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Difficulty: MediumWorld War II: Mobilization and Social Impact

Read the excerpt below.

"Whereas it is the policy of the United States to encourage full participation in the national defense program by all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin... I do hereby declare that it is the duty of employers and of labor organizations, in defense industries and in the Government, to provide for the full and equitable participation of all workers in defense industries, without discrimination..."
— Executive Order 8802, June 1941

The policy declared in the excerpt was most directly a response to which of the following?

  1. A
    An effort to expand New Deal relief and jobs programs to combat persistent unemployment from the Great Depression.
  2. B
    A decision by the federal government to maintain laissez-faire labor policies to avoid disrupting private defense production.
  3. Pressure from African American civil rights leaders who threatened a mass march on Washington to protest employment discrimination.Answer
  4. D
    A legislative push to enforce the voting rights guarantees established by the Reconstruction amendments.

Answer

Pressure from African American civil rights leaders who threatened a mass march on Washington to protest employment discrimination.
The correct answer is correct because President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 in response to civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph's threat to mobilize a massive march on Washington. Randolph and other activists demanded an end to racial discrimination in defense industries and the military. To avoid a disruptive protest during the defense buildup, Roosevelt established the Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) to investigate discrimination in war industries.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document, noting its historical context (Executive Order 8802, issued in June 1941) and core policy (prohibiting discrimination based on race, creed, color, or national origin in defense industries).
Identified the document as an executive directive aimed at civil rights and employment integration in war industries.
Understanding the core purpose of the document helps link it to the immediate historical catalyst.
2
Recall the historical events leading up to June 1941, specifically the actions of African American labor and civil rights leaders.
Recalled that A. Philip Randolph proposed a massive march on Washington to protest discriminatory hiring practices in the defense sector.
FDR issued the order specifically to prevent this public protest, which he feared would disrupt national unity and the defense buildup.
3
Evaluate the options to identify which represents this historical cause, and eliminate options that incorrectly characterize the order as a New Deal extension, a laissez-faire policy, or a voting rights measure.
Selected the option describing pressure from civil rights leaders threatening a march.
This option accurately captures the cause-and-effect relationship that led to Executive Order 8802.

Key Concept

The impact of minority activism on federal policy and wartime mobilization, specifically Executive Order 8802 and the Fair Employment Practice Committee.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

World War II: Mobilization and Social Impact

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