Terms
As communists controlled Russia, the American Communist Party was formed in 1919 and absorbed the radical IWW. The Communists were then suppressed after numerous bombings. Attorney General Palmer ordered raids on radical meetings and many were arrested. In 1920, Palmer called the National Guard out to prevent the government from being overthrown. Nothing happened and Palmer looked stupid as the Red Scare ended for the time being.
Strikes: 1919- coal, steel, police
Strikes were not successful in this time period because the public always associated them with Communism. A September 1919 strike by steel workers for an eight-hour day, six-day week, and recognition of their union failed. A November 1919 coal strike for a six-hour day and five-day week also failed as an injunction was used. A police strike in Boston was put down by the National Guard.
Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924
The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 limited immigration from foreign countries to 3% of the foreign born of each national group that lived in the United States in 1910. The National Origins Act of 1924 made it 2% of the ethnicity that lived in the United States in 1890.
Esch-Cummins Act
In 1920, this act was passed. Railroads were back into private ownership, but could be regulated by the ICC and the Railway Labor Board.
Election of 1920; candidates and issues
Republicans nominated Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge for President and Vice President, respectively. Harding supported lower taxes, higher tariffs, restrictions on immigration, and assistance to farmers. Republicans did not support the League of Nations, but wanted all countries to agree on a way to keep the peace. Democrats nominated James M. Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt and supported the League, lower taxes, and Philippine independence. Harding won in a landslide.
Sacco-Vanzetti Trial
Sacco and Vanzetti were two Italian immigrants who believed in anarchism. They were convicted of robbery and the murder of a guard and a paymaster even though the evidence in their 1921 trial pointed to their innocence. They were later executed in 1927.
Fundamentalism
This was the rejection of biological evolution and the view that modern science destroyed Christian faith and moral standards. William Jennings Bryan was a staunt supporter.
The Scopes Trial
In 1925, fundamentalists lead by William Jennings Bryan Passed a law that banned the teaching of any theory on human origin that contradicted the Bible. Supported by the Civil Liberties Union, Scopes challenged the law by teaching Darwin. In the following trial, Scopes was fined $100, but Bryan was humiliated and later died. The State Supreme Court later reversed the conviction.
Sigmund Freud; impact of
Freud was the creator of the psychoanalytical theory. He believed in unconscious motivation, irrational impulses, and sexual drive as important in human motivation. Freud’s ideas were embraced by America’s youth and were immensely popular.
Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey
Lindbergh was the 1st to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Babe Ruth was a powerful homerun hitter, 1st as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, and later as an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Jack Dempsey was the heavyweight boxing champion after beating Jess Willard. These men were three of America’s heroes.
"Flappers"
Flappers were women of the 1920s that smoked, drank, and did not wear corsets. They were feminists who expected more freedom.
Prohibition; Volstead Act (1919)
Prohibition was the movement to outlaw the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The Volstead Act outlawed the sale of liquor containing more than 1/2% of alcohol. The Prohibition Bureau was to enforce this law.
The KKK in the 1920s
The KKK returned in 1915 and claimed to protect Americans from blacks, radicals, Roman Catholics, Jews, and immigrants. They attacked people and burned buildings. The KKK declined in 1925 after a member was convicted of murder in Indiana. The KKK showed the prejudice of society in the 1920s.
Marcus Garvey: UNIA
Garvey lead the Universal Negro Improvement Association. He encouraged blacks to return to Africa to a nation ruled and inhabited by blacks. Garvey did help establish black businesses in the United States. Most black leaders were outraged by Garvey because they wanted a integrated society in the United States. Garvey succeeded in establishing the largest black movement ever, but his idea of resettlement was never embraced.
Women in the labor force
As the number of women in the workforce increased, the number of working, married women increased as well. However, women still worked separately from men for less money. Often, it became necessary for married women to work to support her family’s lifestyle. There were still few women in the workforce and they were far from equality.
Alice Paul
Alice Paul was a feminist who lead the National Women’s Party. The group supported equal pay and equal opportunity. However, little was done. Paul and the National Women’s Party took the first step towards equality for women in the workplace.
H. L. Mencken
Mencken was an editor and critic during this time period that was against reform.
The "Lost Generation"
These were the authors of the Jazz Age that despised the culture of the period for its superficiality and materialism. Many moved to Europe in an attempt to escape this culture.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald was a writer of the “Lost Generation” and authored novels such as This Side of Paradise, Tender is the Night, and The Great Gatsby. This Side of Paradise is a novel about war veterans returning from World War I and being disillusioned. Tender is the Night comments on the meaningless 1920s and was used by Fitzgerald to express the regrets of his life. The Great Gatsby was another commentary on the materialistic 1920s.
Sinclair Lewis
Lewis was another writer of this time period and authored Main Street and Babbit. Main Street is set in a small town in the Mid-West and shows the blind craving for material success.
Theodore Dreiser
Dreiser was a naturalist writer that wrote that humans are at the mercy of forces beyond their control. He authored American Tragedy and Sister Carrie.
Ernest Hemmingway
Hemmingway was the author of In Our Time and A Farewell to Arms. He wrote of his experiences during WW1 which were different from what Americans at home thought the war was like. Hemmingway’s novels helped to shape the society of the Jazz Age.
Harlem Renaissance
The Renaissance occurred when a group of middle-class, black artists started writing for blacks to be proud of their African heritage. The musical comedy "Shuffle Along," started this Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance gave blacks the idea to be proud of their African past.
Margaret Sanger
Sanger was a birth-control advocate during the Jazz Age. She had earlier fled the country amid controversy over race suicide. Sanger, with the creation of the American Birth Control League, showed the changing values of Americans during the Jazz Age.
Mexican and Puerto Rican Immigration
Many Mexicans (mostly men) moved into the South-West in the 1920s. Many moved to be laborers while others moved into poor barrios in the cities. Puerto Ricans often moved into North-Eastern cities to work in industries. Together, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans formed a new wave of immigrants entering the United States.
"Normalcy"
This was the term for a return to traditional American policy.
Andrew Mellon’s Tax Policies
Mellon, the Secretary of the Treasury, was a millionaire. He also had a monopoly on aluminum. Melon was against heavy taxes on the wealthy and industries because it hurt industrial growth. He wanted low income brackets to pay more taxes. Mellon was successful in cutting taxes for the wealthy and reducing the national debt by $500 million a year. Through efficiency, Mellon showed how taxes could be lowered and the budget could be balanced.
Fordney-McCumber Act
American agriculture was suffering from overproduction, creating surpluses. Foreign nations were not buying much American agriculture. The Fordney-McCumber Act of 1922 only made it worse. The tariff was raised, destroying any foreign trade that had occurred. The President was also give the power to raise or lower rages by 50%. This act showed that Congress did not understand farmers.
"Ohio Gang"
This was a group of Harding’s friends that were appointed to many posts in his administration. Harding often turned to this group for help, but many were either incompetent or corrupt. This group created one of the most corrupt governments in the history of the United States.
Harding Scandals; Teapot Dome
Scandals included Forbes and the Veterans Bureau, Miller and the American Metal Company, and the Teapot Dome. The Secretary of the Interior had naval oil reserves at Elk Hills, CA and Teapot Dome, WY transferred to the Department of the Interior. Fall (the Sec. of the Interior) then leased drilling rights to Doheny and Sinclair. Fall was later convicted of bribery. These scandals ruined the administration of Harding and Harding soon died, dismayed by the betrayal of men he had thought were his friends.
Election of 1924; candidates and issues
Calvin Coolidge, the incumbent President, was easily renominated. The Progressive Party nominated Robert LaFollette. Democrats nominated John W. Davis after McAdoo and Smith could not get a 2/3 majority. Coolidge was a conservative who called for the end of corruption. LaFollette attacked monopolies and supported legislation to help farmers and laborers. Davis was a moderate candidate that was selected because the Democratic Party was split on prohibition and the KKK. Coolidge easily won the election. This election was an indication of the prosperity and conservative mood of the 1920s.
McNary-Haugen Bill
Crops would be sold at the world market price and the federal government would make up the difference between the US and World Market price. This bill was vetoed by Coolidge.
Labor in the 1920s
Union were suppressed and yellow dog contracts were used. However, businesses used welfare capitalism to keep workers happy. Wages were increased, working hours were decreased, paid vacations were offered, and cafeterias and recreation areas were established. Businesses were prospering enough to give workers more. The businesses were realizing that good conditions would keep workers from joining labor unions.
Federal Highway Act (1921)
This act provided federal aid for state roads. The Bureau of Public Roads and the National Highway System were established. This showed that the country was really turning to the automobile for transportation.
Henry Ford
Ford used "systematized shop management" to turn out cars faster and cheaper. Workers and machines each had specialized tasks to create the Model T, the first car that was affordable for the average family. Ford’s idea was used to lower production costs for many other cars too. Many more families now owned cars.
Shepard-Towner Act
This act provided money to states to set up maternity and pediatric clinics. This was one of the early victories for feminists.
"Welfare Capitalism"
This was business policy that aimed to get better production from workers through better morale. Wages were increased, working hours were decreased, paid vacations were offered, and recreation halls and cafeterias were established. This was a period of prosperity for businesses and workers.
Bailey v. Drexel Furniture
This 1922 case voided restrictions on child labor. This was a setback for labor unions and labor reformers.
Adkins v. Children’s Hospital
This 1923 case overturned a minimum-wage law for women because it infringed on liberty of contract. This was another setback for labor unions and reformers.
Bruce Barton, The Man Nobody Knows
Barton, an advertising executive, called Jesus the "founder of modern business" because he picked 12 men who were in the bottom of business and created an organization that "conquered the world."
Coolidge’s Business Philosophy
President Coolidge believed that the US government was a business and tried to adapt his policy that way.
Income distribution in the 1920s
A minority of people were controlling a majority of the wealth. These people controlled industries that were consolidated. They owned stocks. Most people did not earn enough money to save a significant amount. The gap between rich and poor was expanding..
Farm problems in the 1920s
As demand dropped because the US was not in war and Europe no longer needed as many American products, farm prices dropped. Farmers were overproducing. Cotton prices also fell as other fabrics were being used for clothing. This led to a large migration to the cities by farmers. Farmers also recreated the Grange in the form of the American Farm Bureau and restarted the Progressive Party.
Election of 1928; candidates and issues
Since Coolidge decided not to run, Republicans nominated Herbert Hoover and Charles Curtis for President and Vice President, respectively. The Democrats submitted a Smith-Robinson ballot. Hover was a humanitarian and Quaker. He supported a high tariff, prohibition, cooperative marketing to handle farm surpluses, and to avoid joining the League of Nations. Smith also supported a high tariff and officially supported prohibition even though he was really opposed to it. Hoover won in a landslide over his Roman Catholic competitor. The economy was good enough for Hoover to win on the basis of his political party which had been in power.
Hawley-Smoot Tariff (1930)
Hoover hoped to help farmers by creating a bill that would allow the president to raise or lower tariffs to assist American farm products and manufactured goods. Congress changed the bill into a 55% tariff which Hoover supported when he was pressured by other Republicans. Foreign trade to and from the US was ruined. Problems were not alleviated. This tariff worsened the US economic system and was a part of the reason for the Great Depression.
Agricultural Marketing Act (June 1929)
This act created the Federal Farm Board and gave it $500 million to buy far surpluses. However, the Board exhausted its resources and was unable to buy up all surpluses. Crop prices fell anyway.
Hoover’s "volunteerism"
President Hoover wanted people to volunteer price controls before laws had to be passed to create price controls.
Reconstruction Finance Corp.
Established in 1932, the Reconstruction Finance Coporation loaned money to banks, trust companies, railroads, insurance companies, and building and loan associations. All loans were backed by collateral. This group helped to alleviate some of the problems of the Great Depression.
Bonus Army (March)
World War I veterans protested at the nation’s capitol in 1932. They wanted a bill that would give them their service bonuses before 1945. The Senate defeated the bill. Veterans were offered a ride home. Many had no home and settled in abandoned buildings in Washington DC The army removed the veterans after the police could not. Hoover’s reputation was badly hurt. He was portrayed as heartless and unsympathetic.
Election of 1932; candidates and issues
Democrats supported Franklin D. Roosevelt while Republicans renominated Hoover. Roosevelt and the Democrats supported a balanced budget, relief programs, and the New Deal. Hoover attacked the New Deal. Roosevelt easily won as the Communists (Foster) and Socialists gained support. The economic situation was so dismal that Hoover had no chance. Roosevelt and the New Deal would eventually lead the US out of the Depression.
CPUSA; Norman Thomas & William Foster
Thomas and Foster were the leaders of the Communist Party of the United States of America.
Election of 1920 Repudiate government control of business and international intervention laissez-faire Economy was a 20-year cycle up to this point because of no regulation As Europe recovers, less American products were needed. This lead to the Depression. The US was already 48 states at this time xenophobia- fear of things that are foreign Immigration Act of 1927 Only Canadians and Latin Americans unrestricted 150,000 immigrants from rest of world each year KKK rises to greatest proportions at this time Catholics, Jews, and immigrants now also targeted 1925- 5,000,000 members- David Stevenson is leader Dominate Oregon and Ohio governments Cities in North have riots and are burned (Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, etc.) Garvey and UNIA- resettlement 1920 GNP grows from $75,000,000,000 to $100,000,000,000 due to cars oligopoly- control of industry by a few businesses interdependency land building boom Sanger Jazz Age- jazz was the music of the time period Nickel Theaters The Jazz Singer- 1st movie with sound KDKA Pittsburgh- 1st radio station NBC- 1st TV station Sports Heroes- Ruth, Thorpe, Lindbergh, Dempsey, Ederle