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Americans Struggle with Postwar Issues. Chapter 20 Section 1. I Revolution Abroad and Reaction at Home. President Warren G. Harding. WWI left ppl exhausted and looking for “normalcy” 3 trends arose in Amer. society in the search for normalcy Isolationism= US pulling away from world affairs
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Americans Struggle with Postwar Issues Chapter 20 Section 1
I Revolution Abroad and Reaction at Home President Warren G. Harding • WWI left ppl exhausted and looking for “normalcy” • 3 trends arose in Amer. society in the search for normalcy • Isolationism= US pulling away from world affairs • Resurgence of nativism= suspicion of ppl who are foreign born • Political conservatism= turning away from gov’t activism of progressive era • Main threat to normalcy= Communism
A. The Russian Revolution • Russia left weak after WWI took many lives & resources • Ppl demanded changeCzar Nicholas II abdicates throne • Bolsheviks (“the majority”) led by Lenin took his place • Established social and econ. Communism • International meeting calls for worldwide revolution • Overthrow of capitalism system & end of free enterprise & private prop.
B. Red Scare in the US • Thousands of Amer. join new Comm. Party in US • Small % were part of party but majority of Amer. feared call to abolish provate property & gov’t takeover • Several bombs sent to gov’t & business leaders • Nation panicked in its fear of “red”= communists • Attorney Gen. Palmer takes action on “red scare”
C. Palmer Raids • Palmer appoints Hoover to antiradical dept. that would become the FBI • Palmer raids= sending of officials to hunt down suspected com. & anarchists • Anarchists=ppl who opposed any & all form of gov’t • Raids ignore ppls civil rights, jaild and deported aliens • Palmer raids did not turn up any evidence of revolutionary conspiracy • Warned country of a communist plot to overthrow gov’t on may 1st, 1920 but nothing happens
D. Sacco & Vanzetti • 2 most famous victims of red scare • Anarchists who avoided draft in WWI • Accused of killing 2 men in mass. Factory and taking $15,000 • Found guilt even despite good alibies, weak evidence, 7 prejudice judge • Modern ballistics proves pistol found on Sacco was murder weapon but no proof that he pulled the trigger
E. The Klan Rises Again • Red Scare & nativism used as excuse to harass anybody • Ku Klux Klan revived • Focused on attacking Af. Amer., Catholics, jews, and foreign born Amer. • Klansmen threatened by changes in Amer. society • Vented this threat through racial violence & influencing state and local politics
Classwork Question Pick 1 of the following perspectives: • KKK member • Palmer raid official • American citizen who is a member of the Communist party OR Sacco & Vanzetti Pretend you were living in the 1920s and defend your position & actions which you may have taken in the 20s as learned in today’s class