Decade at a Glance The U.S. in the ‘20’s can be best described as: 1.Practiced international political isolation that continued throughout the decade 2.Economic prosperity which promoted overproduction of goods, overspending, & incurring debt 3.Explosion of culture: amusement, art, music, sports, film and literature. 4.Weak government scarred with political scandal & unreliable leadership.

Bell Ringer What kind of things scared Americans post WWI and throughout the 1920s? What kind of things scared Americans post WWI and throughout the 1920s? What were some things Americans were divided about during the 1920s. What were some things Americans were divided about during the 1920s.

Fear of others Increased negative sentiment towards OTHERS that escalated throughout the decade

The fear of others A.Nativism = New Immigrants bring new A.Ideas B.Religion C.Beliefs D.Want to change America B.Racism- Different gender/races A.Are inferior B.Have different beliefs C.Dilute our purity “white” D.Want to change America Ethnic Prejudice- Different people are un- American – Different Religions Communist Jews Catholics – Not all whites are good Eastern & Southern Europe – Different beliefs Socialist Anarchist Communist

FEAR OF OTHERS – Red Scare Communism – Immigration Restriction – Eugenics – Social Darwinism – Ethnic Prejudice Different religions, cultures, customs, l – Racism Different race

Nativist Resurgence Immigrants compete with returning soldiers for jobs

Nativist Resurgence Nativism Increases Eugenics: False science of improving society by manipulating heredity. – Idea: Inferior people should not breed. – Only real Americans should live in America. – Burden on the rest of us

Ethnic Prejudice  Basis for Sacco & Vanzetti Case.  2 shoe factory employees robbed & murdered.  Police arrest Sacco & Vanzetti  Anarchists  Italian Immigrants  Sentenced to death. Appeals denied.  Executed Nativist Resurgence Case sparked world wide protest

Social Darwinism Theory by Charles Darwin Everything evolves from a lower life form Natural Selection Survival of the fittest – Herbert Spencer – Strong will survive – Weak will die Justified racism, imperialism, & nativism towards others. Justified racism, imperialism, & nativism towards others.

Racism KU KLUX KLAN Leaders to Restrict Immigration African Americans, Catholics, Jews, other immigrants over 4 million members Poor leadership leads to KKK’s decline and political supporters voted out of office. – Supporters Violence leads to distance Hi, I am William J. Simmons founder the 2 nd KKK. I encouraged lynching & enforced Jim Crow Laws in the southern states

AFRICAN AMERICAN GOALS 15 th Amendment African Americans right to vote Ku Klux Klan Use scare tactics to keep African Americans from voting W.E.B DuBois Establish the NAACP to stop lynching in the south

MARCUS GARVEY Marcus Garvey believed that African Americans should build a separate society GO BACK TO AFRICA His work would influence the radical BLACK POWER MOVEMENT of the 60s Garvey represented a more radical approach to equality

Red Scare Communism is the exact opposite of AMERICA Communism is the exact opposite of AMERICA – Economics different – Government different Communism took over in Russia(Vladimir Lenin) Communism took over in Russia(Vladimir Lenin) Immigrants from Europe bring these ideas. Immigrants from Europe bring these ideas. Strikes & Labor Unions Strikes & Labor Unions – Palmer Raids – Espionage Act – Sedition Act

Why are immigrants BAD Pure Americans are Pure Americans are – English – White – Protestant Other European Immigrants bring Other European Immigrants bring – Problems form their home country – Anarchy – Socialism Religions Religions – Catholics – Jews – Muslims Eastern Southern Europeans

Immigration Restrictions Emergency Quota Act 1921 Limited Immigration based ethnicity and national origin Limit people from a country per year. 3% Especially southern and eastern Europeans (Jews & Catholics)

Immigration restrictions National Origins Act 1924 Immigration restrictions permanent Lowered EQA 2% Literacy test – Less stupid people = better America

The idea of fearing others Is…..The more non-Americans that came here or were born here via immigrants tainted the country with their religious or political beliefs. Americans justified their ignorance, racism, hatred & their actions using a pseudo scientific belief systems that some races were superior to others. Some groups grew so powerful that they initiated legislation to support their beliefs. Minority groups fought back but achieved very little support

Clash of Values Clash of ideas, beliefs & values that resonated throughout the decade and often divided the nation. – Social Reform vs. Social Decline – New Morality vs. Fundamentalism – Evolution vs. Creationism (religion vs. science) – Traditional Values vs. Modern America

Clash of values Alcohol = all societies problems 18 th Amendment Prohibition New Morality Fundamentalism Flappers Speakeasies independence Flappers Speakeasies independence Evangelical Christians Traditional Values Evangelical Christians Traditional Values Organized crime Speakeasies Bootleggers corruption Organized crime Speakeasies Bootleggers corruption

Social Issues Prohibition- Alcohol = all problems in society. Women’s Christian Temperance Union & Organized Crime – Ban Alcohol – 18 th amendment Drunks Women of Ill repute Crime Spousal & Child Abuse I yell cause you drink…. I drink cause you yell. Get a job….

Prohibition 18 th Amendment -prohibited the sell, distribution & manufacturing of alcohol IDEA: Alcohol free America would reduce unemployment, domestic violence, crime, and poverty o Volstead Act - made the enforcement of Prohibition the responsibility of the US Treasury Dept. o Americans ignored the laws of Prohibition Went to secret bars speakeasies-where alcohol could be purchase. Crime became big- gangsters took control. Problem with the Volstead Act Dept. of Treasury Is this big Organized Crime, Alcohol consumption Illegal Alcohol activity Is This big Meaning….The Volstead Act is ineffective because the Dept of Treasury is TOO SMALL to enforce Prohibition!

Social Issues Birth of Organized Crime (Al Capone) -Chicago Moonshine (alcohol) Rumrunners (Smugglers) Bootleggers (illegal distributors) 1933-ratification of 21 st amendment ended Prohibition

Social Issues : New Morality Challenged traditional ideas New Ideas about life, work, marriage Glorified youth and freedom. New roles for women – Workforce – College – Flappers – Professionals Women live for themselves

Fundamentalism Believed that Social decline in cities was spreading to small town America. People needed more God to combat New Morality

Fundamentalists Movement Believed – “NEW MORAILTY” = Social Decline – Small town values – Creationism – God created the World as in the Bible Joined – Religious movements Evangelicals Rejected – Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Man evolved from a lower order of animal.

Scopes Trial Creation Vs Evolution Butler Act (Tennessee) –Illegal to teach evolution or refute creationism. Brought the issue of evolution and creation to the limelight Dayton, TN John T Scopes-biology teacher (sub) taught evolution in his class he was arrested

Scopes Monkey Trial Darrow(evolution) vs Bryan (creation) Darrow stumped Bryan by calling Bryan to the stand as an expert witness on the Bible. Scopes was found guilty, but the case was later overturned CASE was STAGED

Modern America vs. traditional America Technology make life easier Technology making Americans lazy Jazz music = expression of youth = fun Jazz music = lack of morals = social decline Drinking, dancing, smoking = fun Drinking, dancing, smoking = sin Want progress and new products Prefer old way of doing things