chapter 30 lecture - oak park independent€¦ · 10/28/16 4 p694 ii. hooded hoodlums of the kkk...

10/28/16

1

Chapter 30AmericanLifeinthe"RoaringTwenties,"

1920–1929

Presented by:

Mr. Anderson, M.Ed., J.D.

I.SeeingRed• Bolshevik Revolution (1919):coming ofCommunism toRussia– EffectsonUnitedStates:

• SmallCommunistPartyemerged– Blamed for some labor strikes (Seattle, 1919)

• Bigredscare of1919-1920:– Nationwide crusade against left-wingers whose Americanismwas suspect

– Attorney General A.Mitchell Palmer “saw red” too easily– “Fighting Quaker” rounded up 6,000 suspects– Number doubled in June1919 when abomb shattered boththenerves and thehome ofPalmer

I.SeeingRed(cont.)

– Othereventshighlightedredscare:– December1919: shipload of249alleged alien radicalsdeported onBuford (the“SovietArk”) toRussia

– September 1920, still-unexplained bomb blast onWallStreetkilled 38people andwounded ahundred others

• Statelegislatures1919-1920joinedoutcry;passedcriminalsyndicalismlaws:

– Anti-red statutes madeunlawful mereadvocacy ofviolencetosecuresocial change

– Critics protested thatmerewords notcriminal deeds– Violence done tofreedom of speech as IWWmembers andother radicals vigorously prosecuted

10/28/16

2

p693

I.SeeingRed(cont.)– In1920 fiveNewYorkstate legislators, all lawfully elected,denied seats because theywereSocialists

• Conservativesusedredscaretobreakfledglingunions:– Unions called for“closed” orall-union shop; this wasdenounced as“Sovietism in disguise”

– Employers hailed their antiunion campaign for“open” shopasAmerican plan

• Anti-redismandantiforeignismreflectedinnotoriouscase—regardedbyliberalsas“judiciallynching”

– Nicola SaccoandBartholomeo Vanzetti convicted in 1921ofmurder ofaMass. Paymasterand hisguard

I.SeeingRed(cont.)– Juryand judge prejudiced against defenders because theywere Italians, atheists, anarchists, anddraftdodgers

– Liberals and radicals theworld over rallied to their defense– Case draggedon forover sixyearsuntil 1917whencondemned menelectrocuted

– Communists and radicals had two martyrs in “classstruggle”

10/28/16

3

II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK

• NewKu KluxKlan:– Resembledantiforeign“nativist” movementof1850sratherthanantiblacknightridersof1860s:• Antiforeign,anti-Catholic,antiblack,anti-Jewish,antipacifists,anti-Communist,anti-internationalist,anti-evolutionist,antibootlegger,antigambling,anti-adultery,andanti-birthcontrol

• Pro-Anglo-Saxon,pro-“native” American,pro-Protestant

II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK(cont.)

– Klanbetokenedextremist,ultraconservativeuprisingagainst:• ForcesofdiversityandmodernitytransformingAmericanculture

• SpreadrapidlyinMidwestandBibleBelt SouthwhereProtestantFundamentalismthrived

• Mid-1920speakhadfivemilliondues-payingmembersandwieldedpotentpoliticalinfluence

• “KnightsoftheInvisibleEmpire” includedamongofficialsImperialWizards,GrandGoblins,KingKleagles,andotherhorrendous“kreatures”


• ThingsofKKK:– Impressive“konclaves,” hugeflag-wavingparades– Chiefwarningwasblazingcross– Principleweaponbloodiedlash,supplementedbytarandfeathers

– Rallyingsongsandbrutalslogan

10/28/16

4

p694


• Collapsed inlate1920sinpartbecause ofcorruption– $10initiationfee,ofwhich$4akickbacktolocalorganizationasincentivetorecruit

– KKKamanifestationofintoleranceandprejudiceagainstpaceofsocialchangein1920s

– Civilrightsactivistsfoughtinvainforlegislationmakinglynchingafederalcrime

III.StemmingtheForeignFlood

• Isolationist America(1920s), ingrown andprovincial, hadlittle useforimmigrants:

• 800,000camein1920-1921• 2/3fromsouthernandeasternEurope• Americansrecoiledatthese“NewImmigrants”• CongresspassedEmergencyQuotaAct1921

– Newcomers fromEurope restricted toaquota

• ImmigrationActof1924 replacedEmergencyAct– Quota cutfrom3%to2%

– National origins base shifted fromcensus of1910 to1890

10/28/16

5

III.StemmingtheForeignFlood(cont.)

– Southern Europeans bitterly denounced deviceasdiscriminatory– Purpose was to freeze America's existing racial composition,which was largely northern Europeans

– Slammed doorabsolutely against Japanese immigrants» “HateAmerica” rallies erupted in Japan

– Exempt fromquota systemwere Canadian andLatin Americans—

» Easy toattractfor jobs when times good» Easy tosend homewhen times bad

• EffectedpivotaldepartureinAmericanpolicy– Claimed nation was filling up—“No Vacancy” sign– By1931more foreigners left than arrived

p695

III.StemmingtheForeignFlood(cont.)

– QuotascausedAmericatosacrificesomeofitstraditionoffreedomandopportunity• Aswellasitsfutureethnicdiversity(seeFigure30.1)

– ImmigrationActof1924markedendofera—– Virtually unrestricted immigration had brought some35million newcomers, mostly fromEurope

– Immigrant tide now cutoff– Lefton American shores apatchwork ofethnic communitiesseparated by language, religion, andcustoms

– “Cultural pluralists” opposed immigration restrictionbecause theycelebrated ethnic identity andcultural cross-fertilization

10/28/16

6

Figure 30-1 p696

IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”

• Prohibition—– Lastcauseofprogressivereformmovement– EighteenthAmendment: (1919):authorizedprohibition(SeeAppendix)• ImplementedbyVolsteadActpassedbyCongressin1919

• Madeworld“safeforhypocrisy”• LegalabolitionofalcoholespeciallypopularinSouthandWest

p697

10/28/16

7

IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”(cont.)

• InWest,prohibitionanattackonvicesassociatedwithwesternsaloons(publicdrunkenness,prostitution,etc.)

• Strongoppositionto“dry” amendmentinlargereasterncities

– Especially for“wet” foreign-born people– Sociability built around drinking

• MostAmericansassumedprohibitionhadcometostay• Prohibitionistsnaïve:

– Overlooked tenacious American tradition of strong drink– Overlooked weakcontrol bycentralgovernment, especiallyoverprivate lives

p698

p699

10/28/16

8


– Federal government hadnever satisfactorily enforced a lawthatmajority ofpeople or strongminority rejected

– Lawmakerscould not legislate away thirst

• Peculiarconditionshamperedenforcement:– Wisdom of further self-denial afterwar– Slaking thirst becamecherished personal liberty– Wets believed way to repeal was toviolate law on largescale

– Solders complained prohibition “putover” on them while theywere“over there”

– Workers bemoaned loss ofcheap beer


– Flaming youth thought it “smart” toswill bootleg liquor– Millions ofolder citizens found forbidden fruit fascinating astheyengaged in “barhunts”

• Mighthavebeenmoresuccessfuliftherehadbeenlargearmyofenforcementofficials

– Federal agencies understaffed– Underpaid snoopers susceptible tobribery

• Prohibitionsimplydidnotprohibit:– “Men only” corner saloons replaced by“speakeasies”– Hard liquor drunkbymenandwomen– ZealofAmerican prohibition agents strained relations withCanada

IV.TheProhibition “Experience”(cont.)

– Worst ofhomemade “rotgut” produced blindness, evendeath» Bootlegger worked inpartnership with undertaker

• Yet“nobleexperiment” notentirelyafailure:– Banksavings increased

– Absenteeism in industry decreased– Death fromalcoholism and cirrhosis declined– Lessalcohol consumed than in daysbeforeprohibition

10/28/16

9

V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism• Prohibition spawned shocking crimes:

– Profitsofillegalalcoholledtobriberyofpolice– Violentwarsinbigcitiesbetweenrivalgangs

• Rivaltriggerman“erased” bootleggingcompetitors• Chicago(1920s):500mobstersmurdered• Arrestsfewandconvictionsfewer• Chicagomostspectacularexampleoflawlessness:

– 1925“Scarface” Al Capone begansixyearsofgangwarfare– Zoomed through streets inarmor-plated carwith bulletproofwindows

p700

V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism(cont.)

– “Public EnemyNumber One,” could notbeconvictedofmassacre onSt. Valentine's Day1929

» Ofsevenunarmed members of rival gang» After serving 11years for incometaxevasion, Caponereleased as syphilitic wreck

• Gangstersmovedintootherprofitableandillicitactivities:

– Prostitution, gambling, narcotics– Honest merchants forced topay“protection money”

– Racketeers invaded ranks oflocal labor unions asorganizersandpromoters

– Organized crimecametobeoneofnation's biggestbusinesses

10/28/16

10

V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism(cont.)

– By1930, annual “take” ofunderworld $12 to$18 billion

• Criminalcallousnesssanktonewdepthsin1923:– Kidnapping forransom and eventual murderof infant sonofaviator-hero Charles ALindbergh

– Congress passed Lindbergh Law:making interstateabduction incertaincircumstances adeath-penalty offense

VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee• Educational strides in1920s:

– Morestatesrequiredstudentstoremaininschooluntilage16or18,oruntilgraduation

– Highschoolgraduationratesdoubledin1920s

• Changeineducational theory byJohnDewey• Principlesof“learningbydoing”

– So-called progressive education with its greater“permissiveness”

– Believed workbench asessential asblackboard– “Education for life” should beprimary goalof teacher

VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee(cont.)

– Sciencemadeadvancements:• Healthprograms,launchedbyRockefellerFoundationinSouthin1909,wipedouthookwormby1920s

• Betternutritionandhealthcareincreasedlifeexpectancyofnewborns(from50yearsin1901to59yearsin1929)

• ScienceandprogressiveeducationfacedunfriendlyfireofnewlyorganizedFundamentalists

– Numerous attemptsmade tosecure laws prohibiting teachingofevolution

– Tennessee, heart ofso-called Bible Belt South, where spirit ofevangelical religion robust

10/28/16

11


• “MonkeyTrial”:– In1925,Daytonhigh-schoolbiologyteacherJohnT.Scopesindictedforteachingevolution• Defendedbynationallyrenownedattorneys

– WilliamJenningsBryanmadetoappearfoolishbyfamedcriminallawyerClarenceDarrow• Fivedaysaftertrial,Bryandiedofstroke

p701


• Historic clashbetween theology andbiologyprovedinconclusive:– Scopesfoundguiltyandfined$100– Tennesseesupremecourtupheldlaw,butsetasidefineontechnicality

– Fundamentalistswononlyhollowvictory• Fundamentalism (emphasisonliteralreadingofBible)

– Remained vibrant force inAmerican spiritual life

– Strong in Baptist Church and rapidly growing Churches ofChrist, organized in1906

10/28/16

12

VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy

• Prosperity put“roar” into twenties:– RecentwarandTreasurySecretary AndrewMellon'staxpolicies:• Favoredrapidexpansionofcapitalinvestment• Newmachineryincreasedproductivity• Assembly-lineproductionreachedperfectionbyHenryFord'sfactorieswhereafinishedautomobileemergedeverytenseconds

• Newindustriessprouted

VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy(cont.)

• Automobile:– Nowbecamecarriageofcommoncitizen– By1930Americansownedalmost30millioncars– Createdshiftincharacterofeconomy:

• Americanmanufacturers– Mastered problems ofproduction

– Shifted focus toconsumption– Could they find mass markets forgoods?

• NewarmofAmericancommercecameintobeing:


– Advertising• BruceBartonpublishedbestseller:TheManNobodyKnows:

– Provocative thesis: Jesus Christ greatestadman ofall time

– “Everyadvertising manought tostudy theparables ofJesus”– “Marvelously condensed, asallgood advertising should be”– Christ's executiveability: “Hepicked up twelvemen fromthebottom ranksofbusiness and forged them into anorganizationthatconquered theworld”

10/28/16

13


– Sports:• Becamebigbusinessinconsumptioneconomy• HeroeslikeGeorgeH.(“Babe”)Ruthfarbetterknownthanmoststatesmen

• YankeeStadiumbecame“housethatRuthbuilt”• In1921heavyweightchampion,JackDempsey,knockedoutlightheavyweightGeorgeCarpentier

– JerseyCity crowdpaid more thanamillion dollars– First in series ofmillion-dollar “gates” in1920s

p702


– Buyingoncredit;anotherinnovationofpostwareconomy:• “Possesstodayandpaytomorrow” wasmessage• Peoplewentintodebttoownallkindsofnewmarvels—refrigerators,vacuumcleaners,carsandradios—now

• Prosperityaccumulatedanoverhangingcloudofdebt• Economybecameincreasinglyvulnerabletodisruptionsofcreditstructure

10/28/16

14

VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubberTires• Machinery wasnewmessiah—and automobileitsprincipal prophet– Automobile

• Newindustrialsystem:– Assembly-line methods– Mass-production techniques

• Americansadaptedratherthaninventedgasolineengine:

– Europeans canclaim original honor– 1890s—daring American inventors andpromoters– HenryFordand Ransom E.Olds developed infantautomotiveindustry

p703

VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubberTires(cont.)

• By1910sixty-ninecarcompaniesrolledouttotalannualproductionof181,000units

• DetroitbecamemotorcarcapitalofAmerica• ScientificManagement:

– Stopwatch efficiency techniques ofFrederick W.Taylor– Eliminate wasted motion

• HenryFord:– More thananyother individual, putAmerica on rubber tires

– HisModel T(“Tin Lizzie”)» Cheap, rugged, and reasonably reliable, though roughandclattering

» Parts highly standardized

10/28/16

15

VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubber(cont.)

– Devotedhimself togospel of standardization– Grasped andapplied technique ofmoving assembly line—Fordism

– Sold Ford roadster for$260 (see Figure30.2)– Fordism caught fireoutside United States– Flood ofFordsphenomenal:

» In1914 “Automobile Wizard” turned outhis 500,000thModel T

» By1930 total had risen to20million» By1929, 26million motorvehicles registered—one forevery4.9American (seeFigure30.3)

Figure 30-2 p704

Figure 30-3 p704

10/28/16

16

IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge

– Impactofself-propelledcarriagetremendous:• Giganticnewindustryemerged• Employeddirectlyorindirectly6millionpeople• 1,000sofnewjobscreatedbysupportingindustries

– Rubber, glass, and fabrics

– Highway construction, service stations andgarages– America's standard of living rose toenviable level

• Petroleumbusinessexpanded:– Oil derricks shotup inCalifornia, Texas, Oklahoma– Railroads hard hitbycompetition with passenger cars,buses, and trucks

p705

IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge(cont.)

• Speedymarketingofperishablefoodstuffsaccelerated• Newprosperityenrichedoutlyingfarms• Countlessnewhard-surfacedroadsconstructed• Thankstoinstallment-plans,countlessAmericansacquiredhabitofriding

– Zoomingmotorcarsagentsofsocialchange:• Atfirstaluxury,rapidlybecameanecessity• Becamebadgeoffreedomandequality• Ostentationseemedmoreimportantthantransportation• Leisurehourscouldnowbespentmorepleasurably

10/28/16

17


• Womenfurtherfreedfromdependenceonmen• Suburbsspreadfurtherfromurbancore• Isolationamongsectionsdeclined• Autobusesmadepossibleconsolidationofschools,andtosomeextentchurches

• By1951,amillionAmericanshaddiedinmotorvehicleaccidents

• Virtuoushomelifepartiallybrokedownaspeopleabandonedparlorforhighway

• Moralsofyouthsaggedcorrespondingly• Crimewaveof1920sand1930saidedbymotorcar

p705


• Airandenvironmentalqualityimprovedwithlesshorseuse

• Automobilebroughtmoreconvenience,pleasure,andexcitementintomorepeople'slivesthanalmostanyothersingleinvention

10/28/16

18

X.HumansDevelopWings

• Gasoline engines provided power thatenabledhumans toachieveflight– Wrightbrothers,OrvilleandWilbur,performed“miracleatKittyHawk,” N.C.onDec.17,1903• Orvillestayedairbornefor12secondsand120feet• Airagelaunchedby2obscureOhiobicyclerepairmen

– Airplanes—“flyingcoffins” usedfor:• VariouspurposesduringGreatWar,1914-1918• Privatecompaniesoperatedpassengerlinesandtransportedmail

X.HumanDevelopWings(cont.)

– 1927CharlesA.Lindbergh—“Flyin' Fool;” firstsoloflightacrossAtlantic• Pilotedsingle-engineplane,SpiritofSt. LouisfromNewYorktoParisingrueling33hoursand39minutes

• Achievementdidmuchtodramatizeandpopularizeflying,whilegivingboosttoinfantaviationindustry

– Impactofairshiptremendous:• ProvidedAmericanspiritwithanotherdimension• Gavebirthtogiantnewindustry

p706

10/28/16

19

X.HumanDevelopWings(cont.)

• Unfortunately,initialaccidentratehigh• By1920sand1930s,travelbyaironregularlyscheduledairlinessignificantlysafer

• Humanity'snewwingsincreasedtempoofalreadybreathlesscivilization

– Railroads further hurt byloss ofpassengers andmail– Lethalnew weapon given towar with useofbombs

– Isolation behind oceans becoming bygonedream asworldslowly shrinks

XI.TheRadioRevolution

• Speedofairplane fareclipsed byspeedofradio waves:– GuglielmoMarconi,anItalian,inventedwirelesstelegraph in1890s• Usedforlong-rangecommunicationduringWorldWarI

– Nextcamevoice-carryingradio:• Red-letterdayinNovember1920whenPittsburghradiostationbroadcastnewsofHarding'slandslidevictory

XI.TheRadioRevolution(cont.)

– Latermiraclesachievedintransatlanticwirelessphonographs,radio,telephones,andtelevision

– Earliest radioprogramsreachedonlylocalaudiences• Bylate1920stechnologicalimprovementsmadelong-distancebroadcastingpossible

– National commercial networks drowned out localprogramming

• Advertising“commercials”maderadioanothervehicleforAmericanfreeenterprise,ascontrastedtogovernment-ownedsystemsofEurope

10/28/16

20

XI.TheRadioRevolution(cont.)

• Radiodrewpeoplebackhomeandknittednationtogether

– Programs sponsored bymanufacturers anddistributors ofbrand-name products helped make radio-touted labelshousehold words andpurchases

• Sportsfurtherstimulated• Politiciansadjustedspeakingtechniquestonewmedium• Hostoflistenersheardtheirfavoritenewscaster• Musicoffamousartistsandorchestrasbeamedintocountlesshomes

p707

XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies

• Flickering moviefruit ofnumerous geniuses:• 1903:birthoffirststorysequenceonscreen:

– TheGreatTrainRobbery –in five-cent theaters, popularlycalled “nickelodeons”

– First full-length classic wasD.W.Griffith's Birth ofaNation(1915):

» Glorified KuKluxKlan ofReconstruction daysanddefamed blacksandNorthern carpetbaggers

• Hollywoodbecamemoviecapitalofworld

10/28/16

21

XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies(cont.)

– UsedinWorldWarIasengineofanti-Germanpropaganda:• “Hangthekaiser” filmshelpedsellwarbondsandboostmorale

– 1927—successoffirst“talkie”—TheJazzSinger:• “Silents” usheredoutastheaters“wiredforsound”• Earlycolorfilmsproduced


• Phenomenal growth inpopularity offilms– Movie“stars” commandedmuchhighersalariesthanpresidentofUnitedStates• $100,000forsinglefilm• Manyactorsandactressesmorepopularthannation'spoliticalleaders

– Criticsbemoanedvulgarizationofpopulartasteswithfilmsandradio


• Effectsofnewmassmedianot allnegative:– Insularityofethniccommunitieserodedasimmigrants' childrentooktopublicmedia

– Somediversityofimmigrants' OldCountryculturelost,but:• StandardizationoftastesandlanguagehastenedentranceintoAmericanmainstream

• Setstageforworking-classpoliticalcoalitionthatwouldovercomedivisiveethnicdifferencesofpast

10/28/16

22

p709

XIII.TheDynamicDecade– Changesinlifestylesandvalues:

• Morelivedinurbanareasthanincountrysideby1920• Womencontinuedtofindemploymentincities• Organizedbirthcontrolmovement:

– Ledbyfiery feminist Margaret Sanger, whoopenlychampioned contraceptives

• CampaignforEqualRightsAmendment– ByAlice Paul's National Woman's party

• Churchesaffected:– Fundamentalists lost ground toModernists– Somechurches tried to fightdevil with worldly weapons

p708

10/28/16

23

XIII.TheDynamicDecade(cont.)

– Turned tonewentertainment– Someeven included movingpictures foryouth

– Chimes“strucksexo'clockinAmerica”:• Advertisersexploitedsexualalluretoselleverything• Youngwomen'sclothingandstyleschanged• “Flapper” symbolizedmoreindependentlifestyle• Adventuresomefemalesshockedelderswhentheysportednewone-piecebathingsuits

• JustificationfornewsexualfranknessfoundinwritingsofDr.SigmundFreud

p710


• Manytaboosflewoutwindow• Sexualfreedombecamemoreprevalent• Flapperasgoddessof“eraofwonderfulnonsense,”andjazzitssacredmusic:

– Moved up fromNewOrleans with migrating blacks– Wailing saxophone becametrumpet ofnew era

– W.C.Handy,“Jelly Roll” Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Joe“King” Oliver gavebirth to jazz

10/28/16

24

p710


• Newracialprideblossomedinnorthernblackcommunities:– Harlem inNYC—130,000 African American residents in1920s

» Oneof largest blackcommunities inworld– Culture nurtured bypoets likeLangston Hughes

» TheWearyBlues (1926)

– Harlem spawned charismatic political leader, MarcusGarvey» Founded United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)topromote resettlement ofblacks in “African homeland”

» Sponsored blackbusinesses tokeepmoney inblackpockets» Helped newcomers tonorthern cities gainself-confidence andself-reliance

» Exampleproved important to founding ofNation ofIslam(BlackMuslim) movement

p711

10/28/16

25

p711

XIV.CulturalLiberation

• Literature andthearts:– Mostofearliergenteelwritershaddiedby1920s

• NewYorkerEdithWhartonandVirginia-bornWillaCathercontinuedtobepopular

– Nownewmodernistsbecomingpopular(seeThinkingGloballysection)

– Modernismquestionedsocialconventionsandtraditionalauthorities,consideredoutmodedbyacceleratingchangesof20th centurylife

XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)

– H.L.Menckenbestpersonifiedthisiconoclasm:• Knownas“BadBoyofBaltimore”• Promotedmodernistcausesinpoliticsandliterature• Assailedmarriage,patriotism,democracy,prohibition,Rotarians,andothersacrediconsofmiddle-classAmerican“booboisie”

• HedismissedSouthas“SaharaoftheBozart”• Attackedhypocriticaldo-goodersas“Puritans”

– Puritanism, he jibed, was“haunting fear that someone,somewhere, mightbehappy”

10/28/16

26


– YoungwritersjoltedbyWWIoutofcomplacencyabouttraditionalvaluesandliterarystandards• Probedfornewcodesofmoralsandunderstanding,aswellasfreshformsofexpression

• F.ScottFitzgerald—ThisSideofParadise (1920)– “He found allgods dead, allwars fought, all faiths inmanshaken”

– TheGreatGatsby (1925) brilliant commentary on illusoryAmerican ideal of self-made man

» JamesGatz reinvented himself as tycoon JayGatsbyonlytobedestroyed by those with wealth andsocial standing

p712


• TheodoreDreiser'smasterpieceAnAmericanTragedy(1925)exploredpitfallsofsocialstriving

• ErnestHemingway:– Among writers mostaffectedbyWWI– Hishard-boiled realism typified postwar writing– TheSunAlso Rises (1926) toldofdisillusione d, spirituallynumb American expatriates in Europe

– InA Farewell toArms (1929)he turned his ownwar storyinto oneof finest novels about thewar

– His literary successes and flamboyant personal life madehimone ofmost famous writers in world

– Won NobelPrize in literature in 1954

10/28/16

27


• “Lost Generation”:– Hemingway,FitzgeraldandotherAmericanwritersandpaintersformedartisticcadre:• AsexpatriatesinpostwarEurope• FoundshelterandinspirationinParissalonofGertrudeStein:

– Studied under William James atHarvard andherearlyworksapplied his theoryof“stream ofconsciousness”

– Friends with PabloPicasso andHenri Matisse, she wroteradically experimental poetryand prose

– Joined fellow American poets EzraPound andT.S. Eliot invanguard ofmodernist literary innovation


– “Highmodernists”:• Experimentedwithbreakdownoftraditionalliteraryforms• Exposedlossesassociatedwithmodernity• Wroteinself-consciouslyinternationalistmode• Haughtilyrejectedparochialismtheyfoundathome• Poundrejectedoldcivilizationandproclaimeddoctrine:“MakeItNew;” hestronglyinfluencedEliot

• EliotinTheWasteLand(1922)producedoneofmostimpenetrablebutinfluentialpoemsofcentury

• E.E.Cummingsusedunorthodoxdictionandpeculiartypesettingtoproducestartlingpoeticeffects


– NotallAmericanwritersradical:• Manycontinuedfamiliarregionaliststyle• RobertFrostwrotehauntinglyaboutnatureandfolkwaysofhisadoptedNewEngland

• CarlSandburgextolledworkingclassesofChicagoinstrong,simplecadence

• SherwoodAndersoninWinesburg,Ohiodissectedvariousfictionalpersonalities,findingthemwarpedbytheircrampedpsychologicalsurroundings

10/28/16

28


• SinclairLewis:– Main Street (1920)best-selling storyofonewoman'sunsuccessful revolt against provincialism

– InBabbitt (1922)heaffectionately pilloried GeorgeF.Babbitt,who slavishly conforms torespectable materialism ofhis group

• WilliamFaulkner:– Focused ondisplacement ofagrarian OldSouth by risingindustrial order

– Hiswork offered fictional chronicle ofan imaginary, history-richDeepSouth county

– Inpowerful books: TheSoundand theFury (1929)andAs I LayDying (1930) hepeeled backlayers oftime andconsciousnessfromconstricted souls ofhis ingrown southern characters


– Faulkner experimented with multiple narrators, complexstructure, and“stream ofconsciousness” techniques

– Hisextended meditation culminated inwhat someconsiderhis greatestwork: Absalom, Absalom! (1936)

– Americancomposersandplaywrightsmadevaluablecontributions:• JeromeKernandOscarHammerstein'sShowBoat(1927)wasAmerica'sfirst“musicalplay”

• EugeneO'Neill'sStrangeInterlude(1928)laidbareFreudiannotionsofsexandsubconsciousinsuccessionofdramaticsoliloquies

– Garnered Nobel Prize in literature (1936)


• HarlemRenaissance:– BlackculturalrenaissanceinuptownHarlem:

• LedbywritersClaudeMcKay,LangstonHughes,andZoraNealeHurston

• AndjazzartistsLouisArmstrongandEubieBlake

– Arguedfor“NewNegro” whowasafullcitizenandsocialequaltowhites• Adoptedmodernisttechniques,HughesandHurstoncapturedoralandimprovisationaltraditionsofcontemporaryblacksindialect-filledpoetryandprose

10/28/16

29

p714

p715

XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket

• Economic conditions of1920s:– Severalhundredbanksfailedannually– Floridaboom:numerousunderwaterplotssoldtoeagerpurchasersforpreposteroussums

– Stocksprovidedevengreatersensations:• Speculationranwild• Boom-or-busttradingpushedmarkettodizzypeaks• Stockmarketbecameveritablegamblingden

10/28/16

30

XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket(cont.)

– In1920smanyboughtstocks“onmargin”• Intoxicatedbylureofquickprofits,fewheededwarningsthatthiskindofprosperitycouldnotlast

• LittledonebyWashingtontocurbspeculators• 1921CongressmovedtowardbudgetsanitybycreatingBureauoftheBudget:

– Assisted president inpreparing estimates of receipts andexpenditures tobesubmitted toCongress asannual budget

p716


– BurdensometaxesfromwardistastefultoSecretaryofTreasuryMellon• Arguedhightaxesforcedrichtoinvestintax-exemptsecuritiesratherthaninfactoriesthatprovidedpayrolls

• Arguedhightaxesnotonly:– Discouraged business, but

– Brought in smaller return toTreasury than moderate taxes

• Mellonhelpedengineerseriesoftaxreductionsfrom1921to1926

10/28/16

31


• Congress:– Repealed excess-profit tax– Abolished gift tax– Reduced excise taxes, the surtax, the incometax,andestatetaxes

• Mellon'sspare-the-richpoliciesshiftedtaxburdenfromwealthytomiddle-incomegroups

• Mellon,lionizedbyconservativesas“greatestsecretaryofTreasurysinceHamilton” remainscontroversialfigure:

– Reduced national debtby$10billion– Accused of indirectly encouraging bull market

p717

p718

chapter 30 lecture - oak park independent€¦ · 10/28/16 4 p694 ii. hooded hoodlums of the kkk...

Documents