← Geographic Mobility in the U.S., 1920-1950
Flashcards
Geographic Mobility in the U.S., 1920-1950
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Geographic Mobility in the U.S., 1920–1950
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Geographic mobility | The ability of people to move from one geographic location to another |
| Population density | The number of people per unit of area |
| What three periods does this activity focus on? | 1920–1930 (Post-Progressive Era), 1930–1940 (Great Depression), and 1940–1950 (World War II) |
| What population trend occurred in 1920–1930? | Counties in northeastern states had among the largest increases in population density, while some southern regions (e.g., Georgia) and parts of the East Coast saw declines; the northwestern U.S. saw little movement |
| Why did population density decline in rural areas during 1920–1930? | It reflected population movement from rural areas to cities |
| How did industrialization affect migration in the 1920s? | Mechanization of farming pushed many workers, including a large number of African-Americans, to move from the South to the North and West for industrial jobs in cities |
| What population trend occurred in 1930–1940? | Population density declines shifted to the Great Plains, instead of the South and East seen in the prior decade |
| What was the Dust Bowl's effect on migration? | It forced people out of areas from Texas through the Great Plains to places like California and larger cities |
| Boll weevil epidemic | An agricultural crisis that caused bankrupt farmers and sharecroppers to move to cities to find work |
| New Deal programs and migration | Economic stimulus programs like the Hoover Dam construction and the Civilian Conservation Corps spurred people to move to where jobs were available |
| What population trend occurred in 1940–1950? | Increased geographic mobility with many counties in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast seeing increases in population density as people left rural areas for urban ones |
| How did WWII mobilization affect population shifts (1940–1950)? | People relocated to work in war supply production centers; women specifically moved to new areas to take jobs previously held by men fighting overseas |
| Push factors in early 20th century migration | Agricultural depression and increased farming mechanization, which drove people away from rural areas |
| Pull factors in early 20th century migration | War mobilization and industrial growth, which attracted people to cities and industrial centers |
| Population Change by Decade, 1910–2010 tool | A data visualization showing population movement trends across decades at the county level |
| Recent population trend (2000–2010) | The U.S. population shifted toward the West and South |
| Before and After 1940 tool | A data visualization showing population density shifts at the county level in 10-year intervals |
| "The Grapes of Wrath" extension activity | A suggested resource illustrating geographic mobility during the Great Depression |
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