Demands for social change were met with conservatism..

Francisco Alvarado

1920’s Quiz

Woodrow Wilson

Warren G. Harding

Calvin Coolidge

Herbert Hoover

• Extremely conservative
• All Republican 1913-1933

Government and Politics

• Demands for social change were met with conservatism
• End to two decades of progressive reform
• Renewed isolationism from international affairs
• Return to normalcy and pure capitalism

• Government does not regulate business

• Resurgence of the Republican party

• Both executive and legislative branch

• Anti-immigrant and foreigner
• Quota system

• Emergency quota Act of 1921

• Immigrants from Europe were restricted at any year to a quota which was set at 3% of the people of their nationality who were currently living in the United States (2nd wave of immigrants)

• Emigration Act of 1924

• Decreased the quota to 2% and the origins base was shifted to that of 1890 (there were far less Europeans living in the country)

• Anti radical government

• First Red Scare
• American fear of communism led to persecution (reaction to instability and ill perceived radicalism of the time)
• Less than 1/10th of 1% joined the communist party

• 1920 Palmer Raids

• Rounding up of thousands of anarchists, socialists, and communists
• Many were jailed
• Many were deported
• Only three pistols were confiscated
• No dynamite was confiscated

• Case of two Italians

• Sarco/Vanzetti

• Accused of robbery and murder

• Case becomes international as a consequence of the growth of mass media

• There was not enough evidence to convince them

• However, they were still sentenced to death

• Economy of the time

• Supported pure capitalism
• No government regulation
• Against unions formed by workers
• Trickle down economics

• Cut taxes on the wealthy
• This would lead to increased investment in the economy
• The wealth would trickle down to the lower classes

• Prohibition: “the noble experiment”

• It was a reaction to the temperance movement

• Alcohol is viewed as a social evil
• Drinking in excess was associated with immigrants

• 19th amendment

• Women were granted the right to vote

• Warren Harding’s administration was riddled with corruption

The Klan self explodes

• One of the leaders is accused of a horrific crime

The lost generation writers

• Disillusioned with American values
• Many of them move away

• Opted for alienation

• Criticize small minded rural values

Society and culture

• The noble experiment: prohibition

• Alcohol is a social evil: temperance movement

• Made workers less efficient

• Religious groups and women

• Nativist undertones

• Food administration

• Organized crime

• Nobody expected it upon establishing prohibition

• Too costly to enforce prohibition
• Very difficult to enforce

The Flapper

• High class women
• Break with traditional values and fashion
• Wear make up
• Smoking
• Drive
• Adopt attitudes and characteristics of lower class women
• Very liberal about sex

• Access to contraception
• Can access education

Urbanite nation

• More people live in cities than in rural areas
• Advertising

• Religious Fundamentalism
• Clash between religious fundamentalism and new urban values

Scope trial

• Biology teacher
• Wanted to teach evolution
• Tennessee did not allow it

• Put on trial

• Loses the trial

• Rural America is ridiculed

• W.J. Bryan was the lawyer during the case

• Clarence Darrow fought in favor of the school teacher

• The Great Market Crash

Conclusion

• Political conservatism

• Industrial/capitalist

• Xenophobia

• Racism

• Consumerism

• Controversies and conflicts

The Great Depression

• Worst economic crisis in American History
• Spark: crash of the stock market

• Speculation phenomenon

• Buy and sell quickly for a quick profit

• Led to a rise in the price of stocks

• Price did not reflect the real value of the company

• Prices would have to increase
• Buying on margin

• People, companies, and banks buy stock with money owed

• Long term causes

• Overproduction
• Lack of diversification in American economy

• Construction
• Automobile

• Uneven distribution of income and wealth

• Poor distribution of purchasing power among consumers
• Top 10% of the population received 40% of the disposable income

• Consumer debt

• Middle class installment loans

• Weakness of the banking industry

• Bank failures in the late 1920’s
• Many had small reserves
• Low margins encouraged speculative investment by banks, corporations, and individual investors

• Decline in demand for American goods abroad

• European industry and agriculture gradually recovered from the war
• High American protective tariffs

• International debt structure

• Germany stops paying reparations

• Total money supply

• Closing of over 9,000 American banks
• Federal Reserve System

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