RETURN TO NORMALCY
US History: Spiconardi
STARTER

Imagine you’re a soldier returning home from
war. What are you going to do now that you’re
home? How do you get back to “normal?” What
might be difficult about being back on U.S. soil?
RECESSION
After the war ended, the U.S. economy entered a
recession
 Recession  a downturn in the economy in which
there is a rise in unemployment and production
falls.


Reasons
Industrial output dropped, as factories no longer need to
produce wartime supplies
 Unemployment jumps, as fewer workers are needed in the
factories
 Returning soldiers can’t get jobs


How do you get out of a recession?
RETURN TO NORMALCY
Americans craved the pre-World War I days
 The Election of 1920

Presidential candidate, Warren Harding, promised a
“return to normalcy.”
 Harding wins as Americans wanted to return to a
policy of isolationism, and a booming economy

Let’s us return to
normalcy (
)
THE HARDING ADMINISTRATION

Pro-business
Lowered taxes on big business and the wealthy
 Reduce government regulation


Republican Ideology
Fat Cat
Reduced the role of government
 Slashed the federal budget


Progressive?
Pardoned Eugene V. Debs (who had been jailed for
opposing World War I)
 Supported anti-lynching legislation, but…
 Gave his friends and associates political jobs

THE HARDING ADMINISTRATION

The Scandals

The Teapot Dome Scandal

Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall, accepted bribes
from two oil executives in exchange for “no-bid” leases on
government owned oil reserves
 Secretary Fall was give a $100,000 interest free loan and
gifts totally over $404,000.
 Government officials aren’t allowed such gifts

What is this called? Come on, who remembers from our unit
on Progressivism? Tammany Hall & Boss Tweed were guilty
of this.
Teapot Rock, WY
THE HARDING ADMINISTRATION

Scandals

Alien Property Custodian
Established after WWI & WWII, this office within the
government oversaw the administration, seizure, and sale
of enemy (German) property within the US
 The head of the office sold German property and kept the
profits for himself.


Veteran’s Bureau Scandal
The head of the Veteran’s Bureau sold hospital supplies for
a fraction of their costs in exchange for kickbacks
 Also awarded contracts to build new veteran’s hospitals in
exchange for kickbacks.

THE HARDING ADMINISTRATION

No evidence that he ever knew of the scandals or
profited from them


“"I have no trouble with my enemies, but my damn
friends, they're the ones that keep me walking the
floor nights!“
President Harding died of a heart attack in 1923
Harding died a
very popular
president. He is
one of two
presidents to be
survived by his
father. Can you
name the other?