicholas II. Russia physically withdrew from WWI due to heavy casualties and political turmoil and rebellion resulting in the overthrow of the Czar and replacing Russian aristocratic rule with a Russian "provisional government" that may have supported a constitutional monarchy. However, the provisional government will be overthrown by communists in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1918.

At any rate, with Russia withdrawn from WWI and the national furor over the Zimmerman Telegram, sent from Germany to Mexico - intercepted by Great Britain and presented to the U.S. - President Woodrow Wilson made the difficult decision to enter the U.S. in WWI.