The 1920s
The 1920s: Part One
The 1920s
By 1931, city-dwellers out-number rural
Canadians for the first time.
The 1920s
An era of
good times
for many
Canadians.
Glenbow Museum
Archives, ND-2-399.
The 1920s
The 1920s: Racism
KKK grew
in popularity
in Canada.
It was
especially
popular in
the Prairie
provinces.
The 1920s:
Racism
KKK hated Jews, blacks &
Catholics.
In 1915 in the US, a Jewish man
named Leo Frank was accused of the
rape and murder of Mary Phagan, a
13-year-old girl employed at his
factory.
He was found guilty and sentenced to
life in prison.
The 1920s: Racism
The 1920s: Racism
After the trial, a group of racists
kidnapped him from jail and
hung him.
Approximately half of Georgia’s
3000 Jews fled the state after the
lynching.
No one was ever found “guilty” of
lynching because Georgia had a
“lynch law” to protect mobs from
facing persecution.
“[W]hen mobs are no
longer possible liberty will
be dead.”
- “journalist” Tom Watson
The 1920s: Racism
In Duluth, Minnesota, 1920
Rumours circulated among a mob
That six African-Americans had raped a teenage girl.
A physician’s examination later showed no evidence of
rape or assault.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED:
-2 teen girls go to the circus
-After, they watch the black workers
take down the circus tent
-One girl claims to get raped by 5-6
workers
-Blacks are arrested and thrown in
jail.
The 1920s: Racism
In Duluth, Minnesota, 1920
Rumours circulated among a mob
That six African-Americans had raped a teenage girl.
A physician’s examination later showed no evidence of
rape or assault.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED:
-2 teen girls go to the circus
-After, they watch the black workers
take down the circus tent
-One girl claims to get raped by 5-6
workers
-Blacks are arrested and thrown in
jail.
-5,000-10,000 people storm the ail
and beat and hang the accuse.
-Police are ordered not to resist the
mob.
12 men are
sentenced for first
degree murder.
The 1920s: Jazz
The 1920s: Americanism
In 1923, in Vancouver, Harding
says of Canada:
“We think the same
thoughts, live the same lives, and
cherish the same aspirations…”
Warren G. Harding
U.S. President, 1921-23
The 1920s: League of Nations
League of Nations, Geneva
Opening Session, Nov. 15, 1920
The 1920s: League of Nations
Canadian Delegates
League of Nations, Geneva
Opening Session, Nov. 15, 1920
Sir George Foster
Charles Doherty
N.W. Rowell
The 1920s: Halibut Treaty
A Treaty concerning fishing rights in the
Northern Pacific Ocean
First treaty signed and negotiated
independently by Canada.
This right had to be fought for by
PM Mackenzie King
The 1920s: Chanak Affair
Chanak Crisis, 1922
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Prime Minister
1921-26, 1926-30, 1935-48
Mustapha Kemal
The 1920s: About Mackenzie King
Born in Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener)
Supported Laurier in opposition to conscription, which made him
liked in Quebec.
Became Liberal party leader after Laurier died.
Beat Arthur Meighen in 1921 election, forming the FIRST
MINORITY GOVERNMENT in Canadian history.
The 1920s: About Mackenzie King
PERSONAL STUFF:
- Kept a detailed diary from 1893 (age 19) until his death in 1950.
-Liked to communicate with dead spirits such as Sir Wilfrid Laurier,
President Roosevelt, Leonardo da Vinci, his dead mother, and his
dead dogs, all of whom were named Pat (except one he named BOB).
- All his dogs were Irish Terriers.
-Kept his occult leanings a secret.
- Never married, but had several women friends,
Including a married women he saw often.
- His diary suggests he had regular sex with
prostitutes. Others suggest he was gay and
in love with the Governor General.
The 1920s: About Mackenzie King
PERSONAL STUFF:
RANKED AS #1 Canadian Prime Minister by Canadian historians.
Voters did not love him.
His writing was boring.
He didn’t do well on radio or (later) TV
He lacked charm and never married.
He was a workaholic and had good understanding of economy.
Wanted to uplift Canadians.
Wanted to modernize Canada.
MOST FAMOUS QUOTE: "A true man does not only stand up for
himself, he stands up for those that do not have the ability to".
The 1920s: About Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
He sat in the middle and played
with string
He loved his mother like
anything
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Poem from the kid’s book:
ALLIGATOR PIE
The 1920s: King Byng affair
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Prime Minister,
1921-26,1926-30, 1935-1948
Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng,
Viscount Byng of Vimy
Governor General, 1921-26
The 1920s: King Byng affair
The King-Byng Affair, 1926
Robert Borden
Party
1917
Unionist
153 (65%)
Liberal
82 (35%)
Total
235
Wilfrid Laurier
1921
1925
1926
The 1920s: King Byng affair
Arthur Meighen
Prime Minister
1920-21, 1926
Robert Borden
Prime Minister
1911-20
The 1920s: Part One
The King-Byng Affair, 1926
Party
Unionist
Conservative
Arthur Meighen
Liberal
1917
153 (65%)
1925
64 (27%)
Labour
3
Independent
1
Total
235
1926
50 (22%)
82 (35%) 117 (49%)
Progressive
Mackenzie King
1921
235
LIBERALS
WIN
MINORITY
GOVERNMENT
The 1920s: Part One
The King-Byng Affair, 1926
Party
Unionist
Conservative
Arthur Meighen
Mackenzie King
1917
153 (65%)
1921
1925
1926
50 (22%) 116 (47%)
Liberal
82 (35%) 117 (49%) 101 (41%)
Progressive
64 (27%)
24 (10%)
Labour
3
2
Independent
1
2
235
245
Total
235
KING SAYS
HE HAS
WON
MINORITY
GOV’T
KING
LOST HIS
SEAT but
stayed on as
Prime
Minister!
The 1920s: King Byng affair
I don’t care if I wasn’t
really elected… I’m
staying on as PM!
That is
SUPER SKETCHY
dude.
This sucks!
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen
Baron Byng
The 1920s: King Byng affair
The King-Byng Affair, 1926
Sorry, William,
I was taking bribes.
Jacques Bureau
As leader of the
Progressive Party,
I demand you replace
this foo’!
Thomas Crerar,
Progressive
Party Leader
The 1920s: King Byng affair
A few months later…
Um… so… uh…
one of my
appointees was found to
be taking bribes.
That is
SUPER SKETCHY
dude.
Resign!
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen
Baron Byng
The 1920s: King Byng affair
I am not resigning.
I replaced him.
By the way, Byng,
could you give the
guy I replaced a job in
the Senate?
That is
SUPER SKETCHY
dude.
He was
taking
bribes!
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen
Baron Byng
The 1920s: King Byng affair
Um… so things are getting
rough here in Parliament!
Time for an election!
You’re not getting
out of it that easy!
I want to topple your
government and
embarrass you!
Sorry bud.
No election!
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen
Baron Byng
The 1920s: King Byng affair
Your turn!
Sweet I’m
PM!
Arthur Meighen
This is an
outrage!
Mackenzie King
Baron Byng
The 1920s: King Byng affair
I demand
you call
an election!
Fine!
Arthur Meighen
Mackenzie King
Baron Byng
The 1920s: Part One
The King-Byng Affair, 1926
Party
Unionist
Conservative
Arthur Meighen
Liberal
1917
153 (65%)
1925
1926
50 (22%) 116 (47%)
91 (37%)
82 (35%) 117 (49%) 101 (41%) 116 (47%)
64 (27%)
24 (10%)
33 (13%)
Labour
3
2
3
Independent
1
2
2
235
245
245
Progressive
Mackenzie King
1921
Total
235
The 1920s: King Byng affair
I won.
Haha.
How?!
Mackenzie King
Arthur Meighen
Baron Byng
The 1920s: Prohibition
Prohibition in the U.S.
The 1920s: Prohibition
Prohibition in the U.S.
18th Amendment
adopted by Congress, 1918
ratified by the states, 1919
came into force 1920
Volstead Act, 1919
.05% limit
18th Amendment repealed 1933
(21st Amendment)
Andrew Volstead
Congressman, 1903-1923