Chapter 31 Roaring Twenties 1919 -1929 Post

Chapter 31 Roaring Twenties 1919 -1929

Post WWI Demobilization Unemployment Worker Strikes Inflation (high prices) Race Riots Problems Prohibition/ Gangs Influenza (flu) Red Scare (communism)

The Red Scare • Fear of communists plotting a revolution in the U. S. • In 1917, there was a revolution in Russia – Result = communist govt • Govt owns and controls all private property, including industry and factory • Vladimir Lenin – Encouraged a worldwide revolution to overthrow capitalism and free enterprise

Seeing Red • Following WWI, there was distrust – Immigrants – Foreigners – Radicals • Distrust led to paranoia – Strikes – Race Riots – Bombings – Reduced Civil Liberties

Strikkkkkke • • Seattle General Strike Boston Police Strike Steel Strike of 1919 United Mine Workers Strike • Communist ideology called for an international workers’ revolution

Palmer Raids • Rash of bomb scares in 1919 • Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer was in charge of launching an anticommunist crusade – Put J. Edgar Hoover in charge of FBI • Ended up being a witch-hunt

Sacco and Vanzetti • An example of hostility towards foreigners and radicals – 1921 trial where these two Italian immigrants were convicted of murder • Jury deemed them guilty – Defenders of civil liberties were outraged » Lack of evidence » Guilty only for being immigrants and radicals • Case reflected the deep divisions tearing at American society in the postwar era

Quote “This man [Vanzetti], although he may not actually have committed the crime attributed to him, is nevertheless morally culpable [guilty], because he is an enemy of our existing institutions…The defendant’s ideals are cognate [associated] with crime” - Judge Webster Thayer

KWL We Fear What We Don’t Understand: ISLAM

Return of the Klan • Resembled “nativists” of 1850 s rather than anti-black nightriders of 1860 s – Targeted the following: • Foreigners • Catholics • African Americans • Jews • Communists • Evolutionists

The “New” Ku Klux Klan • Extreme ultraconservatives who were against diversity and modernity that was transforming America.

Stemming the Foreign Flood • Emergency Quota of 1921 (temporary) – 3% of people of their nationality • Based on census of 1910 – Favored southern and eastern Europeans • Immigration Act of 1924 – 2% of people of their nationality • Based on census of 1890 – Favored northern and western Europeans – Shut the door on Japanese immigrants • End of an era- a period of unrestricted immigration

End of an Era • By 1924, unrestricted immigration was no more. – Isolationists and nativists succeeded in damming up the flow of immigration

“Prohibit”ion • Meant to combat crime, family violence, and poverty. – Volstead Act • Enforced the 18 th Amendment • Result: – Bootlegging – Speakeasies • Lawmakers could not legislate away a thirst

Prohibition Pros • Alcoholism declined • Alcohol-related deaths declined • Bank savings increased • Absenteeism in industry decreased Cons • Turned law-abiding citizens to lawbreakers • State and federal agencies were understaffed and susceptible to bribery • Prohibition did not prohibit

Gangs • Driven by profits from illegal alcohol – Led to other crimes • Prostitution, gambling, narcotics • Kidnapping – Lindbergh's’ son • “Protection money”/ “annual take” • Greatest lawlessness was in Chicago – Led by Al Capone • Famous for the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929) • Eventually went to jail for tax evasion in 1932

The Scopes Trial • The Monkey Trial (1925) – Trial of the Century • Think OJ • John Scopes was charged with teaching evolution in a Tennessee school – Clarence Darrow (left) defended Scopes • Challenged State Attorney, William Jennings Bryan – Darrow lost the case but won the argument

Life in the 20 s Fundamentalism • Emphasis on the literal reading of the Bible • Old-time religion Modernism • Questioning of social conventions and traditional authorities

Prosperity and Productivity • 1920’s – Roaring 20’s – Pro business, investments, confidence – Everyone was winning • Employer- most profits • Employee- better pay and more purchasing power

Favoring Big Business • Andrew Mellon – Harding’s Secretary of the Treasury • Believed that lower taxes for the wealthy would have a “trickle down” effect • Supporting legislation that advanced business interests – Opposite of Progressive Reform

American Giant • Creditor Nation – Other countries owed the U. S. more money than the U. S. owed them • NYC became the economic center of the world

Buying on Credit • Installment Plans – Consumer makes small down payment and then pays off the rest of debt over time • If you couldn’t afford a product, NO PROBLEM! – “Possess today and pay tomorrow” – By 1925, buyers purchased about 75% of cars on credit

Great Quote “To keep America growing we must keep Americans working, and to keep Americans working we must keep them wanting; wanting more than the bare necessities; wanting the luxuries and frills that make life so much more worthwhile, and installment selling makes it easier to keeping Americans wanting. ”

Henry Ford • One of the few daring American inventors – Helped make Detroit the motor capital • Created the Model T • Applied Scientific Management – Method to improve efficiency • Reduced time, effort, and expense – Frederick W. Taylor

Any Others? • Alfred Sloan • Used Planned Obsolescence – change models on a yearly basis • Models become obsolete = more $

VS

GM vs Ford: Who’s Better? GM • Led global sales (1931 -2007) • Sloan: Pres. In 1923 • "A car for every purse and purpose” (Alfred P. Sloan Jr. Dead at 90; G. M. Leader and Philanthropist) Ford • 1 CAR!!!! • 1908 -1927 – Model T – Model A (1927) • 1 Price - cheap

Automobile “Drives” Prosperity • Assembly Line – Factories made goods faster using a conveyor belt – Known as Fordism (standardization) • Time was cut in half • Price cut from $850 in 1909 to $290 in 1927

New Mass Culture The automobile reshaped American culture, creating new forms of recreation and making it easier for people to travel. Other factors also contributed to changing ways of daily life. Americans listened to the radio, went to the movies, and followed the exploits of sports heroes. In the process, a new mass culture emerged- one whose shape and character closely resemble our own

Great Ford Quote “The customer can have a Ford any color he wants- so long as it’s black” - Ford

Great Ford Quote “If I asked people what they wanted, do you know what they would say? ” A faster horse You have to create something that the consumer doesn’t even know he/she wants

Impact of the Automobile

Thank You Automobiles? PROS • • • Steel Employment (6 million) Rubber, Glass, Fabrics Service Stations Garages Freedom, Joyrides Suburbs Hookups Convenience CONS • • Accidents Smog Railway Industry suffered Quick getaways for gangsters • Joyrides hurt family life • “A house of prostitution on wheels”

Auto Revolution • Link between rural and city – Depopulate nation’s inner cities • Auto-Touring – No longer reliant on set tracks on set schedules • Freeeedom! • Need raw materials to make cars – imperialism

Consumer Revolution • Flood of new, affordable goods became available to the public – Electrical Power supported Consumer Revolution • Washing Machines • Vacuum Cleaners • Radio • Refrigerators • Consumerism replaced Reform

Advertising Tactics

Humans Develop Wings • Begins when Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully test the engine Plane (1903) • By 1927, Charles Lindbergh goes from NY to Paris

Radio Revolution • Guglielmo Marconi invents wireless telegraphy in 1890 s • By 1920, there are is the first radio station – Pittsburg station called KDKA • Automobile got people to leave homes, and the Radio brought them back

Hollywood • Birth of movie came in 1903 – Really arrived during WWI to produce anti. German propaganda • 1927: First talkie – The Jazz Singer • Rise of Movie Stars

New Trends • Growth of cities changed leisure patterns – Workweek changed from 7 to 5 days – Salaries and Wages were on the rise • Result? – More time for entertainment

What Do You Do For Fun?

Leisure Fun • Dance Marathons – Charleston • Beauty Contests – New Jersey founded the first Miss America • Radio – Started out of Detroit and Pittsburgh • Movies – Silent films were popular until talkies • Sports – Baseball, Football, Boxing • Books and Magazines • Flagpole Sitting

The New Woman • Flapper – Young women who enjoyed defying traditional standards of female behavior • Bobbed hair • Drove cars • Played sports • Economic Independence

The Ladies • Feminists – Women’s rights activists • Balanced between equal rights and reform efforts for more agreeable working conditions – Conflicting • Ex. Limitations on hours women allowed to work

Sex o’clock in America

Coney Island

Swim Mobiles

Nathans Hot Dogs

Joey Chestnut

Music • 1920’s commonly known as the Jazz Age – Originated among African American musicians in the South and spread North to Chicago and NY – Began in New Orleans • Blues – Grew out of a long history of slave music and religious spirituals – Greatly influenced jazz

Harlem Renaissance • Harlem contained many creative black writers, musicians, and artists – Cultural center of African American life • African American theaters – Paul Robeson • Graduate of Rutgers – First African American actor to play a leading role opposite a white actress

Marcus Garvey

The Lost Generation • Characterized life after WWI as boring, empty and close-minded

Cultural Liberation • • F. Scott Fitzgerald Ernest Hemingway T. S. Eliot Gertrude Stein Robert Frost William Faulkner e. e. Cummings

A Dark Cloud is Forming • Even during best years of 1920 s, several hundred banks failed annually – Something for nothing craze – Speculation ran wild – Little was done by Washington to stop speculators • Mellon shifts income taxes to middle class and spares the wealthy