After World War I, returning soldiers faced unemployment as jobs were taken by women and immigrants. At the same time, the cost of living doubled in the US. Anti-foreigner sentiment grew as nativism increased and the country embraced isolationism. The 1920s saw a Red Scare over fears of communism gaining a foothold in the US through the Communist party, leading to unjust Palmer Raids targeting immigrants. Racism was rampant as the resurgent Ku Klux Klan targeted Catholics, Jews, immigrants and African Americans. The quota system severely limited immigration, and Japanese immigrants faced discrimination through the Gentleman's Agreement. Frequent labor strikes were crushed as workers were labeled communists.

1. Unit 1- The 1920’s

2. I. Life after WWI
 A. Returning
soldiers face
unemployment
 -some take jobs
from women and
immigrants
 B. Cost of Living
doubles

3.  C. Nativism- Prejudice against foreign born
people develops
 D. Isolationism- A country not getting involved
in foreign affairs

4.  II. Fear of Communism
 A. Communism- An economic and
political system
 1. Led by a dictator
 2. No private property
 3. Gov’t controls all aspects of society

5.  B. Red Scare- Communist party form in US
 They want a world revolution to end capitalism
 C. Palmer Raids- US gov’t tries to find
communists and deport them
 Civil rights are violated, no real evidence of a
revolution

6.  D. Sacco and Vanzetti
 Italian anarchists arrested for robbery and
murder
 1. Evidence is circumstantial
 2. No witnesses
 3. They plead not guilty and have alibis
 4. Found guilty and sentenced to death

7.  III. Treatment of Immigrants
 A. Ku Klux Klan- terrorist organization started
after the CW, protestant whites
 “Keep blacks in their place, drive Catholics,
Jews, and immigrants from the US”
 4.5 million members in 1924 (Peak)

8.  B. Quota System- limited number of immigrants
from each country
 Total cannot exceed 150,000
 Gentlemen’s Agreement- No Japanese (with
exceptions)

9.  IV. Labor Problems
 Many strikes occur
 Steel mill workers, coal miners and Boston
police
 Business owners label worker “communists”
 Gov’t supports owners, not the workers