A Level History - America - Practice Exam

What was the primary purpose of the Second Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938?

1. To promote industrialization in agriculture

2. To provide for the storage of surplus crops and assist farmers

3. To eliminate all agricultural subsidies

4. To establish new crop rotation techniques

The correct answer is: To provide for the storage of surplus crops and assist farmers

The primary purpose of the Second Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 was to provide for the storage of surplus crops and assist farmers. This legislation was part of the New Deal efforts to stabilize agricultural prices and reduce the overproduction of crops, which had plagued farmers during the Great Depression. The act aimed to promote price stability by controlling the supply of agricultural goods through measures such as crop reduction and storage. By ensuring that excess crops could be stored instead of being sold at low prices, the Act helped maintain farmers' incomes and provided them with a safety net during times of economic distress. Promoting industrialization in agriculture or establishing new crop rotation techniques are not aligned with the main goals of this Act; those options reflect different agricultural strategies that do not directly address the economic challenges faced by farmers at the time. Eliminating all agricultural subsidies would counteract the support needed for struggling farmers, making that choice inconsistent with the Act's intent to assist them.