Alexis,+Eddie,+Sophia

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The GI Bill

**- What was the GI Bill? When was it created? Why was it created?**

The GI Bill of Rights (The Servicemen's Readjustment Act) was created by the federal government in 1944, and signed that same year by President Roosevelt. It was passed at a time when many were returning from WWII. The GI Bill was designed to both pay unemployed veterans $20 a week, or send them to college, expenses of $500/year paid. It was difficult for veterans to come straight from the military and get jobs. The bill provided a living allowance to veterans while they were in school.

**- Did it work? Achieve it's goals?**

Congress wanted to avoid another Depression-like situation. Preceding the bill, mostly just the upper crust of society went to college. However, when the bill was passed, many more young men and women were suddenly able to take that road. "In the peak year of 1947, veterans accounted for 49 percent of college admissions. By the time the original GI Bill ended on July 25, 1956, 7.8 million of 16 million World War II veterans had participated in an education or training program" (Department of Veteran Affairs.) The bill was highly successful, as it profited the economy immensely, and filled up colleges. The GI Bill was reinstated in 1984. It has since be "updated" in 2008, which covers more educational expenses.

**How were African Americans affected by the GI Bill?**

Despite the still fairly racist environment after WWII, the GI bill did help African Americans, if not as much as their white counterparts. Most African Americans at the time were not particularly wealthy. The bill meant hey had far more access to "upper class" education than they ever really had before, provided by the government. Many people didn't really foresee the impact the bill you have on African-American society. According to Dr William Hytche, "They used it as a resource to secure their growth and their future." The GI bill both improved the quality of education at black colleges, and sent more African Americans to mostly white colleges.

**- Were there any critics of the bill? **

I am pretty sure there were critics of the bill. I mean yin doesn't live without a yang.

** - Who were they? **

John McCain and George W. Bush were critics for the most recent GI bill.

** - What was their argument? **

McCain believes that the promise of full college tuition upon discharge (you do not use the GI Bill until you get out) will prompt too many service members to get out sooner than they would have otherwise.

**- What is the Post 9/11 GI Bill?**

The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

**- How is it similar or different from the original?**

This differs because they changed it to it will help people who have serviced for over a year after 9/11 which unlike the 1st one which just promised college benefits to people who served in uniform period you actually to have had a more specific reason i.e. serving after 9/11 at least 90 days.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">** - What's its legacy? **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Legacy? The GI Bill has left so much behind and given us so much. Some of the soldiers that had entered the war at that time were privileged men, meaning that had never left the area that lived in. This war helped those men move to other places throughout the states and inside the US and see different things of each culture and area. They got to see experience things from all over the world, they became open to possibilities that they had never even imagined. They also got wind of educational possibilities that they had never been exposed to at home. The GI Bill also gave women jobs helping out the war, in factories, shipyards, and plane shops, showing America that women could do things as well. Women no longer had to be the “housewife”. They began to help shape this sort backbone for their country.

- **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What do the members of your group think about the bill? Was it a good idea or bad idea? How would the US be different if the GI Bill was not enacted? **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As a group we feel that I was a good idea for all those that apply. I was a very interesting way that helped shape our country. To us, it seemed to be a revolution that changed the way people thought for decades after it had happened. From then on people was interested more in the education, culture, and skills they had learned about into their everyday life. I guess you can say it helped modernize our country. When we say for all those apply, we took in consideration Eddie’s ideas and thoughts. He brought up the point that he never intended or would become a veteran so it doesn’t apply to him, but he understands the significance that it had on America as a whole.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Work Cited: **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[|www.time.com]

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[|www.answers.yahoo.com]

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">www.gibill.va.gov

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">@findarticles.com