America in the America in the 1920s1920s

The Decade of The Decade of ChangeChange

1920s Changes1920s Changes What Changes?What Changes? From War Economy to From War Economy to

Peace EconomyPeace Economy Increase in Social Increase in Social

UnrestUnrest Rights and Rights and

Opportunities for Opportunities for women and blackswomen and blacks

Increase in TechnologyIncrease in Technology New Popular CultureNew Popular Culture

Why?Why? With war came With war came

suspension of suspension of moral code = more moral code = more freedom & freedom & individual moralityindividual morality

Less influence by Less influence by religion & parentsreligion & parents

Blacks = more Blacks = more dignity & women dignity & women more independencemore independence

Andrew Mellon – U.S. Sec. of the Treasury1.Favored tax cuts for rich; believed in “trickle down”

2.Believed in rapid expansion of capital investment

3.Favored high tariff

4.Tax burden shifts to middle class

The Republican The Republican PresidentsPresidents

1920s Presidents1920s Presidents Warren Harding #29Warren Harding #29 Businessman who Businessman who

promised a return to promised a return to “normalcy”“normalcy”

Conservative economic Conservative economic agendaagenda

Role of gov’t = make Role of gov’t = make business more business more profitable; role = limitedprofitable; role = limited

Hostile to labor unionsHostile to labor unions Teapot Dome ScandalTeapot Dome Scandal

Calvin Coolidge - Calvin Coolidge - #30#30

The business of US The business of US is business”is business”

ConservativeConservative Supported Supported

prohibitionprohibition Favored payment Favored payment

of war debtof war debt

1920s Presidents1920s Presidents Herbert Hoover #31Herbert Hoover #31 Led food admin during WWILed food admin during WWI Businessman who criticized socialismBusinessman who criticized socialism Supported some progressive ideas; Supported some progressive ideas;

supported labor unions; fed. reg. of radiosupported labor unions; fed. reg. of radio 1928 – “Poverty will be banished from 1928 – “Poverty will be banished from

the nation”the nation” 1924 Dow Jones = 180; Sept. 1929 = 1924 Dow Jones = 180; Sept. 1929 =

381381 By 1932 = 41By 1932 = 41

Strikes & Red ScareStrikes & Red Scare 1919 1 of 5 wage 1919 1 of 5 wage

laborers went on laborers went on strikestrike

1919 – Boston 1919 – Boston Police StrikePolice Strike

1919 – United 1919 – United Mine Workers Mine Workers StrikeStrike

1919 – Steel 1919 – Steel Workers StrikeWorkers Strike

Palmer RaidsPalmer Raids 1917 communist rev. a 1917 communist rev. a

successsuccess People believed communists People believed communists

would settle all over worldwould settle all over world 1919 – Att. General Arnold 1919 – Att. General Arnold

Palmer authorized raids on Palmer authorized raids on suspected communists; led suspected communists; led to 4000 arrests; 250 sent to 4000 arrests; 250 sent back to Russia on boat “Red back to Russia on boat “Red Ark”Ark”

““Red Red Scare”Scare”Palmer

RaidsA Mitchell

Palmer & J. Edgar Hoover vs. The ACLU

Anti-Immigrant Anti-Immigrant FeelingsFeelings

•Johnson Act

•National Origins Act

•Sacco & Vanzetti

Anti-Immigrant FeelingsAnti-Immigrant Feelings Johnson ActJohnson Act 1921 – Emergency Quota Act1921 – Emergency Quota Act Immigration limited to 3% of Immigration limited to 3% of

nat. in US as of 1910 census; nat. in US as of 1910 census; 357k total357k total

Literacy Test Act 1917 – said Literacy Test Act 1917 – said immigrants had to read & immigrants had to read & write a language to get in; write a language to get in; not nec. Eng.not nec. Eng.

Quota Act of 1924 – further Quota Act of 1924 – further limited immigrants to 2% of limited immigrants to 2% of residents based on 1890 residents based on 1890 census; 164 totalcensus; 164 total

National Origins National Origins Act Act

Set immigration Set immigration limits @ 150k yr.limits @ 150k yr.

Each country had Each country had quota based on quota based on % of pop. In US % of pop. In US in 1920in 1920

Immigration from Immigration from Asia prohibitedAsia prohibited

Immig. From W. Immig. From W. hemisphere hemisphere unlimitedunlimited

Sacco & VanzettiSacco & Vanzetti 1920 – Mass. Shoe co. payroll of 15k 1920 – Mass. Shoe co. payroll of 15k

stolen by 5 guysstolen by 5 guys Guard & payroll officer killed; Guard & payroll officer killed;

eyewitnesses said robbers looked Italianeyewitnesses said robbers looked Italian Police checked anarchist’s list & found 2 Police checked anarchist’s list & found 2

Italians that looked suspiciousItalians that looked suspicious Both Sacco & Vanzetti had good alibis, Both Sacco & Vanzetti had good alibis,

but Sacco owned gun similar to one usedbut Sacco owned gun similar to one used Judge often referred to them as “dagos”Judge often referred to them as “dagos” Found guilty & executed in 1927Found guilty & executed in 1927

Traditionalist vs. Traditionalist vs. ModernistsModernists

• Rise of the KKK

• Scopes Trial

Scopes Trial Traditionalist William Jennings

Bryan = prosecutor

Revivalist protestants

Fundamentalists who believed in literal interpretation of Bible

Anti-immigrant Skeptical of

science

Modernist John Scopes = bio teacher who

challenged Butler law which banned teaching evolution

ACLU took case & hired Clarence Darrow

Modernists wanted religion to interact w/ science

Darrow able to make fund. Ideas look ludicrous; though he lost case

Scopes fined $100.00, lost his job

Fine overturned, but Scopes unable to appeal

The Scopes The Scopes TrialTrial

Rise of the Rise of the KKKKKK

The Ku Klux Klan

1915 – The Birth of a Nation – Nation’s 1st full length film; glorified KKK

Klan motto = Native, white, Protestant supremacy

Harassed blacks, Jews, & Catholics Tactics included physical intimidation,

economic boycotts, arson 100s of Klansmen elected to local gov’t offices Almost 4 million members in 1925; then

declined rapidly with internal corruption

Prohibition 18th amendment passed in 1919 & went into

effect 1920 Urban ethnic groups opposed prohibition

(Germans, Irish, Italians) Many brewed their own beer or distilled gin Illegal saloons called “speakeasies” appeared

everywhere Organized crime grew & drinking increased

3xs Much corruption w/in gov’t Repealed in 1933 w/ 21st amendment

The New National Popular The New National Popular CultureCulture

New National Culture Installment

Financing Installment

buying increased Previously

limited to large purchases – land/homes

By 1920s you could buy all kinds of goods “on time”

Many became over extended on credit

Radio & Newspaper United American culture 90% of Americans had radios by 1929 KDKA of Pittsburgh = 1st radio station;

gave results of 1920 pres. Election 1926 National Broadcasting Company

set up chain of stations coast to coast (NBC)

1927 – Fed. Radio Comm. Established 1934 – FCC established (Fed.

Communication Comm.) Influence: 10 million peeps could

listen to same program @ same time – same ads, news, ideas – led to uniformity

Advertisement w/ installment buying

came the birth of advertising

Businesses began to create a desire/demand for products not well known

Businesses used psychologists to find what people wanted

Sports Babe Ruth – NY Yankee

Home run slugger Gertrude Ederle – 1st

woman to swim English channel

Charles Lindbergh – made 1st solo trans-Atlantic flight – 33 hrs. 29 min.

Helen Wills – tennis; won 7 US Opens

Red Grange, (football) Jack Dempsey – boxing

Movies & Music

1915 – The Birth of a Nation = 1st film 1927 – The Jazz Singer – 1st film w/ sound Hollywood = movie capitol of world Stars: Rudolph Valentino, Charlie

Chaplin, Gloria Swanson Jazz born in New Orleans: Louis

Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith