1. The United States Enters a new Decade. Political Change & the Red Scare Chapter 22 Section 1 Notes

2. Return to Normalcy When President Wilson returned from his time in Europe he was met with hostility from the American public. There were several contributing factors that put the Democratic party out of office. Wilson’s mishandling of the Treaty of Versailles – couldn’t influence the allies An economic failure: when the war ended returning soldiers could not find work due to a post war recession.

3. Continued… During the war Unions made a no-strike pledge, however in the post war period labor disputes eventually led to increased strikes. The Red Scare swept the country, many feared that communists would overthrow the government.

4. Republicans and Warren Harding During the election of 1920 favor shifted to the Republican’s favor Warren G. Harding was elected as president riding on his campaign promise of “A return to Normalcy.” Harding was a firm supporter of business thus he appointed business acquaintances to his cabinet positions. Andrew Mellon was selected as his Secretary of the Treasury. One of his accomplishments was a dramatic slash of the federal budget.

5. Scandals Harding’s Administration is considered one of the most corrupt and least effective presidencies in American history. Many of his personal cabinet appointees abused their position of power to profit in business. Most notable was the Teapot Dome Scandal. Albert B. Fall, The Secretary of the Department of the Interior was caught secretly leasing government property to a oil businessman.Teapot Dome Scandal

6. Calvin Coolidge, the 30 th president. President Harding did not live through his entire term. In 1923 Harding suffered a massive heart attack and died. Calvin Coolidge, his vice-president was elected President upon his death. Coolidge worked very hard to undo the damage of the Harding administration. He was re-elected on a wave of prosperity entering the 1920’s.

7. Foreign Policy Many Americans favored returning to Isolationism after World War I. U.S. still participated in the World’s affairs. The U.S. encouraged disarmament, the limiting on weapons. Joined the Washington Naval Arms Conference, which limited the size of powerful navies.

8. Foreign Policy continued… Sponsored the Kellogg-Briand pact, which outlawed war. Coolidge also believed in protecting American business abroad. Troops were sent to Nicaragua to end a revolution that was taking place.

9. The Red Scare Alarm about Communism affected American foreign policy. The rise of the Communist state in Russia led to a world wide fear of Communists, also known as Reds. The emergence of postwar strikes made many Americans fear that a revolution was beginning. After a series of bombings by anarchists communists were hunted down, arrested, and deported.

10. Red Scare Continued Anti-communist and anti-immigrant sentiments came to a boiling point when two Italian immigrants Sacco and Vanzetti were arrested and executed for robbery and murder.Sacco and Vanzetti He stressed that fact that they were both foreigners and anarchists in order to influence the jury.

11. Limiting Immigration Fear of radicals and competition for jobs led to the United States limiting its quota on immigration. Laws were developed to limit immigration from eastern and southern Europe. Immigration from Asia was completely cut off.