1920s Nativism Isolationism Communism Palmer Raids Anarchism Sacco & Vanzetti Quota System-KKK John L. Lewis

Nativism & Isolationism Rise of Nativism Prejudice against foreign born peoples After the war isolationism rose too Desire to be isolated in all foreign affairs Not involved with any dispute outside our borders

Red Scare 1919 Red Scare Communists had joined labor unions Communists believed in community ownership of resources and means of production Antithesis of capitalism Being a communist was seen as being anti-American

Palmer Raids Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer created a squad of men to destroy communists and anarchists who were trying to take over the government. Led by a young J. Edgar Hoover Raided union headquarters looking for communists Made people suspicious of foreigners

Sacco & Vanzetti May 1920 Italian immigrants and anarchists Arrested for robbery and murder Witnesses only identified suspects as Italians S&V were arrested Evidence was circumstantial They were convicted and executed

S & V cont. Large public outcry over this case S&V’s conviction was clearly based on race 1961 ballistics did show that the gun found on Sacco was the murder weapon

Immigration 1921-American instituted a quota system for immigrants # of immigrants rose 600% between 1919 and 1921 141,000-805,000 Limits on immigration 2% of # of a nation’s immigrants that were in the U.S. in 1890

Immigration cont. Discriminated against Eastern & Southern Europeans Mostly Roman Catholics and Jews Also limited Japanese immigration Later the base year was shifted to 1920

KKK Red Scare and anti-immigration sentiment led to a rise in Klan membership 1924: 4.5 million members 1925: 60,000 members marched in Washington

Labor Labor strikes were not allowed during the war Led to unrest once the war was finished 1919: 3,000 labor strikes Pay Ability to join unions Some employers labeled union workers as communists

John L. Lewis Leader of the United Mine Workers Led a coal miner’s strike Ended up getting 27% pay increase Later would go on to fight for 5 day work week and shorter work day End of 20s saw a drop in unions More immigrants Excluded African Americans