1920’s- CH 31 P1 • Objectives

– Analyze the rise of Xenophobic feelings in the US and how it was

manifested in the rise of the KKK, Anti-Communist sentiment, and Anti-

Immigrant feelings

– Trace the development of a resurgence of Conservative values in the US

and how it pushed the US into Prohibition and allowed for the increase of

Fundamentalist Christianity

Goal Questions

1) Define Communism and explain the positives and negatives of

Communism.

2) Define the Red Scare and explain the xenophobic reactions Americans

had towards immigrants.

3) Define Prohibition and explain how conservative feelings lead about to

the Volstead Act

4) Explain what the Scopes/Monkey Trial was centered on and analyze

why some many Americans were passionate about the outcome of the

court case.

Objective

Analyze the rise of Xenophobic feelings in the US and how it was

manifested in the rise of the KKK, Anti-Communist sentiment, and Anti-

Immigrant feelings

• Goal Questions 5. Identify Sacco and Vanzetti and analyze why they were

targeted.

6. KKK

A. Analyze (look into) why the KKK grew in popularity and

B. Evaluate (judge) if those Americans had a good reason to join

based on your answer in 2A.

7. Immigration (Define the…

A. Emergency Quota Act 1921

B. National Origins Act 1924

And identify the group of people Americans were targeted and explain why

Americans felt the need to target that group

Return to Normalcy- Americans wanted to return to a simply, care

free, and safe life (Americans felt disillusioned by WWI and afraid of

people who were not “American”

• 3 Effects of WWI

– Isolationism- US wants to stay out

of international affairs

• How might this impact Europe?

– Nativism- Americans were against

and afraid of immigrants

• How might this impact

immigration and immigrants living

in the US?

– Political conservatism- Americans

want less government (in their

lives and business)

• How will this effect the gains

made by Progressivism?

Communism- belief that the government should control all

aspects of a country and economy (Russia becomes the 1st

Communist country in 1918) • Positives (government works to create a

society of equals)

• Free education/college

• Free medicine

• Equal wages (no poverty, no

unemployment)

• Cheap/Free rent

– Explain how one of these positives is a

negative in Communism?

– Negatives (government controls

everything)

• No property ownership

• Limited Freedoms (speech, religion,

expression, press/media

• No Democracy

– Explain how these negatives are a positive

under Communism?

Oi#1Red Scare- fear of Communism (many Americans believed that

immigrants were Communists) America targets new immigrants as

“Reds” and set limits on immigration for the 1st time – Why would many Americans be afraid of

Communism?

• Restrictions on Immigration (Xenophobia-

fear of imm.)

– Why did Americans target immigrants?

• Targeting Immigrants (many felt imm. were

joining unions to spread Com.)

– IWW (Wobblies) only union that

welcomed Communism

• unions want to fix problems between

workers and owners, not overthrow

owners

– Oi#2 Palmer Raids- Attorney General

Mitchell Palmer arrests, intimidates,

and deports thousand of imm. for being

Com. (violation of civil rights)

• How did Americans react? Is America

any different today in how it views

immigrants? Explain

oi#3 Nicola Sacco and Bartolemeo Vanzetti- Italian immigrants arrested and

executed for murder

• Problem- evidence against them was weak and court biased (Americans

felt that dark skinned, non-English speaking radicals are guilty of something),

created an out cry against US around the world

– WHY do you feel so Americans were so easily convinced that two

possibly innocent people were guilty of murder and that a majority of

Americans wanted them executed?

– Do Americans today have the same attitudes towards immigrants?

Explain

• Ku Klux Klan-membership of the Klan in the 1920’s became more

popular (spread around country outside of South, 5 mil. Strong)

– Sum#3 What city are these Klans people marching in?

• Washington DC

– Sum #4 What do you feel is disturbing about this picture?

• Pride- not hiding the fact they are racist

• Patriotism- use of flag to represent a hate group

• On lookers- people are watching, not demonstrating

• Size and Power- thousands are marching and organized

(KKK is dedicated to suppressing the rights of people

through intimidation and violence)

• Oi#4 KKK extend their hate to being Anti-foreign, anti-Catholic, anti-

Jewish, Anti-Communist (always been anti-black)

• Does the Klan hate white people?

• OI#5 KKK gained in popularity so much during the 1920’s as a reaction to

increasing diversity, modernity, and urbanization (KKK supports small town,

conservative, white values

• OI#6 Areas of the US attracted to the KKK included rural areas (Midwest

and “Bible Belt” South)

• OI#7 KKK to lost credibility b/c

– KKK engaged in violence against groups they hated

– Secret organization in a country that prides openness and democracy

– Crime Organization- embezzled/stole money from members to enrich leaders

– Prejudice/hate- values that normal Americans are against

• What is the picture trying to say about how America is handling immigration from Europe?

– US wants to set limits on how many people can immigrate into US

• Oi#8 Emergency Quota Act of 1921- 1st limit ever set on immigration (3% of the people living in the US in 1910)

• Oi# 9Immigration Act of 1924 set even stricter immigration laws to 2% of the pop. of each Imm. group in 1890 ( OI#10 no Japanese immigration) (oi#11 no limits set on Mexican immigration)

• Why did the US make another Immigration Act in 1924? What was the problem with the Act of 1921? (think how US immigration changed after 1890 and what groups of immigrant American want to move here and what immigrants Americans want to keep out)

Return to Conservative Values- the US has radically grown and changed

since 1900, many Americans want to go back to simpler lifestyles

-What are some problems that modernity brings about?

• Christian Fundamentalism- belief in word for

word interpretation of Bible (believe bible directs

how life should be lived)

– What is the purpose of government to a

fundamentalist? Is that the purpose of

government?

– What issues are being debated today regarding

the role of government and fundamentalists?

• Prohibition- alcohol made illegal from 1919-1932

(18th Amendment, Volstead Act)

• What’s the problem with drinking? What’s

good about drinking?

– Christian Fundamentalists (anti-drinking)

drinking a sin, protect people from

themselves

– Urbanites/Immigrants (pro-drinking)

drinking is social, not a sin

• Why might immigrants be confused with the

US creating prohibition?

• Oi #14 Prohibition was popular in the South and West because

– South-Keep alcohol from blacks,

– West- Cut down on Vice (drunkenness, prostitution, crime)

– Fundamentalism- keep people from sinning

• Oi#15 Prohibition was difficult to enforce because

– Coastline and Borders- 10k miles, Alcohol was legal in Mex., Canada, and Europe

– Rum Runners- guys w. fast cars who smuggled alcohol (seen as heroes)

– Women- started drinking (Why did women suddenly start to drink once alcohol became illegal?)

– Distilling- easy to make alcohol

– Casual Attitude- drinking seen as a harmless crime by many

• Does the US have the same attitudes towards illegal drugs today? Explain

– Oi#16 Speakeasy (need to know secret password to get in) was the name of

illegal saloons that replaced corner saloons

• Are there similar illegal activities today where one has to be in the “know” in

order to participate in that illicit activity?

– Oi#17 Al Capone (Scarface) was the most famous gangster that provided

illegal alcohol controlled alcohol in Chicago and used violence to enforce his

distribution

– Oi#18 Organized crime earned $12-18 billion in 1930 (Prohibition gave

criminals the money to make their organizations bigger and more deadly)

• How is this seen in organized crime /street gangs and illegal drugs today?

Give examples

• Do you feel Prohibition works?

What group is selling books in this picture?

Summary#7 Anti-Evolutionists (Creationists)

The conflict that these men are concerned about is…

– Summary #8 Creationism vs. evolution- belief in the bible’s version

of the creation of man and earth, not science and evolution

• What theory about the creation of Earth and the development of

Humans should be taught in school? Creationism or Evolution?

Explain

• Oi#20 John Scopes was a Science teacher in Tenn. who tried to teach evolution. Fired by district for not teaching creation based on bible

• Scopes/Monkey Trial- (Clarence Darrow- lawyer for evolution) nationally watched trial about whether evolution or creationism should be taught in school

– Decision- creationism won but inconsistencies in Bible were pointed out (evolution taught in school today)

– OI#21 Fundamentalist Christianity (word for word belief in the Bible and that all people should live according to what the Bible says) established itself as a potent force in American spiritual life

• Does religion still play an important role in American society? Explain give examples for and against