Transition to Modern America: The Second Industrial Revolution

1. 25 Transition toModern America

2. The Second Industrial Revolution • U.S. emerges from war as powerful nation – from debtor nation to creditor nation • Develops the highest standard of living in the world • Industrial output doubles • Explosive growth in consumer-goods • 1920s - second industrial revolution • - Electricity replaced steam • - Modern assembly introduced

3. The Automobile Industry • Mass production of the auto lowers prices from $950 to $250 • Marketing crucial to growth of auto sales – promote new models • Auto industry fostered other businesses • Autos encouraged suburban sprawl • Auto completely changed American life – the car ruled

4. Patterns of Economic Growth • New technologies meant new industries such as radio and motion pictures • Technology – key to new affluence • Structural change • Professional managers replace individual entrepreneurs • Corporations become the dominant business form

5. Patterns of Economic Growth • Marketing and national brands spread • Big business weakened regionalism, brought uniformity to America • Consumer goods revolution disguised decline of traditional industries

6. Glenwood Stove Ad

7. Economic Weaknesses • Railroads poorly managed and competition from trucking industry • Coal displaced by petroleum, natural gas • Cotton textile mills decline – new synthetic fabrics • Agriculture – weakest area of economy - overproduction brought decline in prices

8. WORKERS • Growing disparity between income of laborers and middle and upper-classes • American worker did not share in this boom time • Labor unions were weakened • “yellow dog” contracts • Portrayed as radical • Injunctions

9. City Life • Major demographic shift – people move from country to cities • Rapid increase in urban population • Skyscrapers symbolized the new mass culture • Focus shifted to city for entertainment

10. Women and the Family • Ongoing crusade for equal rights • “Flappers” sought individual freedom • Most women remained in domestic sphere • Nineteenth Amendment had less impact on woman than expected • American family became smaller – more birth control

11. The Rural Counterattack • Shift in population led to heightened social tensions • Rural Americans preserve traditional values and identify urban culture with Communism, crime, immorality as evil • Urban progressives attempt to force reform on the American people • War encouraged nationalistic spirit and a dislike of immigrants

12. The Fear of Radicalism • 1919: “Red Scare” – outgrowth of nationalism after WW I – undercurrent of intolerance • A. Mitchell Palmer lead attack • Illegal roundups of innocent people • Forcible deportation of aliens • Terrorism against “radicals,” immigrants • 1927: Sacco and Vanzetti executed • Italian immigrants and anarchists – justice system compromised

13. Prohibition • 18th Amendment gives federal government power to pass Volstead Act of prohibiting production, sale, or transport of alcoholic beverages • Consumption of alcohol reduced • Prohibition resented in cities • Bootlegging/crime became big business and criminals benefit most from prohibition • 1933: 18th amendment repealed • Prohibition bred a disrespect for the law

14. The Ku Klux Klan • Rebirth 1915 in Georgia: Klan membership hit 5 million • Target blacks, Catholics, women, Jews – anyone different • Attack on urban culture • Defends traditional rural values • Klan sought to win U.S. by persuasion • Sexual and financial scandals resulted in Klan’s virtual disappearance by 1930

15. Immigration Restriction • 1924: National Origins Act • Reflected nativism in America • Fear that immigrants would take American jobs • Quotas favored northern Europeans • Mexican immigrants exempted from quota • Most enduring achievement of the rural counterattack • Issue today: Open immigration vs. restrictive legislation

16. The Fundamentalist Challenge • Fundamentalism: Stress on traditional literal interpretation of the Bible • Science vs. religion/Bible • Scopes put on trial for teaching theory of evolution (against law in Tennessee) • 1925: Scopes Trial discredited fundamentalism among intellectuals • Divide between science and fundamentalists • Fundamentalists strengthened grassroots appeal in new churches

17. Politics of the 1920s • Republican party apparently dominant • Democratic party split between urban and rural branches weaken Democratic party • Urban wing of the Democratic party emerged as the most powerful force

18. Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover • Republican presidents, Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover appeal to traditional American values • Harding scandals broke after his death • Coolidge represented America in his austerity and honesty • Hoover represented the self-made man

19. The Election of 1928 • Democrat Al Smith carried urban vote • Governor of New York • Roman Catholic • Republican Herbert Hoover won race • Midwesterner • Protestant • Religion the campaign’s decisive issue • Democrats have strength in cities