Page 39: Chapter 12 Notes- Politics in
the 1920’s
Warm up: Get out your notebook!
As you watch the video clip, write down
5 words that describe the decade you saw in the
video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=684n8FO68LU
Continue on the 1920s Warmups page.
Today's warmup - 12/3/12:
Why do people go on strike?
Do city workers have a responsibility not to go on strike?
How can a strike be successful?
Politics of the Roaring
Twenties
Chapter 12
Postwar Trends
Nativism: prejudice
against foreign-born
people
Isolationism: pulling
away from involvement
in world affairs
Fear of Communism
Communism: economic and
political system based on a
single-party government
ruled by a dictatorship.
– Government owns businesses;
no private property
Red Scare in U.S.:
– Started with Russian revolution
– Communist party formed in
U.S.
– Fear of the spread of
Communism in the U.S.
Red Scare terrorist bombing on Wall
Street
The Palmer Raids
U.S. Attorney General
Mitchell Palmer and J.
Edgar Hoover
Hunted down any
suspected:
– Communists
– Anarchists: people opposed
to any government
Failed
– People didn’t believe it
Sacco and Vanzetti
Victims of the nativist
attitudes
Accused of murder based on
witnesses seeing “Italians” at
the scene
Evidence circumstantial and
accused had alibis
Verdict: both men sentenced
to death by electric chair
Protest rang out all over the
country
In 1961, new tests proved that Sacco’s
pistol was in fact the one used in the
murder. However, no proof he pulled
the trigger…
STOP!
Nudge Your Neighbor
• Turn to the person sitting next to you (don’t
leave anyone out!)
• Tell them the MOST IMPORTANT fact you’ve
learned in the last ten minutes
• The your neighbor will tell YOU the most
improtant fact from the last ten minutes!
Limited Immigration
“Keep America for
Americans”
Nativism once again on
the rise
Quota System
– Set maximum # of people
to enter U.S.
– Target was European
Eugenics
Eugenics is the belief that the
human gene pool can be
improved by making specific
decisions about who has
children with whom (this is
called “Selective Breeding”).
Eugenics advocates wanted to
better the human race, but
their definition of “better”
often involved racism and
classism.
On this map from 1921, the shaded
states had programs to forcibly
sterilize “undesirables.”
Example of “Scientific Racism,” suggesting that
undesirable white immigrants and Africans have
similar genetic traits.
Ku Klux Klan
The KKK saw big rise in
membership during the 1920s
The KKK was devoted to “100
% Americanism”
The Klan also believed in:
- keeping blacks “ in their place”
-destroying saloons
-opposing unions
-driving Roman Catholics,
Jews, & foreign-born out of the
country
By 1924 membership reached
4.5 million
U.S. Promotes World Peace
1921 Conference in Washington
Nations agreed to reduce weapons
Kellogg-Briand Pact:
– In 1928, all the world powers signed it.
– In doing so, each nation renounced war.
( It provided no means of enforcement)
Return to Normalcy
After World War I, post-war
economic problems, and the Red
Scare, people in the United
States wanted everything to just
calm down and be alright.
Warren G. Harding ran for
President promising a “Return to
Normalcy” and won by the
biggest margin ever in 1920.
Teapot Dome
President Harding's
administration was marred
by the Teapot Dome:
– Harding's Secretary of the
Interior took bribes from oil
companies in exchange for
giving them a sweet deal on
oil drilling contracts.
– It was the biggest presidential
scandal up until Watergate in
the 70s.
Teapot Dome
Secretary Albert Fall was fined
$100,000 and sentenced to one
year in prison.
The Real Harding…
Disputed evidence that Harding was
a member of the KKK. (He allowed
them to have a rally at the White
House)
Took his mistresses to a 5x5 ft coat
closet in the White House that he
secretly had built.
Gave one mistress a Cadillac and
paid her $50,000 to avoid scandal.
She received monthly payments as
well.
Had a child with another one of his
mistresses who was 30 years
younger than him
Bet and lost the White House China
in a poker game.
During Prohibition, Harding kept the
White House full of illegal liquor.
“I am not fit for this
office, and never
should have been
here”
Warren G.
Harding
STOP!
Gimme Five
• Stand up and make eye contact with ONE person
across the room. DON’T stop looking at your partner.
• Walk towards your partner and hold up your hand.
• Tell your partner FIVE things you’ve learned today.
• Have your partner REPEAT those 5 things to you!
Silent Cal
When Warren G. Harding suddenly died
in 1923, his Vice President, Calvin
Coolidge became President.
Where Harding was corrupt and
scandalous, Coolidge was boring.
Dubbed “Silent Cal,” Coolidge believed
the president should be “the most
unimportant person in America.”
Coolidge believed in little government
intervention in the economy and was very
pro-business.
A New Conflict
Repaying war debts
Fordney-McCumber Tariff
– 60% tax raise on imports
– Europe can’t repay war debts
Germany could not repay; devastated economy
U.S. gave Germany a loan; everyone got paid
back (with our own money)
Countries resented it
Business of America
Automobile
Airplane
Electricity
– Invention of new electrica
appliances
Advertising
– Luring customers
Credit
– Installment plan
– “dollar down and a dollar
forever”
Interactive Notebook Activity
The Politics of the Roaring Twenties:
Give 3 examples/facts about each subject during the Twenties.
Economic
Pg. 426 - 427
Social
Pg. 412 - 418
Government
Pg. 419 - 421
Technology/Industry
Pg. 422 - 425