LIFE ON THE HOME FRONT Chapter 20, Section 3 By Mr. Thomas Parsons

I. Women and Minorities Gain Ground A. Compared to Europe and Asia, World War II had a positive effect on US society. 1.Put an end to the Depression. 2.Almost 19 million new jobs created. 3.Doubled the income of most American families.

B.Wartime labor shortage forced factories to hire women in positions traditionally considered men's work. 1."Rosie the Riveter," a character in a popular song by the Four Vagabonds, became a symbol for the campaign to hire women million women entered the manufacturing workforce.

C. Factories still resisted the hiring of African Americans. 1.A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters took action. 2.He informed Roosevelt of his plan to organize a march on Washington to secure jobs for African Americans. 3.On June 25, 1941, Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, ended discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government.

D. In 1942 the federal government started the Bracero Program 1.Mexican farm workers to come to the United States to help harvest fruits and vegetables on farms in the Southwest. 2.More than 200,000 Mexicans came to help with the harvest and to build and maintain railroads.

II. A Nation On The Move A. Roughly 15 million Americas moved west and south during the war 1.to be closer to the new jobs available. 2.Rapid growth of S. California cities in the Deep South created a new industrial region called the Sunbelt. B. The federal government spent $1.2 billion for public housing, schools and community centers for the new workers.

C. The Great Migration resumed 1.African Americans left the South and headed to Northern and Western cities looking for factory jobs. 2.African Americans were often confronted with suspicion and intolerance, sometimes ending with violence.

D. The Zoot Suit Riots 1. The zoot suit - Mexican American teens wore baggy pants and an overstuffed, Knee length jacket with lapels 2.Appeared unpatriotic to American teens. 3.Zoot suiters were rumored to have attacked several sailors soldiers and sailors stormed into Mexican American neighborhoods in Los Angeles. 5.Police did not intervene 6.LA banned the zoot suit 7.This racial violence did not deter Mexican Americans from joining the war effort ,000 Hispanics served in armed forces

E. Japanese Internment 1.On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed executive order allowed the War Department to declare any part of the United States a military zone 3.This allowed them to go above the constitution to maintain safety 4.All people of Japanese ancestry were evacuated from the west coast to 10 interment camps.

III. Daily Life in Wartime America A. President Roosevelt Worried about inflation created: 1.FDR created Office of Price Administration (OPA)  The OPA regulated wages and the price of farm products 2.FDR created the Office of Economic Administration (OES).  The OES regulated all other prices.

B. The War Labor Board (WLB) 1. Worked to prevent strikes that would endanger the war effort. 2.American Unions issued a “no strike pledge.”

C. Rationing - Limiting the availablility of products 1.Rationing occurred as the demand for raw materials and supplies increased and created shortages. 2.Each month a book of ration coupons was given to each household for processed foods and meats, fats, and oils

D. Victory Gardens were planted to produce more food for the war effort. E. Recycling 1.Scrap drives were organized to collect spare rubber, tin, aluminum, and steel. 2.Americans exchanged bacon grease and meat drippings for extra ration coupons because fats and oils were so vital for the production of explosives.

F. Raising money for the war: 1.The government raised taxes, covering about 45 percent of the cost of the war. 2.E Bonds were sold to Americans to help pay for the war. 3.Through the purchase of these bonds, Americans were loaning money to the government. 4.The bonds could be redeemed in the future for the purchase price plus interest.

G. Most Americans were united in the goal of winning the war.

Closing assessment: 1.) Explain the role women played at home during WWII, and their impact on the US winning the war? 2.) 2.) What is rationing, and what role did it play during WWII in America (examples)?