the roaring 20’s - mr. johnson's...
TRANSCRIPT
The Roaring 20’sAn era of prosperity
and conflict
Postwar Trends
� Economy– “Boom” after the war
– More women and minorities were working
– More RICH people then ever before in the USA
– Wall Street Boom
– Buying on Credit, “buy now pay later”
� Returning Soldiers– Unemployed, needed work
� Wave of nativism and isolationism– Discrimination among races
Red Scare
� Causes:Nativism and Isolationism and Fear of Communism
� Effects:– Palmer Raids
– Immigration Quotas
– Deportations and harassment of Immigrants
– Sacco and Vanzetti Trial
– Re-Birth of the KKK
Palmer Raids:� Lead by Attorney General A.
Mitchell Palmer� Hunted down communists,
socialists and anarchists� Invaded homes and offices
and arrested thousands (deporting several hundred)
� In one raid 10,000 Americans were detained (the largest mass arrest in US history)
Immigration Act of 1924:
� Limited immigration from European countries to 2%– Southern and Eastern Europe
– Roman Catholics and Jews
– 1927 total number allowed reduced to 150,000 per year
•Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti
were Italian immigrants charged with murdering
a guard and robbing a shoe factory in
Braintree, Mass.
•The trial lasted 1920-1927. Convicted on circumstantial evidence, many believed they had been framed for the
crime because of their anarchist and pro-union activities.
•In this time period, anti-foreignismwas high as well.
•Liberals and radicals rallied around the two men, but they would be executed.
Re-Birth of the KKK:
� The Ku Klux Klan used anti-communism fears and anti-immigrant feelings as an excuse to harass ethnic and religious minorities
� By 1924, the Klan had 4.5 million members… – Dominated some State’s politics
– March of Washington D.C.
Changing Ways of Life
� Urbanization– New York= 5.6 million people
– Chicago= 3 million people
– Philadelphia= 2 million people
� Prohibition– 18th amendment (outlawed alcohol in USA)
– Speakeasiesand Bootleggers» “Getting around the Law”
Changing Way of Life
� Organized Crime– Gangsters
– Al Capone» Bootlegging= $60 million a year
� 21st Amendment (repealed prohibition)
Changing Ways of Life
� The Twenties Woman– Flappers
» Emancipated young woman who embraced new fashions and attitudes
» Casual dating, sexual freedom, smoking, drinking
– Woman in the work force
Washing Machine
Fridge, car, hair dryer
•Radio sets, parts and accessories brought in $60
million in 1922…
• $136 million in 1923
•$852 million in 1929
•Radio reached into every third home in
its first decade.
•Listening audience was 50,000,000 by 1925 (VERY IMP. FOR GREAT DEPRESSION & WWII)
Science and Religion Clash
� Traditional vs. Modern ideas
� Fundamentalism= All important knowledge could be found in the Bible– Rejected theories and ideas that went against
the Bible
� The Scopes Trial– Evolution vs. Religion
Scopes “Monkey” TrialEvolution vs. Creationism
Dayton, TennesseeFamous Lawyers
Science vs. Religion
John ScopesHigh School Biology teacher
CelebritiesBabe Ruth &Ty Cobb
Jack Dempsey
Charles LindberghThe Spirit of St. Louis
The 20’s isThe Jazz AgeThe Harlem Renaissance
Flowers the nation
MusiciansLouis ArmstrongDuke Ellington
WritersF. Scott FitzgeraldErnest Hemingway
Republican Power� President Harding
(1920)
� Peace not War
� Increased import taxes, protected U.S. business
� “Teapot Dome Scandal”
� Died in office
President Coolidge“The business of America is business.”
� Pro Business
� Taxes down = Business profits up
� Encouraged the use of credit
� Installment Plan– Credit
– “buy now play later”