Fear of Communism
Nativism and Fear of Communism –
1. Violation of rights- Palmer often had very little evidence on his
“suspects” and often violated basic American rights of people,
such as freedom of speech and being accused of wrongful deeds
on strong evidence.
2. American’s had a growing fear of everything foreign, because
many felt that their morals and behaviors would undermine
America and destroy the country. The backdrop of the “Red Scare”
created an environment of mistrust of foreigners that in this event
became scapegoating.
3. Due to the Great Migration and threats of foreigners, the KKK felt
they needed to get involved to help preserve 100% Americanism.
Believing in white supremacy, they also added Jews, immigrants, and
Communists to their hate list. Their goal was to restrict the
movement of these people into the country, and restrict the rights
of those already here.
Nativist Fears
Cultural Divisions in America
1. A high school teacher, John Scopes, taught his students about Darwin’s
theory of evolution. THE SCOPES TRIAL
•The state of Tennessee brought a suit against John Scopes for violation of
the Butler Law saying this was illegal.
•The trial brought to the surface divisions between urban (modern) and
rural (fundamentalist) ways.
•Scopes was found guilty and fined $100
•The verdict was seen as a victory for morality and
a reaction against the “immoral” urban lifestyle
2. This became a fight between the Christian fundamentalists and
modern scientific driven lifestyles.
Country Bumpkins vs. City Slickers
3.
Harlem Renaissance- A movement in which AfricanAmericans gained recognition for their talents in the arts,
literature, and music. This allowed them to express their
beliefs on the quality of their lives in America. Langston
Hughes was one of the most notable participants in this rebirth.
So why are we talking about it under the theme of divisions in American society?
Changing Roles of Women
The roles of women were
redefined during the 1920s.
This birth of a “new woman” was
the focus of intense social and
cultural controversy.
The Rebellious Flappers and Societal Changes
– Discovery Education
2. Women took on a larger role in the new Industrialized economy, taking jobs that
allowed them to support their desire for independence.
3. The “Old” and “New” Woman
Dependent
Conventional
Independent
Wild
Unmotivated
Ambitious
Simple
Adventurous
Serious
Fun-loving
Ignorant
Intelligent
Restricted
Free
Submissive
Assertive
Plain
“Made up”
= OLD WAYS
= New Ways
The Prohibition Era
Prohibition Era
1. A symbol of the failure of the “Noble Experiment” was the
rise of underground means of continuing previous behaviors.
A mindset existed that the law was to clean up “other” parts of
society. Exposed weaknesses in the scope of the
Progressive movement.
2. “Businessmen” like Al Capone saw great
opportunity in supplying the demand for alcohol that
still existed. Crime, corruption, and greed followed
the desire these Crime bosses had for wealth and
power.
3. Many unintended results were created by the
Prohibition Era. Besides an increase in crime and
corruption, the goal of improving the moral standards
of our country was completely unfulfilled.
The Consumer Economy
Consumer Economy
Republican ideals of “pro-business” government, including tax cuts for the
wealthly, generated a trickle down effect in the economy.
The average wage of workers rose, as did their overall buying power due to
an increase in the availability of credit.
Welfare capitalism provided benefits to the average workers unseen in
previous generations. (Pensions, profit sharing, workers compensation.)
“A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT AND A CAR IN
EVERY GARAGE.”
-Herbert Hoover campaign promise
“THE CHIEF BUSINESS OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IS BUSINESS.”
-Calvin Coolidge
REPUBLICAN FORMULA FOR
SUCCESS
INDIVIDUAL
AMERICANS
AMERICAN
BUSINESSES
HIGHER WAGES
+
LOWER TAXES
+
HIGHER CREDIT CEILING
=
HIGHER PROFITS
+
LOWER TAXES
+
HIGHER TARIFFS
=
Over speculation on the stock market, through margin buying,
lifted stock prices to unnatural highs.
Credit buying encouraged people to purchase goods they
could not really afford.
This Superficial lifestyle caused many to become disillusioned with the changes
in America. The Lost Generation of 1920s writers wrote tales of the mockery
America was making of herself.
The Stock Market Crash
The Superficial prosperity of the 1920s was largely the result
of the live for the moment mentality that came with these ever
changing times. Warning signs were either unseen or ignored
as many people bought into the notion of “Everybody outta be
rich!”