Changes

Historically, the president's own political party almost always loses seats in Congress in the "midterm" election two years after the presidential election.  This is because the public grows tired and disgruntled with the performance of the president, and the voters express their discontent by voting for the opposite party.  But in 1934, thanks to glowing media support, FDR's Democratic Party was a rare exception in that it gained seats in Congress:  9 in the House and 9 in the Senate.<ref>http://hnn.us/articles/1094.html</ref>

Historically, the president's own political party almost always loses seats in Congress in the "midterm" election two years after the presidential election.  This is because the public grows tired and disgruntled with the performance of the president, and the voters express their discontent by voting for the opposite party.  But in 1934, thanks to glowing media support, FDR's Democratic Party was a rare exception in that it gained seats in Congress:  9 in the House and 9 in the Senate.<ref>http://hnn.us/articles/1094.html</ref>

The midterm election victory by FDR and the Democrats encouraged them to continue their New Deal in 1935.  They established the Works Progress Administration, which employed 8.5 million persons between 1935 and 1943, building public works.  They also passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  It gave unions greater rights and promoted their growth, limited what companies could do to stop unionization.  The Wagner Act established the National Labor Relations Board to handle disputes between unions and employers.

The midterm election victory by FDR and the Democrats encouraged them to continue their New Deal in 1935.  They established the Works Progress Administration, which employed 8.5 million persons between 1935 and 1943, building public works.  They also passed the Wagner Act in 1935.  It gave unions greater rights and promoted their growth, limiting what companies could do to stop unionization.  The Wagner Act established the National Labor Relations Board to handle disputes between unions and employers.

At the same time, a fiery labor organizer named John Lewis started the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which focused on combining garment trade unions (workers unions) and later included auto and steelworkers.  Eventually it merged with the AFL in order to become the "AFL-CIO" that is often heard today.

At the same time, a fiery labor organizer named John Lewis started the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO), which focused on combining garment trade unions (workers unions) and later included auto and steelworkers.  Eventually it merged with the AFL in order to become the "AFL-CIO" that is often heard today.

The New Deal did '''not''' help lift the nation out of the Great Depression.  The economy improved a little from 1933 to 1940, but the depression never really ended.  FDR became furious with the Supreme Court's invalidation of his New Deal programs (e.g., in ''Schecter Poultry v. U.S.'' (1935), the Supreme Court declared the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional because it delegated too much power to an administrative agency).  By 1937 FDR was so angry at the Supreme Court that he proposed a "court-packing" scheme to appoint new Justices to the Supreme Court who would be favorable to him.  This shocked even FDR's own Democratic Party, which then opposed FDR's flagrant violation of the checks and balances in the Constitution, and as a result FDR lost much of his credibility.  He weakened himself with this proposal, which never passed, and FDR himself could not persuade Congress to pass much more of his program.

The New Deal did '''not''' help lift the nation out of the Great Depression.  The economy improved a little from 1933 to 1940, but the depression never really ended.  FDR became furious with the Supreme Court's invalidation of his New Deal programs (e.g., in ''Schecter Poultry v. U.S.'' (1935), the Supreme Court declared the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional because it delegated too much power to an administrative agency).  By 1937 FDR was so angry at the Supreme Court that he proposed a "court-packing" scheme to appoint new Justices to the Supreme Court who would be favorable to him.  This shocked even FDR's own Democratic Party, which then opposed FDR's flagrant violation of the checks and balances in the Constitution, and as a result FDR lost much of his credibility.  He weakened himself with this proposal, which never passed, and FDR himself could not persuade Congress to pass much more of his program.

The final piece of New Deal-style legislation to pass in 1938 was the Fair Labor Standards Act, which abolished child labor and set the national minimum wage at $0.40 per hour (40 cents per hour in 1938, which is the equivalent of $6.63 in 2013).

The final piece of New Deal-style legislation to pass in 1938 was the Fair Labor Standards Act, which abolished child labor and set the national minimum wage at $0.40 per hour (40 cents per hour in 1938, which was the equivalent of $6.63 in 2013).

The only real end to the Great Depression came when we entered into a new war:  World War II.

The only real end to the Great Depression came when we entered into a new war:  World War II.

The end of the war then came quickly. On April 28, 1945, the Italian fascist dictator Mussolini was captured and hung by Italians, and the Allied army liberated Venice.  The next day the U.S. 7th Army liberated Dachau, the site of one of the concentration camps.  The following day after that, April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

The end of the war then came quickly. On April 28, 1945, the Italian fascist dictator Mussolini was captured and hung by Italians, and the Allied army liberated Venice.  The next day the U.S. 7th Army liberated Dachau, the site of one of the concentration camps.  The following day after that, April 30, Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

A week later, on May 7, 1945, the German troops unconditionally surrendered, and the world rejoiced.  A month later, on June 5th, the Allies divided up Germany into western and eastern sections, giving communist Russia "East Germany."  Three weeks after that, on June 26, the Charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco.

A week later, on May 7, 1945, the German troops unconditionally surrendered, and the world rejoiced.  A month later, on June 5th, the Allies divided up Germany into western and eastern sections, giving communist Soviet Union control over "East Germany."  Three weeks after that, on June 26, the Charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco.

But the war continued against Japan, and Japanese soldiers had a fanaticism that prevented them from surrendering at any cost.  America had the upper hand ever since it had won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific back in June 1942, but the Japanese were never going to surrender unless something extraordinary happened.  The opportunity was provided by America's secret development of the atomic bomb.  Years earlier some physicists, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and they urged the President to develop it before Germany did.  (In fact, Germany was not making any progress.)  The President did not act on Einstein's letter, but later he did begin the Manhattan Project to develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Top physicists led the project.  Roosevelt never lived to hear of its success.  It was only after Truman replaced Roosevelt as President that the physicists had been successful in testing the new atomic bomb that they developed.

But the war continued against Japan, and Japanese soldiers had a fanaticism that prevented them from surrendering at any cost.  America had the upper hand ever since it had won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific back in June 1942, but the Japanese were never going to surrender unless something extraordinary happened.  The opportunity was provided by America's secret development of the atomic bomb.  Years earlier some physicists, including a friend of Albert Einstein who persuaded him to write a letter, feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and they urged the President to develop it before Germany did.  (In fact, Germany was not making any progress.)  The President did not act on Einstein's letter, but later he did begin the Manhattan Project to develop our own atomic bomb at a secret facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Top physicists led the project.  Roosevelt never lived to hear of its success.  It was only after Truman replaced Roosevelt as President that the physicists had been successful in testing the new atomic bomb that they developed.

The United Nations has remained controversial to this day.  In the 1990s, an American soldier named Michael New was ordered to fight under command of the United Nations.  He refused, and was court-martialed (harshly punished) for it.  He then sued, and lost.  Many complain that the United Nations encroaches on the right and duty of nations like the United States to remain true to their own principles.  Defenders of the United Nations say that it provides an important meeting place to discuss and defuse tensions before they escalate into wars.  The United Nations did arrange for many countries to send troops to defend South Korea against invasion by communist North Korea.  But as in Vietnam and most major international wars since World War II, the United States sent the vast majority of the soldiers who went to the battlefront.

The United Nations has remained controversial to this day.  In the 1990s, an American soldier named Michael New was ordered to fight under command of the United Nations.  He refused, and was court-martialed (harshly punished) for it.  He then sued, and lost.  Many complain that the United Nations encroaches on the right and duty of nations like the United States to remain true to their own principles.  Defenders of the United Nations say that it provides an important meeting place to discuss and defuse tensions before they escalate into wars.  The United Nations did arrange for many countries to send troops to defend South Korea against invasion by communist North Korea.  But as in Vietnam and most major international wars since World War II, the United States sent the vast majority of the soldiers who went to the battlefront.

President Woodrow Wilson would have been a supporter of the United Nations, just as he supported the League of Nations.  His motto was to "make the world safe for democracy."  Today, "neoconservatives" adopt a similar worldview.  They seek to expand and install democracy in countries all around the world, such as Iraq and Iran.  Others, however, point out that democracy may not be compatible with religions in other parts of the world, such as Islam.  Conservative Congressman and 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul wrote an essay entitled, "Making the World Safe for Christianity," observing that democracy in Iraq has ''increased'' the persecution of Christians there.  Indeed, violence and the loss in innocent lives are much worse under democracy in Iraq today than it was under a dictatorship.

President Woodrow Wilson would have been a supporter of the United Nations, just as he supported the League of Nations.  His motto was to "make the world safe for democracy."  Today, "neoconservatives" adopt a similar worldview.  They seek to expand and install democracy in countries all around the world, such as Iraq and Iran.  Others, however, point out that democracy may not be compatible with religions in other parts of the world, such as Islam.  Conservative Congressman and 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul wrote an essay entitled, "Making the World Safe for Christianity," observing that democracy in Iraq has ''increased'' the persecution of Christians there.  Indeed, the loss in innocent life is much worse under democracy in Iraq today than it was under a dictatorship.

By the way, Congressman Paul blames the treaty after World War I (the Versailles Treaty) as the cause for World War II and the rise of communism.  The U.S. Senate never ratified that treaty.

By the way, Congressman Paul blames the treaty after World War I (the Versailles Treaty) as the cause for World War II and the rise of communism.  The U.S. Senate never ratified that treaty.

Nevertheless, up until the 1850s immigration was mostly welcomed in America.  But after a huge influx of immigrants from Ireland due to the potato famine there, in 1854 the "American Party," also called the “Know-Nothings” because of how they would describe themselves, was founded in order to oppose immigration.  Ever since, there has been political pressure to limit immigration.

Nevertheless, up until the 1850s immigration was mostly welcomed in America.  But after a huge influx of immigrants from Ireland due to the potato famine there, in 1854 the "American Party," also called the “Know-Nothings” because of how they would describe themselves, was founded in order to oppose immigration.  Ever since, there has been political pressure to limit immigration.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) ended the Mexican War and allowed Mexicans residing in territories acquired by the United States to become American citizens.  After 1890, hundreds of thousands of Mexicans entered the United States illegally and were given the racist name of "wetbacks".  Segregation in the public schools of Mexicans was common until the Supreme Court abolished it for African-Americans in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).   

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) ended the Mexican War and allowed Mexicans residing in territories acquired by the United States to become American citizens.  After 1890, hundreds of thousands of Mexicans entered the United States illegally and were given the racist name of "wetbacks".  Segregation of Mexicans in the public schools was common until the Supreme Court abolished it for African-Americans in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).   

The big flood of immigration occurred between the end of the Civil War and 1921.  Up to one-third of Americans today are decedents of immigrants to America during that period.  The vast majority was from Europe, but the Burlingame Treaty with China in 1868 gave Chinese unlimited rights to immigrate, and many did.  Labor unions then complained about the influx of Chinese immigrants (who had built the transcontinental railroad over the Sierra Nevada mountains).  In 1879, the moderate Republican Rutherford Hayes vetoed a bill restricting Chinese immigration, but three years later the new Republican president Chester Arthur signed a bill prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers.  This bill was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

The big flood of immigration occurred between the end of the Civil War and 1921.  Up to one-third of Americans today are decedents of immigrants to America during that period.  The vast majority was from Europe, but the Burlingame Treaty with China in 1868 gave Chinese unlimited rights to immigrate, and many did.  Labor unions then complained about the influx of Chinese immigrants (who had built the transcontinental railroad over the Sierra Nevada mountains).  In 1879, the moderate Republican Rutherford Hayes vetoed a bill restricting Chinese immigration, but three years later the new Republican president Chester Arthur signed a bill prohibiting the immigration of Chinese laborers.  This bill was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.