The Roaring 20s saw many social and political changes in the US following WWI. There was a Red Scare where suspected communists were persecuted following the Russian Revolution. Immigration was greatly restricted through the Emergency Quota Act of 1921. The Ku Klux Klan grew due to anti-immigrant sentiment. Politically, the Harding administration was rocked by scandals like Teapot Dome, where the Secretary of Interior illegally leased oil-rich lands. Culturally, the 1920s saw the rise of mass consumption fueled by new industries like automobiles and air travel, though some warned that unchecked prosperity could not last.

1. Chapter 12 Politics of the Roaring 20s

2. The Roaring 20’s 1920-29 Post War Issues Economy – had to adjust from making guns to making butter again Cost of living had doubled Labor troubles Jobs taken away from women and African Americans – given back to returning GIs

3. Isolationism Did not want to get involved in another war like WWI – pulled away from world affairs Feelings of nativism (prejudice against foreign born people) increased

4. Communism Russian revolution – Lenin’s Bolsheviks overthrew tsar established communist government in Russia

5. Red Scare Fear of Communism led to the Red Scare Palmer Raids – suspected communists were hunted down Rights were taken away Not one single credible threat was found

7. Sacco and Vanzetti Italian anarchists Charged with robbery and murder – convicted even though evidence was circumstantial Executed

8. Sacco and Vanzetti Symbolic example of discrimination against radical beliefs during the Red Scare

10. Great Migration African Americans moved north to look for better job opportunities

11. Ku Klux Klan Grows over Red Scare and anti-immigrant feelings By 1924, the Klan had 4.5 million members

14. "It is like writing history with Lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true." -- President Woodrow Wilson

15. "...the President was entirely unaware of the nature of the play before it was presented and at no time has expressed his approbation of it."--Letter from J. M. Tumulty, secretary to President Wilson, to the Boston branch of the NAACP, which protested against the film's blackface villains and heroic Ku Klux Klanners.

16. Congress Limits Immigration nativist pressure led to decision to limit immigration from southern and eastern Europe The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 set up a quota system to control and restrict immigration

19. Labor unrest Strikes were outlawed during WWI 1919 there were more than 3,000 strikes involving 4 million workers – low wages

20. Labor Unions Membership began dropping Accused of being communists African Americans were excluded from many unions

21. Warren G. Harding Administration Kellogg-Briand Pact - renounced war as a means of national policy (signed by 15 nations, but difficult to enforce) Fordney McCumber Tariff – raised taxes on U.S. imports – made it hard for foreign countries to sell goods in U.S. Dawes Plan - solved problem of post-war debt - provided loans to Germany to pay France/Britain who then paid the U.S

23. Political Scandal “ Ohio gang” - Harding’s poker buddies who he set up in cabinet Many in “gang” became corrupt through use of graft ( political favors) Some were caught illegally selling government supplies to private companies

24. TEAPOT DOME SCANDAL government set aside oil-rich public land in Teapot, WY Secretary of Interior Albert Fall secretly leased the land to two oil companies Fall received $400,000 from the oil companies and a felony conviction from the courts

26. THE BUSINESS OF AMERICA Calvin Coolidge - pro-business His famous quote : “The chief business of the American people is business . . .the man who builds a factory builds a temple – the man who works there worships there” President Calvin Coolidge 1924-1928

27. Life in the 1920s Age of consumption

28. Automobile altered the American landscape and society 80% of all registered motor vehicles in the world were in the U.S. Urban sprawl – people could live farther from work

29. IMPACT OF THE AUTO Among the many changes were: Paved roads, traffic lights Motels, billboards Home design Gas stations, repair shops Shopping centers Freedom for rural families Independence for women and young people Cities like Detroit, Flint, Akron grew By 1920 80% of world’s vehicles in U.S.

30. AIRLINE TRANSPORT BECOMES COMMON The airline industry began as a mail carrying service and quickly “took off” By 1927, Pan American Airways was making the transatlantic passenger flights When commercial flights began, all flight attendants were female and white

31. AMERICAN STANDARD OF LIVING SOARS The years 1920-1929 were prosperous ones for the U.S. Americans owned 40% of the world’s wealth The average annual income rose 35% during the 1920s ($522 to $705) Discretionary income increased

32. MODERN ADVERTISING EMERGES Ad agencies no longer sought to merely “inform” the public about their products They hired psychologists to study how best to appeal to Americans’ desire for youthfulness, beauty, health and wealth “ Say it with Flowers” slogan actually doubled sales between 1912-1924

33. A SUPERFICIAL PROSPERITY Many during the 1920s believed the prosperity would go on forever Wages, production, GNP, and the stock market all rose significantly But. . . .

34. PROBLEMS ON THE HORIZON? Businesses expanded recklessly Iron & railroad industries faded Farms nationwide suffered losses due to overproduction Too much was bought on credit (installment plans) including stocks