After World War I, Americans struggled with economic issues as soldiers faced unemployment and the economy slowed without wartime production. There was also social unrest as nativism and isolationism grew, fueled by fear of communism during the Red Scare and Palmer Raids. Immigrant workers like Sacco and Vanzetti faced discrimination, and quotas were established to limit immigration. Labor unrest increased as well, with major strikes in Boston and the steel industry, though unions ultimately failed to gain widespread appeal.

1. Americans Struggle with
Postwar Issues
CH.12 SECTION 1

2. Postwar Trends
 After the war
 Debate over the league of nation left US divided
 Economy suffered without war orders
 Soldiers faced unemployment, or took their old jobs away from
women and minorities
 Nativism: prejudice against foreign-born people
 Isolationism: policy of pulling away from
involvement in world affairs

3. Fear of Communism
 Red Scare:
 Bolshevik revolution in Russia- called for spread of
communism
 Communist party formed in the US
 Palmer Raids:
 Mitchell Palmer, J.E. Hoover, and agents hunted down all
communists, socialists, and anarchists
 Invaded homes and offices, and jailed people without trials-
turned up nothing

4. Sacco and Vanzetti
 Italian immigrants and anarchists
 Were arrested and charged with robbery and murder
 Both provided alibis and all evidence was
circumstantial
 They were found guilty and sentenced to death

5. Limiting Immigration
 Nativists believed fewer immigrants should be let
into the country
 The KKK made a come back and began keeping
blacks “in their place” and driving foreign born
people out of the country
 Quota System: Emergency Quota Act of 1921
 Established the maximum number of people who could enter
the US from each foreign country
 Later limited immigration from each European nation to 2 percent
of the number of its nationals in the US in 1890 and prohibited
immigration from Japan

6. Labor Unrest
 More than 3,000 strikes in 1919- strikers were
labeled as communists
 Boston Police Strike: Boston police went on
strike when representatives were fired for asking for
a raise
 Calvin Coolidge sent in the national guard to end the strike
 Strikers were not sent back to work, new police were hired
instead

7. Labor Unrest Cont.
 The Steel Mill Strike: Steel workers wanted to
Unionize and negotiate for shorter hours
 300,000 went on strike and were beaten by police
 They were called communists
 Eventually won a shorter work day, but no union
 Coal Miners Strike: John Lewis lead coal miners
on a strike, even after it was ended by a court order
 Won a 27% pay increase

8. Labor Movement Loses Appeal
 Union membership dropped by 2 million
 The number of immigrant workers
 Were willing to work in poor conditions
 Spoke many different languages
 Farmers who moved to factory jobs were used to relying on
themselves
 Most unions excluded African Americans