American Life in the Roaring 20’s
APUSH
I. Xenophobia
A. Red Scare
1. Nationwide crusade against left-wingers whose
Americanism was suspect.
a. Bolshevik Revolution spawned a tiny communist party
in the US.
B. Seattle General Strike
1. Labor strike that led to a call for federal troops to head off the
“anarchy of Russia”
I. Xenophobia
A. Red Scare
C. Billy Sunday – Preached the evils of the Bolsheviks
D. A. Mitchell Palmer – Att. General who rounded up nearly
6000 suspects
E. Buford – Ship filled with nearly 250 alleged alien radicals to
be sent back to Russia – deportation
F. Criminal Syndicalism Laws - anti-red statutes – unlawful the
“mere advocacy of violence to secure social change”
G. Sacco and Vanzetti Case (1921) – two Italian anarchists
that were convicted of killing a Boston pay master.
Evidence would probably not have convinced a jury today
to give the death sentence.
I. Xenophobia
B. Resurgence of the KKK
1. Pro Anglo Saxon, pro native American, pro
Protestantism
2. Bible Belt
3. Anti Immigration
A. Emergency Quota Act - Newcomers restricted to a
quota
B. Immigration Act 1924 – The end of unrestricted
immigration in the US
II. Prohibition
A. 18th Amendment
1. Supported by women and churches
A. Associated with prostitution, corruption and crime
2. Legally prohibited the sale/manufacturing of
alcohol
3. Especially popular in the South and West. Hated
on the east coast.
II. Prohibition
A. 18th Amendment
4. Social Impact
A. Ordinary citizens became outlaws
B. Increased corruption in Police force
C. Increased gagsters
1.
2.
Al Capone/St. Valentines Day Massacre
Racketeer/Organized crime
III. Evolution v Fundamentalism
A. Scopes Monkey Trial
1. Issue
A. John Scopes was indicted for teaching evolution in a
TN high school.
B. Found guilty and fined $100.
C. Fundamentalist –emphasis on literal reading of the
Bible.
IV. Modernism
A. Consumerism
1. Producers increased buying desires of consumers
by allowing them to buy on credit.
A. Buying on credit
1.
2.
By goods in installments
Little down and pay off the remainder later
IV. Modernism
A. Consumerism
2. Scientific Management
A. Eliminated waste motion
B. Frederick W. Taylor
1. Assembly Line
IV. Modernism
B. Automobiles
1. Social Impact
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Americans were no longer culturally isolated
Exposure to new ideas
Further development of suburbs
Young became more adventurous
Women less dependent on men
Death rate increased
Get away cars
IV. Modernism
B. Automobiles
2. Economic Impact
A. Affordable for average worker
B. Spin off industries
C. Decrease in railroad industry
IV. Modernism
C. Airplanes
1. December 17, 1903 – Kitty Hawk, NC the Wright
Brothers flew the first engine plane for 12
seconds.
2. Charles Lindbergh- 1st transcontinental flight on
his plane The Spirit of St. Louis.
3. Airplanes are going to change the worldwide.War, travel, etc.
IV. Modernism
D. Radio
1. Impact
A.
B.
C.
D.
Long range communication during war
Paperless advertising
Shows led to socialization
Stimulated sports
IV. Modernism
E. Entertainment
1. Nickelodeons
1. 1st 5 cent black and white silent movies.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
Birth of a Nation
Talkies – movies with sound
The Jazz Singer
Hollywood
V. Social and Cultural Movements
A. Women
1. Margaret Sanger- organized the birth control
movement
2. Alice Paul – Equal Rights Amendment/ never passed
3. Flappers – liberated women that wore dresses to
their knees
A.
B.
C.
Youth had more freedom than before
Charleston – dance
Dr. Sigmund Freud – nervous and emotional ills cause by
sexual repression
V. Social and Cultural Movements
B. Harlem Renaissance
1. African American movement based upon
uplifting African Americans through
A. Music – Jazz
B. Literature
1. Langston Hughes
V. Social and Cultural Movements
C. Literature
1. Disillusioned with conformity, and authority
A. The Lost Generation
1.
2.
3.
Ernest Hemingway – Farewell to Arms
F. Scott Fitzgerald – Great Gatsby
Robert Frost
VI. Bull Market
A. Buying on Margin
1. Everyone bought stocks on margin
2. Middle Class began to bear most tax
responsibilities.
3. America was well on its way to financial crisis.