Unit 2 Interwar Period 1919-1939

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UNIT 2 INTERWAR PERIOD 1919-1939

ACTIVITY BOOKLET

October 23, 2016

UNIT 3 INTERWAR PERIOD 1919-1939

The focus of the unit will be examining some of the significant political, social and economic developments and events during the interwar period in Canada 1919-1939.

Historical Significance

How do we decide what is important to learn about the past?

Of all the events that have occurred in the past and the people who have lived, how do we decide which ones we should learn about? How do historians decide what to research and write about? In other words, what makes an event or person historically significant?

Historical significance is determining the meaning and value of an event or person from the past that makes it significant.

Guideposts to Historical Significance

Events, people, or developments have historical significance if they resulted in change. That is, they had deep consequences, for many people over a long period of time.

Events, people or developments have historical significance if they are revealing. That is, they shed light on enduring or emerging issues in history or contemporary life.

Historical significance is constructed. That is, events, people, and developments meet the criteria for historical significance only when they are shown to occupy a meaningful place in a narrative (story).

Historical significance varies from time to time and from group to group.

Events and Developments

The events and developments that will be examined include:

Winnipeg General Strike 1919 (social, economic)
Canadian Autonomy/Independence (political)
Women’s Rights (political, social)
Great Depression (economic)

Historical Significance

The following events and developments are considered historically significant:

Winning General Strike 1919
Canadian Autonomy 1920s-1930s
Women’s Rights/Vote 1918-1929
Great Depression 1929-1939

Inquiry Questions

Winning General Strike 1919

Were the actions of the government during and after the Winnipeg General Strike justified?

Canadian Autonomy 1920s-1930s

Was Canada more or less independent during the Interwar Period?

Women’s Rights/Vote 1918-1929

Which event was the most significant for the development of women's rights during the Interwar Period?

Great Depression 1929-1939

Which consequence or effect of the Depression was the most significant?

Topic: Winnipeg General Strike 1919

Read The Winnipeg General Strike: Labour Unrest or Communist Conspiracy? p.64-65 in Counterpoints.

Activity: Winnipeg General Strike 1919

Question: Were the actions of the government during and after the Winnipeg General Strike justified?

Actions by the Government / Justified
or
Not Justified / Explanation/Reason/Evidence
Minister of Justice Meighen and Minister of Labour Robertson meet with Citizens’ Committee of One Thousand but not the Strike Committee / Justified
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OR
Not Justified
 /

meeting with the strike committee would give the strike legitimacy

the government supported the employers and CCOT and opposed the strikers; the government was not interested in reaching a settlement but defeating the strikers

Winnipeg Mayor fired police officers for refusing to sign contract to prevent them from joining unions / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the police are essential to keep law and order and cannot be allowed to strike

police officers should have the same rights as other workers and be allowed to join a union

Federal government amended the Immigration Act to be able to deport foreign born leaders accused of insurrection
Criminal Code’s definition of revolution was broadened / Justified

OR
Not Justified

Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the government was concerned the foreign leaders from Eastern Europe were communist and encouraging revolution

there was no evidence that the foreign leaders were encouraging revolution but instead demanding the right to collective bargaining

general strikes lead to revolution in Russia in 1917 so the government was concerned that the strike may threaten the government

the government was attempting to make it easier to arrest the strike leaders to defeat the strikers

RNWMP arrest union leaders / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the government feared the general strike would lead to revolution

there was no evidence the strike leaders were encouraging insurrection or revolution

Bloody Saturday / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the mayor issued a ban on demonstrations and meetings; protesters attacked a train and set it on fire

the police charged the protesters and fired on an unarmed crowd; the police were the aggressors

Federal government conducts a series of raids across the country on a series of homes of know agitators and offices of radical organizations / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the government was taking precautionary measures as they feared a revolution

the government was abusing its power and attempting to limit and restrict its opponents

Anglo-Saxon union leaders arrested were given jury trials while foreign born leaders faced deportation hearings before the Immigration Board of Inquiry / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

Canadian or British born leaders had a right to a trial but foreign born leaders did not

the foreign born leaders were being discriminated against because of their ethnic background

Foreigners arrested during Bloody Saturday were deported / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the foreigners who participated in the demonstration violated the ban on meetings and as a result lost their right to remain in Canada

the foreigners were being discriminated against

Federal government introduced Section 97 of the Criminal Code which identified an unlawful association and used it to prosecute members of the Communist Party, radicals and union leaders / Justified

OR
Not Justified
 /

the general strike demonstrated to the federal government that some radicals and union leaders pose a threat to government

the government is abusing its power to destroy opposition from left wing parties or groups and unions

#Justified #Not Justified

Discussion Notes

Topic: Canadian Autonomy

Read Canada’s Growing Independence p.80, The Imperial Conference and the Balfour Report p.83, Was Canada more or less independent by the end of the 1920s? p.84 in Counterpoints.

Terms and Definitions

Autonomy

the power to govern oneself (self-government) and make one’s own decisions; independence from outside decision makers or ruling bodies

Social/Cultural, Political, Economic

social/cultural: issues related to society

 events, issues, trends that affects society; how people relate to each other; people’s role in society; e.g. national radio

political: relating to the government or the public affairs of a country

 issues of government in societies; type of government in place and relationship with other countries; e.g. patriating the constitution

economic: systems of trade, production and consumption of goods and money

 systems of trade, production and consumption of goods and money; employment and incomes; e.g. Crown Corporation

Activity: Thirteen Events in Canadian Autonomy 1919-1936

Question: Was Canada more or less independent during the Interwar Period?

Event / Canadian
Autonomy / Dependent
on Britain / Dependent on United States
1919 Paris Peace Conference
(political)
1920 League of Nations
(political)
1922 Chanak Crisis
(political)
1923 Halibut Treaty
(economic)
1920s Investment in Canada
(economic)
1926 Balfour Report
(political)
1926 King-Byng Crisis
(political)
1920s-30s Group of Seven
(social)
1920s Branch Plants
(economic)
1931 Statute of Westminster
(political)
1931 Hockey Night in Canada (social)
1936 CBC (social)
1930s Radio (social) / 
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Discussion Notes

Topic: Women’s Rights

Female Suffrage and the Persons Case

Provincial Vote

Federal Vote

Persons Case

Aftermath and Significance

Activity: Women’s Rights

Women’s Rights - Criteria for Historical Significance

Inquiry Question: Which event – provincial vote, federal vote, Persons Case - was the most significant for the development of women's rights during the Interwar Period?

Event:
Prominence or Importance at the time
Immediate Recognition

Was it noticed at the time as having importance?

Duration/Length

How long did the change exist or last?

Consequences
Magnitude of Impact

How profound or deep was the impact? Did it result in dramatic or minor changes?

Scope of Impact

How widespread was the impact? Were many people or geographical areas affected?

Lasting nature of Impact/Turning Point

How long lasting were the effects? Were they short lived effects?
Did the event change the direction of subsequent events? Was it a turning point?

Discussion Notes

Topic: Great Depression

Read Causes of the Great Depression p.90-93 in Counterpoints.

Causes of the Great Depression

Causes / Explanation
Overproduction /

1920s industries expanded but when economy slowed companies faced overproduction – more goods being produced than sold
companies decrease production leading to unemployment
unemployment means less consumer goods purchased

Dependence on Exports /

Canadian economy dependent on export of primary sources (wheat, wood, minerals, etc.)
80% production of farms, forests, mines exported
foreign sales decline so exports decrease in agriculture, forestry, mining

Tariffs /

U.S. Canada’s largest trading partner
U.S. imposed tariffs (tax) on foreign goods to protect its domestic market making foreign goods more expensive
other nations imposed tariffs causing slowdown in world trade
Canadian exports decreased substantially

World War I Debt /

U.S. lent money to nations during World War I
nations relied on trade with U.S. to repay loans and debt
tariffs caused a slowdown in world trade so nations could not repay loans

Stock Market Crash /

investors started selling stocks to earn high profits prompting other to sell
stock prices fell causing investors to panic and sell large volumes of stock causing stock prices to decrease more
NY Stock Market Crash caused a financial crisis

Effects of the Great Depression

Read The Desperate Years: Making Ends Meet p.94-100, Responding to the Depression p.101-105, Politics of Protest p.106-110 in Counterpoints.

Effects / Description
unemployment
p.95-96 /

people lost their jobs as factories and businesses closed
people were evicted from their homes because they could not pay mortgage or rent
many relied on government relief payments called pogey
it was difficult to qualify for the pogey which were vouchers for food and other essentials
private charities provided clothes and meals and soup kitchens established to help the hungry and homeless
by winter 1933 more than 25% were unemployed
unemployed men rode freight trains “riding the rails” - across the country seeking jobs
unemployed men established shantytowns in cities

women
p.98-100 /

few jobs other than domestic work available which paid low wages
unemployed single women did not qualify for government relief
many women were forced to quit their jobs to provide jobs for men
married women were fired from their jobs to provide jobs for men
women were responsible for maintaining the family and home so women found ways to cut household costs and conserve
women in the Prairies experienced additional hardship because of the drought and dust bowl (refer to p.98)
pregnancy and children added to household difficulties
birth rate declined

On-to-Ottawa Trek
p.101-102 /

1935 more than a thousand men left relief camps in BC to protest conditions and demand higher pay
under leadership of Relief Camp Workers’ Union they decided to take their protest directly to PM Bennet
men rode freight trains through the Prairies
Bennet ordered RCMP to stop trekkers in Regina
protestors ushered into a stadium and only union leaders allowed to continue to Ottawa
RCMP ordered to clear the stadium but the protestors resisted and battled with police > Regina Riot
one officer was killed, many injured and 130 protestors arrested

Political Parties

CCF
Social Credit
Union Nationale

p.106-107 /

Cooperative Commonwealth Federation

CCF founded in 1932 was Canada’s first socialist party
want government to control the economy so all Canadians benefit equally
1933 J.S. Woodsworth selected as party leader
Regina Manifesto was the party platform: supported public ownership of key industries and social programs for the elderly, unemployed, homeless and sick
1939 formed opposition in BC and Saskatchewan

Social Credit Party

William Aberhart party leader
believed capitalism was a wasteful economic system
government should release money into the economy so people can spend it
1935 federal election won 17 seats with 50% of the vote in Alberta

Union Nationale

Maurice Duplessis formed party which promoted Quebec nationalism
supported by the Roma Catholic Church
blamed Quebec’s social and economic problems on English minority which controlled Quebec’s economy
platform based on improved working conditions, social insurance programs, and publically owned power companies
Duplessis premier 1936-1939 and 1944-1959

role of government
p.110 /

Depression led to increase role and involvement of the government in the management of the economy and lives of Canadians
Rowell-Sirois Report from Royal Commission on Dominion-Provincial Relations recommend the federal government:

provide poorer provinces grants or equalization payments so every province was able to offer services at the same level
provide unemployment insurance and other social benefits such as pensions

Source: Counterpoints The Desperate Years: Making Ends Meet p.94-100, Responding to the Depression

p.101-105, Politics of Protest p.106-110

Activity: Effects of the Great Depression

Depression - Criteria for Historical Significance

Inquiry Question: Which effect or consequence of the Depression was the most significant?

unemployment
women
On-to-Ottawa Trek
political parties – CCF, Social Credit, Union Nationale
role of government

Effect/Event:
Consequences
Magnitude of Impact

How profound or deep was the impact? Did it result in dramatic or minor changes?

Scope of Impact

How widespread was the impact? Were many people or geographical areas affected?

Lasting nature of Impact/Turning Point

How long lasting were the effects? Were they short lived effects?
Did the event change the direction of subsequent events? Was it a turning point?

Discussion Notes