Politics of the Roaring Twenties

Contrast Harding’s policy of “normalcy” with
progressive era reforms.

Identify scandals that plagued the Harding
administration.

How do you feel after getting back from
vacation?

Are you glad to get back to a routine?

Assumed the
presidency in 1921

He promised a return to
normalcy—the simpler
days before the
progressive era and the
Great War

Washington Naval
Conference (1921)
 President Harding invites
Great Britain, France, Japan
and Italy to the conference
 Secretary of State Charles
Evans Hughes urged the
naval powers to disarm—no
more war ships would be
built for 10 years

Kellogg Briand Pact
(1928)
 Rejected war as a
national policy
 15 countries signed the
pact
 President Coolidge for
the US signs the pact;
however, the pact
provided no means of
enforcement

Fordney-McCumber
Tariff
 Raised taxes on U.S.
imports to 60 %
 Made it impossible for
Britain and France to
repay war debts

Dawes Plan
 American banker, Charles
Dawes negotiated a loan to
Germany to pay back
Britain and France
 Britain and France then
paid the US money it was
owed
 This solution caused
resentment towards the US

Ohio Gang
 The President’s poker
playing buddies that
were corrupt and caused
embarrassment for the
president
 They were members of
his cabinet

Charles R. Forbes
 Head of the veterans
bureau was caught
illegally selling hospital
supplies to private
companies

He was a good natured man, but his friends were
the problem.

He died of a heart attack August 2, 1923

Teapot Dome Scandal
 Government set aside oil
rich public fields for the
Navy in Wyoming and Elk
Hills, California
 Albert B. Fall, secretary of
the interior leased the fields
to oil companies and
receive over 400,000 dollars
from an oil company
Event
Effects
How would these events apply
today?
1. Washington Naval Conference
No war ships built for 10 years;
disarmament
Could we have another conference to
discuss disarmament; should we be
concerned with who controls nuclear
technology?
2. Kellogg-Briand Pact
Rejected war as a national policy; 15
countries signed the pact
Could this Pact be applied today?
How would Calvin Coolidge respond
to terror networks like Al-Queda
3.
Raised taxes on imports to the
highest level
How would raised tariffs affect the
U.S. economy today? Should
President Obama raise tariffs to
protect American manufacturers.
Fordney-McCumber Tariff
4. Dawes Plan
Loans to Germany to repay
reparations
5. Quota Act
Limited the amount of people that
could come into the US
Would a quota act today solve our
immigration concerns; is there a
concern with who is allowed in this
country?
6. Teapot Dome Scandal
Government corruption;
Can you think of other examples of
government corruption in our
History?