The Roaring 20s: A Clash of Values Ch 7.1

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What is a recession? Do economic recessions increase feelings of Nativism against immigrants?

Monday, March 19, 2012 Understand the different clashes of values in the 1920s.

Nativism v Immigration In the early 1920s economic recession, increased immigration, racial and cultural tensions led to a new rise of Nativism. Eugenics supported the Nativism movement and a new Ku Klux Klan (KKK) targeted "un- American“ groups like Catholics, Jews.

Sacco and Vanzetti Two Italian anarchists immigrants were accused of murder and found guilty with little evidence. An example of prejudice based on political beliefs and ethnicity.

Controlling Immigration The Emergency Quota Act limited immigration to 3% of the population already in the US from that country. It limited immigration from “undesirable” places. The National Origins Act of 1924 which further tightens these restrictions targeted at South and Eastern Europeans and Asians.

Hispanic Immigration The Immigration laws excluded limits from Latin America. Many Mexicans and other Latin Americans filled the labor shortage.

Discussion Questions Prohibition-banning/stopping the sale and use of something. Prohibition exists today! Come up with a current example of prohibition. The goal of prohibition is to get people to stop using the illegal substance. Is prohibition working today? If people continue to use something illegally despite prohibition, where do they get it from?

“I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand.” -Al Capone

Prohibition The 18th Amendment made the sale and manufacture of Alcohol illegal. The Volstead Act gave the gov’t the police powers to enforce prohibition. Underground Bars became Speakeasies were they sold illegal liquor.

The Simpsons! Homer v 18th Amendment In this episode Springfield suffers from a crisis of conscience because of rampant alcoholism in the city. The religious people in the town begin a prohibition movement to ban the sale and consumption of alcohal It is then discovered that there has been a prohibition law in place, its just been ignored and they demand it be inforced. Homer then begins “boot-legging” making booze illegally.

Homer v 18th Amendment (cont’d) Chief Wiggum (the city’s police chief) is fired for failing to enforce the law. He’s replaced by Rex Banner, an agent of the US Treasury dept who has been given police powers by the Volstead Act. Banner then begins pursuing Homer aka “the Beer Baron” Homer supplies Moe’s Tavern which is now operating as an underground bar (speakeasy) with the bootlegged beer.

The Flapper A young, dramatic, stylish, and unconventional women- symbolized women’s changing behavior in the 1920s.

Discussion Questions What is the theory of Evolution? Who came up with it? What is biblical Creationism?

Science v Religion: The Scopes “Monkey” Trial Fundamentalists rejected the theory of Evolution and believed in biblical Creationism instead. These two beliefs clashed in the Scopes “Monkey” Trial.