Dear Scottie...

For my project first draft I am gonna right an excerpt about world war II centralized government increases.

What happened...

Central government tends to grow when a country has hit a difficult time. One major example of this would be world war II. During world war II, out of neccesity, our country became the closest it has ever become to a socialist state. the Office of price administration, set up by Roosevelt on May 29, 1940, set cielings on 90% of goods at the apex of its influence. This was done in order to stop inflation in its tracks. It was effective. The Office of Price Administration also set rations on most foods, severely restricting Americans' choice on what and how much they ate. The office of price administration was disassembled on May 29, 1947. The National war labor board was set up on January 12, 1942. This board temporarily blocked wage increases and siezed control of unions. It was dissasembled in 1946. The War Pruduction Board rationed and recycled objects needed for the war effort such as rubber and oil. Created in 1942, the War Production Board is still in effect today. The Department of the Treasury Issued war bonds to prevent inflation. The revenue act of 1942 increased income tax and extended it to the middle and lower classes. This law has been built upon to the point that income tax is a major part of todays government. The right to strike was also cut, by means of the Smith Connaly anti-strike act.

What I think about it...

In democracy, there are two ways to test whether or not government war time powers are acceptable:

1: If the people the government serves accept and imbrace it.

2:If the war time powers are gotten rid of after war.

All of the laws mentioned pass. In 1943, the WPB hired Harvard Business School Professor Thomas North Whitehead to tour the nation and find out how Americans were reacting to rationing and controls. Whitehead reported that "the good temper and common sense of most people under restrictions and vexations was really impressive... My own observation is that most people are behaving like patriotic, loyal citizens." People accepted government increase during world war II. However, some laws made during WWII do not pass the second test. The Revenue Act of 1942, for example, does not pass the impermanence test. Not only was income tax extended to the middle and lower class, but there hacve been over a dozen Revenue Acts since. The idea of precedent, in my oppinion, is extremely dangerous to democracy. Our government was not meant to rely on its past for guidance: it was meant to look to its future. Thomas Jefferson believed that a new constitution should be drawn up for every new generation, so that the government would always develop unpredictably. Our centralized government power increases in the form of punctuated equilibrium, leading slowly to an empirical state. It does so because of war and a clinging to precedent. Our government was meant to move in an unpredictable, ever changing and adapting fashion.

Analyze the causes, courses, and major figures of progressivism.

goals of progressivism: protecting social welfare, promoting moral improvement, Creating economic reform, fostering efficiency.

protecting social welfare- florence Kelley, child reform

Promoting moral improvement- Carry Nation, Prohibition

Economic Reform- Muckrakers, socialism

Fostering efficiency- Henry Ford, Assembly lines.

Describe African Americans and Women's fights for rights.

W.E.B. Dubois, Niagra falls conference

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Susan B. Anthony, Womans sufferage

Woman education

Explain the battle between traditionalism and modernity during the '20's

Scopes trial

City vs. Rural

Women (Flappers)

Prohibition

Explain the causes and courses of the great depression and american societies' reaction to it.

Causes- Lowered demand higher supply, Easy credit, stock market crash

Courses- All of U.S. and world in powerful, lasting depression. U.S. citizens become extremely discouraged, birth rate goes down, suicide goes up, Fathers abandon families, families starve.

Explain the important policies, institutions, and personalities of the new deal era.

Emegency Banking Relief Act- reinforced trust in banks

Civilian conservation corps- made up work for the workless

Roosevelt and fireside chats- Encouraged citizens

Explain how the Great Depression and the new deal affected U.S society

Gave an entire generation independent spirit

Set up policies like social security and right to unionize.

Made Economy more stable to prevent another guargantuan depression.

Explain the causes of the Industrial Revolution.

The discovery and use of electricity made way for inventions to be used.

The inventions of the telephone and light bulb helped businesses be more efficient.

Oil and steel became huge natural resources that provided jobs and became more efficient (Bessemer Steel Process, injecting air into steel)

Explain the consequences of the industrial revolution.

Monopolization came into effect (Standard Oil company, Social Darwinism)

Labor unions formed (Longer hours due to lightbulb, dangerous working conditions)

Country became closer (railroads)

Describe the causes of increased immigration to the U.S.

Religious bersecution in Russia (Jews, pogroms)

Chinese moved to U.S. to seek fortune ( Prospecting, business)

Western indes and Mexicans came to find work.

Explain westward expansion and how it affected Indians.

Westward expanders argued lack of improvement of land by Indians, wanted gold in California.

Indians became displaced to Oklahoma land reservation.

Indians died in fights with U.S. (Wounded knee, Sand creek)

Explain the formation and goals of unions and the rise of radical political parties during the industrial era.

Unions formed together as businesses did to fight for fair wages and safe working conditions

Socialism Eugene debs to fight monopolies

Strikes both won labor goals (ARU, Increased wages) and got destroyed by govt (Pullman strike)

Explain and name examples of U.S. Imperialism
Imperialism caused by belief in military growth, cultural superiority, economic growth, and bragging rights

Taking over Hawaii

Helping panama gain independence in exchange for canal

War with Spain and annexation of Puerto Rico

Explain Wilson’s war time diplomacy

Wanted league of nations, free trade of seas, no secret treaties

Treaty of Versailles failed (all blame placed on Germans)

Dear Scottie...

I am working on an essay concerning the growth and Impact of centralized state power. I plan on using the following MCAS standards...

Explain important domestic events during WWII

Explain the factors that led to the cold war and the policy of containment.

Analyze the roots of anticommunism and the consequences of McCarthyism.

Analyze the domestic policies and events during the presidencies of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon.

I will use the following chapters:

World War Looms

America in WWII

Cold War conflicts

The New Frontier and The Great Society

The Vietnam War Years

An Age of Limits

You may notice that all of the chapters I focus on are during dangerous or high-tension times. That is because I will be looking at laws made during hard times that still strengthen the governments' hold on our freedoms today. The only big example I have found as of now is the extension of income tax to the middle class during WWII. I Have Just started, so I still need to look at every lasting law from WWII to Nixon that has increased Centralized state power.

Q: How did government regulations impact the lives of Americans during world war II?

A: Regulations imposed upon citizens by the government during world war II Impacted Americans in several ways. One major way these restrictions did so was slowing down the natural entropic aspects of the capitalist system. The government did so by increasing and extending income tax, as well as freezing prices on certain products. This slowed inflation significantly, but meant that less Americans had money, which means less economic freedom in terms of supply and demand. Food was also rationed during this time period.