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U.S. History Unit 9 Notes . America Struggles with Postwar Issues . Postwar Trends. World War I left Americans exhausted - Debate over League of Nations had divides them Economy adjusted as cost of living doubled - Farm & factory orders were down
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Postwar Trends • World War I left Americans exhausted - Debate over League of Nations had divides them • Economy adjusted as cost of living doubled - Farm & factory orders were down - Soldiers took jobs from women& minorities - Farmers & factory workers suffered • Many Americans responded to the stressful conditions by becoming fearful of outsiders - Nativism swept nation - prejudice against foreign-born people - Isolationism became popular - pulling away from world affairs
Fear of Communism • The spread of Communism was perceived as a threat to America (The Red Scare) • Communism - economic, political system, single-party government - ruled by dictator - no private property • 1919 - Vladimir Lenin & the Bolsheviks set up Communist state in Russia
Fear of Communism • U.S. Communist Party formed (70, 000 radicals joined) - Some Industrial Workers of the World join
Fear of Communism • Several bombs were mailed to government & businesses - People feared Red conspiracy • Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer took action - Appointed J. Edgar Hoover as special assistant - They hunted down Communists, socialists, & anarchists (Palmer Raids) - Anarchists oppose any form of government - Palmer Raids trampled civil rights & failed to find evidence of conspiracy
Limiting Immigration • Anti-Immigrant Attitudes had been growing in America since the 1880s - Southern & Eastern European immigrants • Need for unskilled labor decreased in the U.S. after WWI • Nativists believed fewer immigrants were needed since their were fewer unskilled jobs available, • Also thought immigrant anarchists and socialists were Communist
The Quota System • 1919 - 1921, number of immigrants grew almost 600% • 141,000 to 805,000 • Nativsists pressured Congress to limit immigration from certain countries (Southern & Eastern Europe) • The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 set up a Quota system - Established the maximum number of people who could enter the U.S. from each country - sharply reduced European immigration
The Quota System • 1924 – Amended law limited European arrivals to 2% of number of its national living in the U.S. in 1890 - Discriminated against southern, eastern Europeans (Didn’t arrive until after 1890) • Law also prohibited Japanese immigration; - Caused ill will between U.S. & Japan - Japan had faithfully kept the Gentlemen’s agreement to limit emigration to the U.S. that had been negotiated by Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 - Many Canadians & Mexicans entered
A Time of Labor Unrest • Government didn’t allow strikes in wartime - 1919 over 3,000 strikes • Employers were against raises& unions; - Labeled strikers as Communists
The Boston Police Strike • Boston police went on strike over raises & the right to unionize - Hadn’t received a raise since beginning of WWI) • Mass. Governor Calvin Coolidge ended strike by calling out the National Guard - “there is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, anytime” • Replaced strikers with new policemen • People praised Coolidge for saving Boston if not the nation from communism - He was nominated as Warren G. Harding’s running mate in the 1920 election
The Steel Mill Strike • September1919 - Steel workers went on strike for the right to negotiate shorter working hours & a living wage - Also wanted union recognition & Collective bargaining rights • Steel Companies hired strike beaters & used force (Police, Federal troops & state militias) • Used propaganda to link strikers to communist • Later negotiated • Talks deadlocked
The Steel Mill Strike • Wilson appealed to both sides& the strike ended January 1920 • 1923 - report on the harsh working conditions shocked the public • Steel companies agreed to a 8-hour day but no union
The Coal Miners’ Strike • 1919 - John L. Lewis became head of United Mine Workers of America • Led strike & defied a court order to return to work • Coal minors accepted arbitration - Miners received 27% wage increase - Lewis became national hero
Labor Movement Loses Appeal • 1920s - union membership dropped from over 5 million to 3.5 million • Immigrants were willing to work for less • Hard to organize workers due to different languages • Farmers who moved to the city were used to relying on themselves • Less than 1% of African Americans & just over 3% whites were in union
EOCT REVIEW • SSUSH16: The student will identify key developments in the aftermath of WW I. • Explain how rising communism and socialism in the United States led to the Red Scare and immigrant restriction. 1. What is communism? Socialism? 2. What was the Red Scare?
Vocabulary • Karl Marx – The father of Communism • Communism– Economic system in which the government owns all aspects. • Red Scare - The fear in the United States that Communism would spread. • Palmer Raids - Raids in the United States that were implemented to prevent Communist from coming into the United States.
The Harding administration appeals to America’s desire for calm and peace after the war, but results in scandal The Harding Presidency
The 1920 Election • Warren G. Harding elected president • Wouldn't rock the boat • Said America needed normalcy
Harding Struggles for Peace • Problems arose concerning arms control, war debts, & the reconstruction of war torn countries after WWI • 1921 - President Harding hosted Washington Naval Conference • Invited major powers, • Russia wasn’t invited due to communist government • Sec. of State Charles Evans Hughes proposed disarmament & others agreed
Harding Struggles for Peace • 1928 – Fifteen countries signed the Kellog-Briand Pact - Nations denounced war as national policy - Pact was ineffective since it didn’t provide for means of enforcement
High Tariffs and Reparations • Britain & France owed the U.S. $10 billion in war debts • Could pay money by selling goods to the U.S. or by collecting reparations from Germany • 1922 -Fordney-McCumber Tariff raised taxes on U.S. imports to 60% • - Britain, France couldn’t sell enough goods to repay U.S. • Germany defaulted on its reparation payments
High Tariffs and Reparations • Dawes Plan - U.S. investors lent reparations money to Germany - Britain, France repaid U.S. • Dawes Plan caused resentment on all sides - Britain & France didn’t think the U.S. paid its fair share for WWI - U.S. thought Britain & France were financially irresponsible
Scandal Hits Harding’s Administration • Harding favored a limited government role in business,& social reform • He believed that government was getting the way of people's lives and businesses • Created Bureau of the Budget to help the government more efficiently • Had capable men in cabinet • Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes went on to become chief justice of Supreme Court , • Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover had done great job distributing foods & refugees in WWI • Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mellon cut taxes & reduced national debt
Scandal Hits Harding’s Administration • Harding also appointed the Ohio gang – His corrupt friends who caused him embarrassment - Were unqualified - They stole money from the government • Ohio Gang hurt Harding's presidency
The Teapot Dome Scandal • Teapot Dome scandal—naval oil reserves were used for personal gain • Government had set aside oil-rich public at Teapot Dome Wyoming & Elk Hills California for use by the U.S. Navy • Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall leased land to private companies -He received over $ 400,000 in loans, bonds, & cash
The Teapot Dome Scandal • Fall became the first person to be convicted of a felony while holding a cabinet post - Fined $100,000 & spent a year in prison • Harding tried to help his image by going on a speaking tour in the west - Had heart attack & Died on August 2, 1923 • VP Calvin Coolidge assumed presidency - Restores faith in government • 1924 – Coolidge was elected president
Vocabulary • Warren G Harding- Took over as President after Wilson, only stayed in office three years before passing away.
Consumer goods fuel the business boom of the 1920s as America’s standard of living soars. The Business of America
American Industries Flourish • Calvin Coolidge wanted to minimize government interference in business • “ the chief business of the American people is business” • He favored policies that would keep taxes down & business profits up , & give businesses more credit to expand • Coolidge’s approach worked in the 1920s - Lower income taxes gave people more money to spend - Wages rose and new technology increased productivity
The Impact of the Automobile • Henry Ford made cars affordable - Used assembly line • 1908 - Model T hit the market (cost $825) • By 1920's - Model T came off the line every 10 seconds • Cars changed life - paved roads, gas stations, motels, shopping centers
The Impact of the Automobile • Route 66 from Chicago to California • 1920s – 1st Automatic traffic signals used in Detroit • 1927 – Holland Tunnel opened to connect New York City & New Jersey (1st underwater tunnel specifically designed for cars) • Gave mobility to rural families, women, & young people
The Impact of the Automobile • Enabled workers to live farther from jobs - Led to urban sprawl (spread of cities) • Auto industry became economic base for some cities • Boosted oil industry • Late 1920s - 1 car for every 5 Americans • 1927 – The Model A replaced the Model T • Enabled customers to order a variety of colors • Traveled faster & smoother
The Young Airplane Industry • Airplane industry started as mail service for U.S. Post Office • Weather forecasting began - Planes carried radios& navigation tools • 1926 – Henry Ford built trimotor plane
The Young Airplane Industry • Charles Lindbergh & Amelia Earhart flights helped promote airlines - 1927 - Charles Lindbergh became the 1st person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic - 1928 - Amelia Earhart became 1st women to fly nonstop across the Atlantic
The Young Airplane Industry • 1927 - Lockheed Company produced popular transport plane of the decade (Vega) • 1927 - Nations 1st commercial airline formed (Pan American Airlines) - Brought cities closer together - Began transatlantic commercial flights
America’s Standard of Living Soars • 1920s were prosperous times for America • 1920 to 1929 – Average annual income rose over 35%, from $522 to $705 • People tired of sacrificing • Ready to spend money • New inventions - Refrigerator - Vacuum cleaner - Electric stove - Wrist watch
Electrical Conveniences • Prosperity was a result of cheap power • 1920's - electricity and petroleum become widely available • Widespread electricity made possible by SamualInsull - He formed GE Company with Thomas Edison • Electricity along with petroleum helped to transform the nation • Factories used electricity to run machines
Electrical Conveniences • Development of alternating current made it possible to distribute electricity over longer distances - Gave electricity to suburbs • By end of 1920s, more homes begin to have electrical appliances • Appliances made housework easier & freed women for other activities - Refrigerators , cooking ranges, & toasters • Appliances coincided with trend of women working outside home
The Dawn of Modern Advertising • Advertising agencies began hiring psychologists to learn to appeal to public (Social engineers) • Made brand names familiar nationwide • Pushed luxuries as necessities
The Dawn of Modern Advertising • Results were impressive - “Say it with Flowers” slogan doubled florists business between 1914 & 1924 - “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet” caused people to choose cigarettes over candy - 1923 – Listerine advertisements warned about the disastrous effects of halitosis
The Dawn of Modern Advertising • Businesspeople began working with service groups (Rotary, Kiwanis, & lions) - Raised money for charities & boosted the image of the businessman - promoted selves as benefactors of society