American Life in the Roaring Twenties 1919-1929

1. American Life in the Roaring Twenties 1919-1929 Chapter 31

2. I. Seeing Red • After war Americans turned inward • Shunning diplomatic commitments, denounced radical foreign ideas and “un-American” lifestyles • Shut out immigration (passed literacy requirement for immigrants) and sealed off economy from the outside world • New technologies, forms of entertainment and leisure first appeared in the US, but there were fears that America was losing their traditional ways

3. I. Seeing Red • Flu Epidemic (1918-1919) September 1918 virus first appears, Spring 1919 disappears • Killed millions around the world (22m, 500,000 U.S.) • Men and women in 20’s, 30’s hit hardest • Combined with effects of war, gave people a sense of doom • Red Scare- fear of communists and radicals, plotting against the United States • Labor unrest seen as work of communists, radicals • Communist Soviet Union called for international workers revolution and end of capitalism • April 1919 40 bombs intercepted in mail, one sent to Attorney General (Mitchell Palmer) • Government response- Palmer Raids • Arrested thousands of Southern, Eastern Europeans (not all were radicals), many deported, or held in jail without ever being charged with crime • American Civil Liberties Union formed 1920 to protect rights and liberties • Conservative business leaders used this as an excuse to break the back of labor unions

4. I. Seeing Red • Anti- foreignism reflected in Sacco and Vanzetti case • Italian immigrants and known anarchists • Accused of killing two men at a shoe factory • ACLU provided defense counsel • Found guilty, little hard evidence • Bias against immigrants, political climate worked against them • 1927 put to death in electric chair • Gave the radicals two martyrs for their “class struggle”

5. II. Hooded Hoodlums of the KKK • Membership in the organization spiked in the 20’s • Manifestation of intolerance and prejudice from anxiety of changing times • Resembled “nativist” movement of 1850’s • Anti- anything except Anglo, “native” American • Uprising against forces of modernism and forces of diversity shaping American culture • Movement concentrated in Midwest and South • At its peak had about 5 million members • Collapsed in late 20’s after political corruption was exposed

6. III. Stemming the Foreign Flood • Country had little use for immigration in the 20’s, • Immigration Act of 1924- end of open immigration • Government created a quota system to restrict immigration • Geared to keep out southern and eastern Europeans, Japanese immigrants • Employers used racial/ ethnic differences to undermine class and political solidarity

7. IV. Prohibition and the Rise of Gangsterisim • Last spasm of the progressive movement was prohibition of alcohol, legalized with the passage of the 18th Amendment and implemented with the Volstead Act in 1919 • Prohibited sale, distribution and manufacture of alcohol • More popular in South and West • South seen as a way to keep blacks “in their place” • West seen as attack on vice associated with the saloon • Opposition in the east where there were large groups of immigrants and Old World styles of sociability • Conditions that hampered enforcement: ignored tradition of weak control by central government over private lives, disillusionment in aftermath of war and wisdom of further self denial, understaffed federal agents to enforce law • Corner saloon replaced by “speakeasies”, alcohol still available • Did have some positive effect- bank savings increased, absenteeism at work decreased

8. IV. Prohibition and the Rise of Gangsterisim • Prohibition spawned criminal activity • Profits of selling booze led to rivalries between gangs in big cities • Arrests were few, convictions fewer and the bribery of federal agents was rampant • Organized crime developed around sale of liquor and reached into other areas- prostitution, drugs, gambling • Organized crime became one of the most lucrative businesses in the country

9. V. Changes in Society • Split in rural and urban values, Changes in standard of living, religious values • 1920 Census first time more American lived in urban areas than rural areas • Urban- enjoyed new consumer products, • Open to social change, science, secular values important • Formal education more important • Rural- more traditional view of science, religion, culture • Most new consumer products unavailable • Many people, especially in rural areas, felt threatened by the changing values of society--formed ways to react to these changes • Religious fundamentalism grew during the 1920s • World changing in ways people don't understand and can't control • Children reject the values that the parents have lived with all their life • One way this fundamentalism manifested itself came in the laws of a few southern states which mandated creationism, not evolution, be taught in classrooms

11. VI. Monkey Business in Tennessee Scopes “Monkey” Trial • 1925, at the urging of local community leaders, John T. Scopes, a high-school biology teacher in Dayton, Tenn. challenged his state's antievolution law • He did so with promise of assistance from the ACLU • ACLU hired team of lawyers headed by Clarence Darrow to defend Scopes • Prosecution assisted by William Jennings Bryan--who argued for inerrancy of Bible, but sometimes found himself not knowing what the Bible said • Scopes convicted by local jury--but received short sentence and small fine • Scopes Trial a battle between two sets of values--the older, rural values and the modern urban values • Fundamentalism (and the South) ridiculed by national press-influence of fundamentalism diminished in mainstream churches after the trial, it still retained a large following

12. VII. The Mass Consumption Economy • Cultural issues divided Americans • Decade after war America experienced growth • Changed the way Americans lived • Created modern consumer economy • Technology, leisure activities broke down barriers and helped form a common American culture • Rising wages, shorter work weeks • More free time more disposable income • Consumer Revolution- advertising, buying on credit, electricity made new products available to people • Availability of electric power – washing machines, vacuum cleaners made housekeeping easier • Advertisers- used new methods to sell more products (focused on desires and fears of consumers) • Buying on credit allowed people to buy products they would have needed to save years for • Economy became increasingly venerable to disruptions of the credit structure

13. VII. The Mass Consumption Economy • Radio and Phonograph- result of technological advances, business enterprise • Americans listened to same music, learned same dances- contributed to mass popular culture • Radio- 1920 first commercial radio station (KDKA Pittsburg, PA)- within three years over 600 stations • Brought events into millions of homes- sporting events, news • Politicians had to learn the “art” of media to reach millions at once that heard promises and pleas • Advertising and commercials made radio a vehicle for selling American free enterprise • Phonograph- people could listen to music whenever they wanted • Regional music styles were made national

14. VIII. Sports and the Rise of the Airplane • Sports created nationally famous athletes • Increased newspaper readers, radio audience boosted popularity • Sportswriters captured excitement of events • Sports became big business • Sports feats showed people capable of great feats, idealized self • 1903 first successful airplane flight • During WWI used in combat • After war first passenger lines operated, mostly used for mail service, stunt fliers traveled across country • 1927 Charles Lindberg flies solo across Atlantic Ocean, became American hero • Feat popularized flying more than any other event, increased idea of it being a commercially viable industry • Removed some of the “isolation” of the American psyche

15. IX. Movies • Movie industry began to grow in early 1900’s and it blossomed in the 1920’s • Hollywood was the movie capital of the world • Used during the war to promote anti-German propaganda • Local theaters became cultural classroom for Americans • Americas democratic art, most popular form of entertainment • First movie stars • 1927 first “talkie” Jazz Singer • Movies represent fantasies, desires, of Americans • Help create a common American culture

16. X. Advent of the Automobile Age • Caused biggest change to lifestyles during the 1920’s and beyond • Scientific managementtechniques- reduce time, effort, cost to produce cars (“Taylorisim” sought to eliminate wasted motion) • Cars put on assembly line- inspired by meatpacking industry • Best known carmaker Henry Ford, had a one track devotion to standardization that he used to produce cars • Idea of mass production used for automobiles • Model T- only car Ford sold ($ 260 by mid-1920’s) • Ford also doubled wages of workers, weekends off, 8 hr workday

17. X. Advent of the Automobile Age • Steel, glass, rubber, asphalt, gasoline, insurance, road construction industries all benefitted • Oil discoveries in Southwest US • 1926 national highway system first appeared • Service stations, motels • Created new jobs, helped national prosperity • Made commerce speedier • Gave people more freedom, car became a necessity • Go where they wanted, not tied to tracks or train schedule, hurt railroads • Altered residential patterns • Suburbs grew, people could live farther from jobs • Communities linked by highways to cities • Improved mass transportation, car led to development of suburbs • Suburbs drain resources from cities

18. XI. Science, Social Thought and Modernism • Rational, mechanical ideas of how world worked changed • Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Heisenberg's Theory of Uncertainty showed absolute values of how things worked were not true • Freud explored subconscious, subconscious regions seen as more potent than reason • Also demonstrated that repression was responsible for a variety of social ills • Fundamentalist lost ground to the modernists

19. XI. New Roles for Women • New Woman” of 1920’s more liberated, Victorian morality rejected • Dresses shorter, wore makeup, danced, drank • Flapper symbolized new , modern woman • Wanted same political, social, economic rights as men • Alice Paul and the National Women’s party began a campaign for an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution • Lived longer, had fewer children, freed time to pursue other interests • Many entered professional workforce, although they went into low paying jobs (“women’s work”) • Elected as governors (TX, WY) • Differences in material culture made life for urban and rural women distinct

20. XIII. The Jazz Age • Emerged in South (New Orleans) where different traditions and cultures came together • Based on improvisation, blues and European traditions • Spread north with Great Migration, became theme music of 1920’s • Radio, phonograph spread influence • Bridged races, inspired white songwriters and musicians (who stole style and made a huge profit)

21. XIV. The Harlem Renaissance • African American migration continued 1920’s • Many found a better life, jobs, political voice • Did not escape oppression, had worst jobs, housing • Period of cultural expression in music and literature • Development of “new black consciousness” • Center was Harlem, NY, blend of cultures, ideas • Spawned charismatic political leader Marcus Garvey • Jamaican immigrant, promoted idea of black nationalism, “Back to Africa” Movement • Called for black separatism- businesses, communities • Founded Universal Negro Improvement Assn. promoted black pride • Put in prison 1925 for mail fraud, deported • Inspired Nation of Islam, Black Panther Movement later in century

22. XIV. The Harlem Renaissance • African American literature developed from the Harlem Renaissance • Explored pains and joys of being African American, some called for equality with whites • Langston Hughes- literary voice of HR, captured diversity of AA life • Jean Toomer- Cane looked at rural life in the south and sophisticated urban life in Washington, D.C. • Claude McKay- militant writer, wrote about struggle for dignity • Zora Neale Hurston- collected folktales of rural Florida, called for women’s independence

23. XV. Modernism in Art and Literature • Literature, arts were changed by WWI • War killed millions, left many homeless • Seen as action of irrational people • Began to question ideas of progress, left people pessimistic • Writers and artists expressed lack of faith in a traditional worldview • Painters moved away from traditional representation • Experimented with abstract styles, represented inner mood • Saw artistic honesty in abstract paintings

24. XV. Modernism in Art and Literature • Postwar literature represented the exuberance of youth and the resentment of ideals betrayed • Called “Lost Generation” • Searched for new truths, new ways to express truths • Most were expatriates living in Paris and London • Wrestled with meaning of war and life • F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway, T.S. Elliot, Sinclair Lewis, Gertrude Stein • Greatest generation for American writers

25. XV. Modernism in Art and Literature • Earnest Hemmingway- novels feature search for real life • Hard living, athletic, masculine lifestyle • About doomed life after the war • Wrote in a concrete, stripped down style • F. Scott Fitzgerald- first novel This Side of Paradise, age 24 • Wrote about excess of Jazz Age, bible for youth of the 20’s • Great Gatsby about American dream and tragedy • William Faulkner- stories set in Mississippi, reflected southern world • Literature- dying way of life vs. modern way of life • Leader of Southern Renaissance

26. Boom and Bust 1919-1929

27. I. Wall Street’s Big Bull Market • Right after the war scarcity of supplies, increased demand caused inflation • Agriculture- prices fell, farmers could not pay debt • U.S. had a postwar recession • Industrial workers wages could not buy as much after war (inflation) • Many workers went on strike to demand better conditions (1919- 4m), racial unrest across the country in the summer of 1919 • Decade after war America experienced growth • Changed the way Americans live, created modern consumer economy • 1920’s period of rising stock prices (bull market) • Investors take risks, buy on margin (pay small amount up front, pay rest back over time) • Stock was collateral for loan • Thinking boom and bust economy would end, there would always be prosperity • Signals in bank failures and real estate speculation

28. I. Wall Street’s Big Bull Market • More conservative policies to promote growth of business • Presidents wanted to serve the public good through less government • Sec. of Treasury Andrew Mellon, a multimillionaire, favored low taxes on individuals and corporations • Tax burden shifted to the middle class • Herbert Hoover- Commerce Sec. wanted to use business and labor leaders to manage industry, not legislation

29. II. Republicans in Power • Harding used government to guide business to profits • Used courts to back up policies, appointed 4 justices to Supreme Court (would have an effect for years) • Stripped away gains for labor, women in the workplace, anti trust laws ignored • Dismantled progressive and wartime controls over the economy • Close circle of advisers called ‘Ohio Gang” • Saw government service as a way to get rich at expense of others • Teapot Dome Scandal- (1921) Sec. of Interior arranged sale of government oil reserves in Wyo. to private investors for “loans” • Harding signed deal, senate investigated • 1924- Sec. of Interior sentenced to prison • 1923- Harding died before he could finish his term or answer for his role in this and other scandals

30. III. Silent Cal Coolidge • Replaced by VP Calvin Coolidge • “Silent Cal” quiet, honest, frugal, fumigated some of the stench of Harding • Pro- business, creation of wealth was good for all America • Followed same economic policies as Harding • American economy grew, general prosperity for all Americans over next six years

31. IV. Hiking the Tariff Higher • True to idea of American isolationism, business tried to keep out foreign investment in the 1920’s • Put up high tariff walls to keep out a flood of cheap foreign goods from recovering Europe • Tariffs were raised throughout the decade, Republican presidents were far more friendly to tariff increases than the progressives of past decades • Set off chain reaction that kept Europe from being able to pay war debts, spurred Europe to pass tariffs to keep out American goods

32. V. Frustrated Farmers • Farmers caught in boom-bust cycle more than industry • Peace brought an end to guaranteed prices by government and overseas purchases • Wartime boom encouraged them to cultivate new land • Farmers produced surpluses that led to price dampening depression • In 1920’s 25% of all farms were sold to repay debt • Congress tried to help farmers but conservative financial policies allowed farmers problems to not be heard

33. VI. American Foreign Policy • Isolationism was the rule in the 20’s, even though America sent “observers” to the League of Nations meetings in Geneva, Switzerland • America was active in the Middle East where they secured drilling rights to reap the benefits oil • 1921-1922- Washington “Disarmament” Conference- limit construction of navies, reduce arms race • 1928- Kellogg- Briand Pact- treaty to outlaw “war as an instrument of national policy” world leaders knew this was useless • Defensive wars were still permitted with pact, America had been lulled into a false sense of security • 1920’s U.S. thought best policy was to keep rest of world at arms length, by outlawing war U.S. hoped to never be involved in another world war

34. VI. American Foreign Policy • US did still participate in the affairs of Latin American and Caribbean nations to protect their investments • Overshadowing all other foreign policy issues was international debt, US after war was the creditor nation of the world • US wanted to be repaid the $10 billion it loaned Europe during the war • US wanted Britain, France to pay back money borrowed for war • They needed Germany to pay reparations • Financial issue threatened world economy • 1924Dawes Plan arranged US loans to Germany to pay Britain and France • Damaged US reputation- Europe saw US as heartless demanding payment after human costs of war • US never did get money and it led to continued neutrality and isolationism as thing grew worse in Europe in the 1930’s

35. VII. Presidential Elections 1924, 1928 • 1924 Coolidge reelected over a hopelessly split Democratic party and the reform minded progressives • Times were too good to change the course • 1928 Coolidge decides not to run, Herbert Hoover (Sec. of Commerce) was chosen as successor • Hoover was a self mad millionaire, the ideal businessperson's candidate • Democrats nominated Alfred Smith of NY • Many saw Smith as too Catholic, urban, too much of a drinker • Dry, fundamentalists help Hoover carry the South for the first time to carry former Confederate states • First election where radio played a role

36. IX. Hoover’s First Years • Many did well in 1920’s; two groups that did not farmers and wage earners • Hoovers government philosophy- voluntary cooperation between labor and management • Economy needed sense of competition, little government interference • Decentralized government, low taxes • Passed Agricultural Marketing Act and established the Farm Board, agencies set up to help farmers to help themselves through lending and farmers cooperatives • 1930 Farm Board agrees to buy surplus production, causes glut of agricultural products and leads to a decline in prices

37. IX. Hoover’s First Years • 1930Hawley Smoot Tariff designed to help farmers • Created the highest tariff in peacetime history (avg. duty 60%) • Hawley-Smoot Tariff raised prices on foreign goods • Added to farm, manufacturing problems, could not sell glut of goods • European countries retaliate and pass protective tariffs, seen as an act of economic war • Destroyed international trade • Countries could not repay loans to U.S., business’ bank collapses in Europe

38. X. Great Crash End the Twenties • When Hoover took office the speculative bubble and good times on the stock exchange were coming to an end • In mid-1929 British raised interest rates to bring investment back to the country, foreign investors dumped money in US market for British market • Sept- Oct 1929 stock market begins to drop • October 29- Black Tuesday bottom fell out of stock market, billions of dollars lost • Investors lost confidence in market, many lost all of their money, jobs, homes • Hoover tells Americans economy healthy

39. XI. Causes of the Great Depression • Industrial production increased and corporate profits rose • Wealthiest 1% made same amt. as bottom 42% • Problem- overproduction, under consumption, over expansion of credit • Problems caused by Hawley-Smoot Tariff caused chain reaction across Europe • Farms sold at auction and many became tenant farmers across the South and Midwest

40. XII. Chain Reaction • Stock market crash caused chain reaction of events • Banks Collapse • Depositors tried to withdraw money (run on banks), many banks failed (over 2,000 from 29-32) • Misguided Monetary Policy • Federal Reserve tightened money supply to discourage lending • Too little money in circulation, not enough for banks • Business Closes, Unemployment Rises • Reduced spending, production cutbacks • Led to job layoffs, by 1933 25% of Americans out of work

41. XIII. Rugged Times for Rugged Individualists • Many Americans did not understand the reasons the Depression happened • Attacked most American families, many men lost initiative and self respect • Men felt that they betrayed family, birthrates dropped, families broke up, children dropped out of school • Unemployment at 25%, those that had jobs had wages, hours cut • Many went hungry, waited in bread lines for food, many lost their homes • Grouped together in Hoovervilles, makeshift shacks, tents built on public land • Feeling of loss of American Dream, zapped American spirit and uniqueness • Most popular song 1933 “ Brother Can You Spare a Dime?”

42. XIII. Rugged Times for Rugged Individualists • Hoover struggled to respond to America’s problems • Tried hands off policy, downturn part of natural business cycle • Business should voluntarily combat depression, act in best interest of the community • Asked business, industry to keep employment, wages, prices at current levels, wanted more money in hands of businesses • Local relief agencies were overwhelmed, did not have funds to battle economic downturn • Hoover begins to realize that government needed to help, efforts probably prevented further collapse of the economy

43. XIV. Hoover Battles the Great Depression • Hoover finally began to use federal resources to battle economy • 1932- Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) • Loaned billions for business, railroads, state and local governments • Money for banks, to provide loans, stimulate business (trickle down economics), no money to individuals • Succeeded with construction project on Colorado River (Boulder/Hoover Dam), brought irrigation, employment to Southwest • Benefits to labor through the Norris-La Guardia Act (1932) outlawed using court injunctions to restrain labor • Policies by Hoover paved the way for the expansion of the federal government under the New Deal

44. XV. Routing the Bonus Army in Washington • 1932- Group of WWI veterans went to D.C. to demand payment for service that was to be paid in 1945 • Called Bonus Army • Government did not have the money • Set up camps and occupied government buildings • Hoover used federal troops to remove them • Army used excessive force, Gen MacArthur called them revolutionaries • Photographs of army action shocked Americans • Election of 1932 was time for change