210 likes | 343 Views
The Roaring 20’s. An era of prosperity, Republican power, and conflict. 1920's collectively known as the "Roaring 20's", or the "Jazz Age" A period of great change in American Society - modern America is born at this time
E N D
The Roaring 20’s An era of prosperity, Republican power, and conflict
1920's collectively known as the "Roaring 20's", or the "Jazz Age" • A period of great change in American Society - modern America is born at this time • For first time the census reflected an urban society - people had moved into cities to enjoy a higher standard of living
Ageof Prosperity • Economic expansion • Mass Production • Assembly Line • Age of the Automobile • Ailing Agriculture…
An agri. depression in early 1920's contributed to this urban migration • U.S. farmers lost agri. markets in postwar Europe • At same time agri. efficiency increased so more food produced (more food = lower prices) and fewer labourers needed • Farming becomes no longer prosperous, and bankers called in the farm loans due (farms repossessed) • American farmers enter the Depression in advance of the rest of society
Black Americans in this period continued to live in poverty • Sharecropping kept them in de facto slavery • 1915 - boll weevil wiped out the cotton crop • White landowners went bankrupt & forced blacks off their land
Blacks moved north to take advantage of booming wartime industry (= Great Migration) - Black ghettos began to form, (i.e. Harlem) • Within these ghettoes a distinct Black culture flourished • Both blacks and whites wanted cultural interchange restricted
Marcus Garvey (Jamaican born immigrant) established the Universal Negro Improvement Association • Believed in Black pride • Advocated racial segregation b/c of Black superiority • Garvey believed Blacks should return to Africa • He purchased a ship to start the Black Star line • Attracted many “shady” investments: gov't eventually charged him with w/fraud • He was found guilty and deported to Jamaica, but his organization continued to exist
Republican Power • President Harding • Elected 1920 • Legacy of Scandals • “Teapot Dome” • Died in office
President Coolidge“The business of America is business.” • Fordney-McCumber Tariff • Smoot-Hawley Tariff • No help for farmers • Foreign Policy
Culture of the Roaring 20’s Radio KDKA Pittsburgh GE, Westinghouse,& RCA form NBC Silent Movies Charlie Chaplin “Talkies” The Jazz Singer Starring Al Jolson Mary Pickford “America’s Sweetheart”
Celebrities Babe Ruth &Ty Cobb Charles Lindbergh The Spirit of St. Louis Jack Dempsey
The 20’s isThe Jazz Age • The Flappers • make up • cigarettes • short skirts Writers F. Scott Fitzgerald Ernest Hemingway Musicians Louis Armstrong Duke Ellington
1920's also brought about great changes for women... • 1920 - 19th Amendment gave them the vote • More women began working outside the home • More women went to college and clamoured to join the professions • Women didn't want to sacrifice their wartime gains - amounted to a social revolt • Characterized by the FLAPPER/ "new woman" • (bobbed hair, short dresses, smoked in public...)
Anti-immigrant National Origins Act Discrimination Sacco-Vanzetti Trial Italian immigrants Unfair trial A Society in Conflict
Shift in immigration: the point of origin had shifted to S & E Europe and new religions appeared: Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic • N. European immigrants of early 19c. feared this shift and felt it would undermine Protestant values • Resurgence of NATIVISM • Nativists wanted Congress to restrict immigration, leading to a quota system that favoured N. areas of Europe • Fear of immigrants (from SE Europe) led to a sentiment known as the Red Scare (fear of comm. post-Bolshevik Rev.) • Because communism advocated a int'l revolution by the proletariat/workers, fear that this ideology could find its way into the U.S. was prevalent.
By this time, Wilson was gravely ill following a stroke • Attorney General, A. Mitchell Palmer, wanted to take a shot at the presidency - he used fears of both immigrants and communism to his advantage • He had J. Edgar Hoover (FBI) round up suspected radicals, many of which were deported (Palmer Raids)
The Ku Klux Klan Great increase In power Anti-black Anti-immigrant Anti-Semitic Anti-Catholic Anti-women’s suffrage Anti-bootleggers
Scopes “Monkey” Trial Evolution vs. Creationism Science vs. Religion Dayton, Tennessee Famous Lawyers John Scopes High School Biology teacher
Prohibition 18th Amendment Volstead Act Gangsters Untouchables Al Capone
PROHIBITION - on manuf. and sale of alcohol • Adopted in 1919 - 18th AMENDMENT • An outgrowth of the longtime temperance movement • In WWI, temperance became a patriotic mvmt. - drunkenness caused low productivity & inefficiency, and alcohol was needed to treat the wounded • Problems: it was a difficult law to enforce... Led to organized crime, speakeasies, bootleggers were on the rise • Al Capone virtually controlled all of Chicago’s illegal activities during this period - capitalism at its zenith… • Prohibition finally ended in 1933 w/ the 21st Amendment • Forced organized crime to pursue other interests…