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Explore how Americans displayed nativist sentiments in the 1920s and their impact on politics. Discuss Harding's presidency, scandals, and Coolidge's pro-business policies.
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Warm up • Using your key terms and knowledge of the 1920s… • List 5 ways that American’s showed their Nativist feelings during the 1920s. • How do you think these influenced the politics of the 1920s?
1920s politics Mr. Goddard | PLUSH | February 2009
1920s – three presidents • All Republican – Why?
Conservative presidents 1920 -1932 • People wanted return to normalcy • Protected BUISNESS and economy GREW • Government shouldn’t control economy: ANTI- WILSON • Government limited role in Foreign Affairs: ANTI-WILSON • Government shouldn’t act to protect individuals
THE HARDING PRESIDENCY • Warren G. Harding’s Foreign Policy • Kellogg-Briand Pact which renounced war as a means of national policy (signed by 15 nations, but difficult to enforce) • Dawes Plan which solved the problem of post-war debt by providing loans to Germany to pay France/Britain who then paid the U.S. Harding 1920-1924
THE Dawes plan • Big Issue – How to get money that the Allies owed the United States after WWI. • Financial Merry Go – Round • U.S. Loans Germany money since no one else would. • Germany keeps a little $ to re-build but give most Allies as Reparations • U.S. gives $2.5 B and gets $2.6 Billion back.
Harding and business • PRO-Business • Repealed wartime taxes on corporate profits and reduced taxes for wealthy • Approved High tariffs • Open Door Policy to China to protect trade
SCANDAL HITS HARDING • Filled cabinet with buddies – OHIO GANG • The president’s main problem was that he didn’t understand many of the issues • Several of Harding’s appointee’s were caught illegally selling government supplies to private companies
TEAPOT DOME SCANDAL • The worst case of corruption was the Teapot Dome Scandal • The government set aside oil-rich public land in Teapot, WY • Secretary of Interior Albert Fall secretly leased the land to two oil companies • Fall received $400,000 from the oil companies and a felony conviction from the courts
THE BUSINESS OF AMERICA • Harding Died • Where did Coolidge come from? • The new president, Calvin Coolidge, fit the pro-business spirit of the 1920s very well • His famous quote: “The chief business of the American people is business . . .the man who builds a factory builds a temple – the man who works there worships there” President Calvin Coolidge 1924-1928
What Coolidge was about • Cleaned up scandals • Elected again in 1924 • Big Stick Latin America • No help for farmers • Allowed business mergers • Corporate profits grew but farmers and some industries suffered • Did not run for re-election President Calvin Coolidge 1924-1928
Key Points to think about… • The 1920s was about Republican governments helping business. It was a decade of dramatic expansion in business, finance, and trade for the United States • Foreign Policy was different than before. We wanted to get paid and not have another war. We occasionally used the “BIG STICK” in Latin America. • American farmers, as a rule, did not share in the prosperity of the 1920s. • A vicious cycle of overproduction to meet demands continually lowered market prices of produce, forcing many farmers into the poorhouse