Model Answer Jan 2011 America Depth Study

1. USA Depth Study: January 2011 Questions4 and 6
4) a) Thisposterwas publishedtopersuade people tosupportthe Anti-SaloonLeague intheirefforts
to pass prohibition (purpose).Thisisshowninthe cartoonby the man spending his‘week’swages’
ina saloonwhilsthiswifeisunable toaffordtofeedtheirchildbecause theydon’thave enough
money (source level 3 – 3 marks). Thisposterwas producedbythe Anti-SaloonLeaguewhowere an
organisationseekingtointroduce prohibitionintoAmericaduringthisperiod. Theybelievedthat
manymenwere spendingall theirmoneyinsaloons,ratherthantakingtheirwageshome tofeed
theirfamilies.Infact,theyalsoclaimedthat3000 infantswere smotheredeachyearbydrunken
parentsrollingontothem,highlightinganotherreasonforpassingprohibition (context.Level 5– 6
marks). As such,the posterwas producedtopersuade people thatprohibitionwasagoodthingand
that theyshouldsupportit.

2. 4)b) This source clearlyprovesthatprohibitionwassuccessfullyenforcedbecause itshowsa
prohibition agentpouringbootleggedliquordownadrain.Bootleggedliquorwasalcohol thatwas
beingillegally smuggledacrossAmerica.We know that prohibition wassuccessfullyenforced(as
showninthisphoto) because IssyEinsteinwasable tofindillegal alcohol inNew Orleanswithin35
secondsof arrivingthere (he wasofferedabottle of whiskeyinataxi!).Thisisfurthersupportedby
the fact that 11,860,000 gallonsof illegal spiritswere seizedin1929 byprohibitionagents.
(Explanationwith contextof info inthe source. Level 2 – 4 marks)
However,thissource doesnotshowall the facts.In fact,WilliamMcKoywas able tomake $70
millionsmugglingwhiskeyduringthisperiod (identificationoffailure ofprohibitionenforcement.
Level 3 – 5 marks). Thisdemonstrates thatprohibitionwasnotentirelysuccessfullyenforcedsince
Mckoy was able tomake so much moneyillegally. Thiswasfurthershownbythe factthat there
were more SpeakeasiesinAmericaby1929 thanthere had beenSaloonsin1919, clearlythe
productionandconsumptionof illegal alcohol wasnotbeingstopped (explanationwithcontextof
factors not inthe source. Level 4 – 6 marks).
Overall,itisclearthat thissource doesnotprove that prohibitionwassuccessfullyenforced.Infact
thisisprobablyproducedbythe governmenttopersuade people thatitwasbeingsuccessfully
enforced.Inreality,toomanyofficialswere beingbribedtoturna blindeye tothe productionof
illegal alcoholforitto be effectivelyenforced. (Judgementasto how far. Level 5 – 7 marks)
4)c) Thissource doesnot surprise me since Iknow that more and more Americanswere speculating
on the Stock Exchange duringthe 1920s, infact by 1929 there were 600,000 speculatorsonthe US
Stock Exchange.Manywomenwere able totake advantage of the increasedopportunitiesavailable
inthe economicboomfromthe 1920s andas a resultwere able toinvestinthe stockmarket.
(Explanationof not surprise,using the source and context. Level 3 – 4 marks)
On the otherhand,thissource doessurprise me because there were large areasof societynot
effectedbythe boom.Forexample,womenlivinginthe countrywere notable totake upthese
opportunities,infactfarmprofitsfell by50% in1921 alone. (Explanationofsurprise with context.
Level 4 – 6 marks)
6) a) As a resultof the Wall StreetCrash manypeople wentbankrupt,astheywere unabletopay
back the moneythattheyhad borrowedfromthe bankto buy theirshares(1 mark).Ascompanies
triedto save moneytheymade manypeople unemployed(1mark),thismeantthatmany people
couldnot paytheirmortgages,sotheylosttheirhomes(1 mark).Asa result,manypeople endedup
livinginHoovervilles(1mark) these were shantytownsmade of scrapmetal andnamedafterthe
presidentof the time (1mark).Many banksalsowentbust as theytriedtoget theirmoneyback
frompeople whocouldn’tpay(1mark) (4 mark maximum)
6) b) Speculationhelpedtocause the Wall StreetCrashbecause itmeantthat more and more
people were startingtogamble onthe StockMarket. Speculatorswere peoplewhowere lookingto
make quickmoney,ratherthaninvestinginthe companiesthattheywere buyingsharesin.By1929

3. there were 600,000 Speculatorsonthe StockMarket and manyof these were ordinarypeople who
didn’treallyhave anyideaof whattheywere doing.Thishelpedtocontinue todrive upthe price of
sharesbefore the crash,and as a resultpeople lostevenmore moneywhenthe Crashoccurred.
(One reason explainedindetail.Level 2 – 4 marks)
A secondreasonwaspeople ‘buyingonthe margin’whichmeantthattheywere able tobuy shares
withlessmoneypaidupfront.Unfortunatelythismeantthattheystill owedthe full amountwhen
the crash happened.The quickprofitthattheywere hopingtomake turnedintoa debtof the full
amount. (Secondreason explained.Level 3– 5 marks, not as detailed)
4)c) One of the mainreasonsforRoosevelt’svictoryinthe Presidential electionof 1932 wasdue to
PresidentHoover’sunpopularity.Hooverhadbecome unpopularbecause he hadbecome knownas
a ‘do nothing’presidentafterthe Wall StreetCrash.The Wall StreetCrashhadcausedmass
unemploymentacrossAmericawithcitieslikeToledoseeing unemploymenthit80%,butHoover
believedin‘ruggedindividualism’ (theideathatthe individual shouldhelpthemselves,and
governmentshouldn’tgetinvolved) andasa resultgota reputationfornot helpingpeopleinneed.
In fact Hooverkeptclaimingthat‘prosperityisjustaroundthe corner’anddidn’tgetinvolvedin
supportingpeopleoutof Hoovervilles(slumsnamedafterthe president,whichshowshow
unpopularhe was).Thisfailure tosupportpeople wasbestshownbyhistreatmentof the Bonus
Marchers whowere WWI veteransaskingfortheirpensionbonustobe paidearly.Hooverallowed
General MacArthur to burntheircamp downand accuse themof beingCommunists.He had
developedareputationassomeone whohadnothingtoofferpeopleandthismeantthatno-one
wantedtovote for him,thishelpedRoosevelt. (One side explained.Level 3- 6 marks)
On the otherhand,Rooseveltofferedpeople a‘New Deal’,he wasverykeentoemphasisethe
contrast to Hoover.Rooseveltwaskeento‘dosomething’andthisincludedpromisesof more jobs,
helpforagriculture andsolvingthe bankingcrisis.Thismeantthatpeoplewere keentovote forhim
because he hadsomethingtooffer.ThiswasfurthersupportedbyRoosevelt’sproactive campaign
whichsawhimtravel over20,800km to spreadhismessage andgive over16 major speechesonhis
campaign.Thisseemedtobackup hismessage of wantingtodo somethingandmeantthatpeople
were more willingtovote forhim,unlike Hoover,whohadlittle tooffer. (Otherside explained.
Level 4 – 8 marks)
In conclusion,itisclearthatRoosevelthadsomethingverydifferenttoofferfromHooverandthis
helpedhimtogetelected.However,withoutthe Crashitself,andthe weakreactionof Hoover,
Rooseveltwouldnothave beenable tooffersomethingdifferent.HadHooverdone something
rather thantryingto avoidgettinginvolved,thenRooseveltwouldnothave founditsoeasyto
persuade peopletovote forhim.Infact, it wasonlybecause Hooverhadbecome sounpopular,and
had sucha poorreputationthatRooseveltwasable topersuade people tovote forhimwithvague
promises. (Directcomparisonin conclusion. Level 5 – 10 marks)