1920’s Brings Social
Changes

Unit 4:
After the War and the
1920’s
Chapter 20
–
Section 1
“Americans Struggle with
Postwar Issues”
 Nativism
/ Isolationism
 Communism / Anarchism
 KKK / Radical Groups, Ideas and Issues
–
Section 2
“The Harding Presidency”
 Political
/ Economic / Social Issues
Politics of the Roaring 20’s”
Politics of the Roaring 20’s”
After the War
Stressful conditions leads to FEAR
• Nativism (Foreign Influences)
• Return to ISOLATIONISM
•
NO involvement in World Affairs
Politics of the Roaring 20’s”


The “Red Scare” - Communism
-Russian Revolution
Public feeling was against the labor unions and
political leftists. Many people considered anyone
with leftist views to be a revolutionary trying to
overthrow democracy. Many state and local
governments passed laws making it a crime to
belong to organizations that supported revolution.
Twenty-eight states passed laws making it a crime
to wave red flags.



The “Red Scare”
All this was too much for many Americans.
They began to accuse labor unions and others of
planning a revolution. And they launched a forceful
campaign to protect the country from these suspected
extremists. Leaders of this campaign accused
thousands of people of being communists, or "Reds."
The campaign became known as the "Red Scare. "
Of course, most people were honestly afraid of
revolution. They did not trust the many foreigners
who were active in unions. And they were tired of
change and social unrest after the bloody world war.
 The
–
“Red Scare”
Schenck v. U.S.
“clear & present danger”
 Palmer
Raids (Fight Subversives)
 Labor
–
1919 (3,000 strikes)
 Coal
–
–
Unrest
Miners Strike
John L. Lewis
United Mines Workers of America
 Labor
Strikes (fear)
Sacco & Vanzetti Trial (Anarchist)
-Criminals or Martyrs
 Immigration
–
–
Limits
Quota System
Chart pg. 622
FEAR POLITICS
Anarchists, Communists, Radicals
Immigrants (Catholic, Jewish, Changes…)
 Racial
–
Tensions
Revival of the KU KLUX KLAN
 Indiana,
–
Ohio
NAACP fights Segregation & the Klan
the RED SCARE
The Red Scare did not last long.
But it was an important event. It
showed that many Americans
after World War One were tired of social changes.
They wanted peace and business growth. (jobs)
The “Roaring Twenties” will be a time of massive
economic, social and cultural
changes in the United States
2) Harding Presidency
Isolationism….
 Immigrant Quota…..

Disarmament…...
 Kellogg-Brian Pact
(60 nations)agree to disarm

Fordney-McCumber Tariff (60%)
 The OHIO Gang
 Teapot Dome Scandal…..
– Albert Falls (1st Cabinet – Bribery)

 Calvin
Coolidge (1923-1929)
-Laissez Faire Economics
Automobile IMPACT
Assembly Line (affordable, practical
cars)
Auto industry Grows - Ford, GM,
Chevrolet
 CHANGES AMERICA

–

URBAN SPRAWL (growing family
homes)
–

Paved roads extend (Route 66) Gas
Stations, Repair Shops, Parking, Tourist
Camps,
Shopping Centers,
Automatic Traffic signals
Increased Mobility makes US different
Success of Free Enterprise (80% in
US)
Consumer based Economy
“ Have
Economy
worlds wealth in US)
you bought“Booms”
an automobile (40%
yet?”
“No, we can’t afford one”
Jones has one and
he’s noincrease
more well offin
than
you are”
“Mr.
1913-1927
465%
electricity
homes

“Yes, his 2nd installment plan was due and he had no money to pay it”
explosion
elect. conveniences: Vacuums, Washers,
“Did
he lose his in
car?”
“No,
they got the money
and paid theIrons,
installment”
Refrigerators,
Toasters,
Stoves, Radios, etc…)
“How did they get the money?”
oursold their stove”
“They
“How could they do without their stove?”
“They didn’t. They bought another stove on the installment plan”
Standard of Living SOARS
Retailers use “New Sales Techniques” for
BUYING
CREDITPRODUCTS
will be one of the Major
of the
DEPRESSION
us toONBUY
weCauses
can’t
afford
 Installment Plan (credit)
(Story on pg. 633 A Personal Voice)
 Planned Obsolescence
–
We are convinced- NEED the Newest,
Coolest
(advertising drives
Advertisers Create “Desire” to motivate us
 -1927 $1.5 Billion spent on advertising
 Psychology studies “why we do what we do”
 SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING

–

Focus on SUBCONSCIOUS
Art Deco
–
The streamlined, brightly colored,
overlapping and repeating geometric
design elements typical of Art Deco
style were in many instances inspired
by the movement of machines and the
great industrial growth of the 1920’s.
Can still be seen in
architectural design
LIFE in the ROARING Twenties
LIFE in the ROARING Twenties
Post WWI
Intellectual Movements
WWI : Sparks
* anti-society
* anti-government
* anti-western culture
* anti-religion (God)
 Intellectualism
–
v. Religious
Prejudice (intelligent v. non-intelligent)
I -Manners & Morals Change
1920 census (1st) more live in cities
-Lifestyles are different (Moral Decay)
 Prohibition (18th) 1920
- fix alcohol, social issues






What type of issues and concerns did
reformers have that encouraged the
passage of Prohibition?
What was the Volstead Act?
What were Speakeasies?
From where will Bootleggers smuggle
in illegal alcohol?
What were the Causes and Effects
of Prohibition? (chart pg. 643)

Speakeasies
* Blind Pigs


Bootleggers
Organized Crime
(Al Capone) Joe Kennedy

Prohibition
Repealed 1933
(21st)
 “What
effects did
prohibition have on
American Society
and Culture”?
–
GOOD or BAD?
 “law
abiding citizens begin to break to
law and associate with criminals on a
daily basis” BAD
 “they decide what laws they will follow,
and which laws they will NOT follow”
VERY BAD
Evangelists: Billy Sunday/Aimee McPherson
 Fundamentalism (Religion) v.
Evolution (Science-Intellectualism)
– Religious Doctrine v.
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

 Scopes
“Monkey” Trial
 Women’s
Changing Roles
FASHION (Victorian Age)
– Hour Glass Figure / Long Hair
–
 Flappers:
(dress & morals loose)
Anti-Victorian Attitude
– Short Hair / Loose Dress
–
 Demographics
country to the city
 Attack DOUBLE STANDARD
–
Women’s Rights Movement