History

World War I In Northampton

__Economy__


 * Before World War I struck the U.S., the economy was running smoothly and steadily. This all changed, however, and the economy greatly changed.**

//Industry and Trade//


 * The war caused the Europeans to have great interest in American made goods. America had to cut off all ties with Germany after they had violated the Sussex Pledge, however their ties with Great Britain, the United States' allies, greatly improved. America borrowed money from its citizens by providing them with [|Liberty Bonds]. These bonds could then be traded in, or cashed in, later after the war was over for the money that the U.S. borrowed. The money the government borrowed was sent to Great Britain to help aid the war effort. Europe and the U.S. also needed supplies to fight the war. This need forced the U.S. to convert from producing commercial, consumer goods to war related goods such as [|aircraft], artillery, and [|tanks] to provide sufficient force to win the war.**

//The Stock Market//

[|To Top]
 * Although the industrial aspects of the American economy was thriving at this point, the stock market was under par. The reasons why this happened include:**
 * Stock exchanges closing for six months, declining stock prices by twenty-three percent.
 * Railroads experiencing a four percent decline due to most goods being shipped overseas.
 * Banking crisis which forced the U.S. to convert back to gold for payments.

 __Government__


 * When the war came upon America, the government was forced to take action and react to the changes. They had to create ways for people to promote the war physically and emotionally.**

//Laws and Regulations// [|To Top]
 * **May 1917, the Selective Service Act is passed enabling men to be "drafted" into the war.**
 * August 1917, the Lever Food and Fuel Control Act is passed which asks that citizens hold days where they ration on foods such as meat or wheat, and also days where they conserve fuel so that the rationed goods could be used for thewar effort.
 * Created new agencies to regulate transportation, settle labor disputes, and promote the war effort.

 __Women's Roles__


 * The men of America were called to duty once the war started. This left the women of America at home without their husbands. Because the man of the family was usually the major wage producer, [|women] had to take and active role in the American work force.**

//Jobs and Industry//

Most work for women, however, was repetitive and unskilled labor. They were usually supervised by men in the work place, and received lower pay then the men working. In New York, women didn't get equal pay at all, less then ten percent.
 * The women of the WWI era now had to work in factories and industries to support their families. There were more opportunities for work now because of a stop in immigration to the United States. Women were now able to work at:**
 * Railroads
 * Offices
 * Farms
 * Industries

//Military Roles//

In April of 1917, there were a total of 403 nurses stationed in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas hospitals. They worked to aid injured soldiers from combat. [|To Top]
 * Many women worked in the military as:**
 * [|Nurses]
 * Drivers
 * Clerks
 * [|Members of the American Expeditionary Force]

 __Lifestyles__ Many citizens of the United States had their way of life changed by World War I. New opportunities arose and people were faced with decisions to move. Now the families could send their children to school while dealing with the losses from the war.

//Moving, Schools, and Losses// [|To Top]
 * **The "Great Migration", 500,000 African Americans traveling north to find new jobs in business and industry, occured.**
 * Children were sent to scouting programs with military-style uniforms, marching, and patriotic exercises.
 * Military drill became part of many school programs.
 * Families were left without men in the families to support them.
 * Whole generations, young and old, were wiped out leaving children fatherless and wives without husbands.
 * The generation gap was widened.
 * The first man to die from Northampton was Fred A. Snyder.

 __Social__ The social changes that occured in America due to the war also affected the American public.

//Groups//

When the Great Migration occured, the Ku Klux Klan re-emerged and people started to fear for their safety. The hate the Ku Klux Klan had was fueled by the enormous number of African Americans migrating north for jobs. So many African Americans migrated north that there was not enough room to suffice the number of people. Large ghettos for African Americans we formed.

//Lives//

Lives of Americans were affected by low wages, high inflation, increased taxes, and shortages of basic food and supplies during the WWI era. To bolster the war effort, new taxes and laws were enacted. Some of these taxes and laws are still in effect today. Immigration to the U.S. was ceased because of the war and the discrimination against other cultures. Harsh discrimination was felt towards Germans in particular, and African Americans and Mexicans were now actively being used for labor. [|To Top]