The Roaring 20’sAn era of prosperity

and conflict

Postwar Trends

� Economy– “Boom” after the war

– More women and minorities were working

– More RICH people then ever before in the USA

– Wall Street Boom

– Buying on Credit, “buy now pay later”

� Returning Soldiers– Unemployed, needed work

� Wave of nativism and isolationism– Discrimination among races

Red Scare

� Causes:Nativism and Isolationism and Fear of Communism

� Effects:– Palmer Raids

– Immigration Quotas

– Deportations and harassment of Immigrants

– Sacco and Vanzetti Trial

– Re-Birth of the KKK

Palmer Raids:� Lead by Attorney General A.

Mitchell Palmer� Hunted down communists,

socialists and anarchists� Invaded homes and offices

and arrested thousands (deporting several hundred)

� In one raid 10,000 Americans were detained (the largest mass arrest in US history)

Immigration Act of 1924:

� Limited immigration from European countries to 2%– Southern and Eastern Europe

– Roman Catholics and Jews

– 1927 total number allowed reduced to 150,000 per year

•Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti

were Italian immigrants charged with murdering

a guard and robbing a shoe factory in

Braintree, Mass.

•The trial lasted 1920-1927. Convicted on circumstantial evidence, many believed they had been framed for the

crime because of their anarchist and pro-union activities.

•In this time period, anti-foreignismwas high as well.

•Liberals and radicals rallied around the two men, but they would be executed.

Re-Birth of the KKK:

� The Ku Klux Klan used anti-communism fears and anti-immigrant feelings as an excuse to harass ethnic and religious minorities

� By 1924, the Klan had 4.5 million members… – Dominated some State’s politics

– March of Washington D.C.

Changing Ways of Life

� Urbanization– New York= 5.6 million people

– Chicago= 3 million people

– Philadelphia= 2 million people

� Prohibition– 18th amendment (outlawed alcohol in USA)

– Speakeasiesand Bootleggers» “Getting around the Law”

Changing Way of Life

� Organized Crime– Gangsters

– Al Capone» Bootlegging= $60 million a year

� 21st Amendment (repealed prohibition)

Changing Ways of Life

� The Twenties Woman– Flappers

» Emancipated young woman who embraced new fashions and attitudes

» Casual dating, sexual freedom, smoking, drinking

– Woman in the work force

Washing Machine

Fridge, car, hair dryer

•Radio sets, parts and accessories brought in $60

million in 1922…

• $136 million in 1923

•$852 million in 1929

•Radio reached into every third home in

its first decade.

•Listening audience was 50,000,000 by 1925 (VERY IMP. FOR GREAT DEPRESSION & WWII)

Science and Religion Clash

� Traditional vs. Modern ideas

� Fundamentalism= All important knowledge could be found in the Bible– Rejected theories and ideas that went against

the Bible

� The Scopes Trial– Evolution vs. Religion

Scopes “Monkey” TrialEvolution vs. Creationism

Dayton, TennesseeFamous Lawyers

Science vs. Religion

John ScopesHigh School Biology teacher

CelebritiesBabe Ruth &Ty Cobb

Jack Dempsey

Charles LindberghThe Spirit of St. Louis

The 20’s isThe Jazz AgeThe Harlem Renaissance

Flowers the nation

MusiciansLouis ArmstrongDuke Ellington

WritersF. Scott FitzgeraldErnest Hemingway

Republican Power� President Harding

(1920)

� Peace not War

� Increased import taxes, protected U.S. business

� “Teapot Dome Scandal”

� Died in office

President Coolidge“The business of America is business.”

� Pro Business

� Taxes down = Business profits up

� Encouraged the use of credit

� Installment Plan– Credit

– “buy now play later”