Overview of USA 1919-1941 

Syllabus Topic

National Studies

Option G: USA 1919-1941

• Survey

  - The USA in the aftermath of World War I and politics in the 1920s:

  - consequences of World War I for the USA

  - Republican economic policies

  - long-term causes of the Great Depression

  - reactions to the Great Crash of 1929

From 1919 to 1941, the United States went through a period of dramatic change. The country moved from post–World War I prosperity in the 1920s, into the crisis of the Great Depression in the 1930s, and finally towards recovery under Roosevelt’s New Deal. These years shaped American society, politics, and economics in ways that prepared the nation for World War II. 

Consequences of World War I for the USA (1919–1920) 

At the end of World War I, the USA emerged stronger than Europe because its homeland had not been destroyed. Industry and farming had expanded during the war, but peace brought challenges. Returning soldiers created pressure on jobs, and 1919 saw major strikes and violent race riots. Politically, America turned inward: it refused to join the League of Nations and adopted an isolationist foreign policy. Fear of communism after the Russian Revolution led to the “Red Scare”, with arrests and deportations of suspected radicals. 

Republican Economic Policies (1920–1929) 

The 1920s were dominated by Republican presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover. Their policies reduced taxes, raised tariffs to protect U.S. industries, and limited government regulation. These pro-business measures encouraged rapid economic growth, consumerism, and new inventions like automobiles and radios becoming widespread. However, wealth was unevenly distributed, farmers suffered from low crop prices, and speculation in the stock market grew unchecked. 

Long-Term Causes of the Great Depression (1920s) and Expansionism (1926–1937) 

Despite the appearance of prosperity, serious weaknesses existed in the U.S. economy during the 1920s. Farmers could not sell enough crops, many Americans relied on credit, and banks were poorly supervised. Overproduction in factories, falling demand, and stagnant wages meant that the economy was fragile. By the late 1920s, these problems created the conditions for an economic collapse. 

Reactions to the Great Crash of 1929 (1929–1941) 

The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 triggered the Great Depression. Millions lost jobs and savings, and by 1933 unemployment reached 25%. President Hoover relied on voluntary cooperation rather than direct action, which many Americans saw as insufficient. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal, a series of programs to provide jobs, reform banking, and restore confidence. While the Depression continued through the 1930s, the New Deal permanently changed the role of government in U.S. society. 

Conclusion 

Between 1919 and 1941, the United States experienced both boom and bust. The prosperity of the 1920s was followed by the hardship of the 1930s, forcing the federal government to take on new responsibilities through the New Deal. This period left a lasting legacy on American politics and economics, shaping the nation’s response to global conflict and its eventual entry into World War II. 

SOURCES: 

Eisenhower Presidential Library: “Red Scare” 

BBC: Republican Economic Policies 

Library of Congress: New Deal 

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