The Roaring Twenties

Presidents of the 1920s: A Return to Conservative Politics Warren G. Harding –Republican –Elected in 1920 “Return to Normalcy” –March 1921 to August 1923 (died in office) –Domestic Issues Fordney-McCumber Tariff (1922)—very high Suspect Cabinet—”Ohio Gang” Teapot Dome Scandal— Albert B. Fall –Foreign Policy Isolationism & Disarmament Washington Naval Conference (1921) Dawes Plan Warren G. Harding –Republican –Elected in 1920 “Return to Normalcy” –March 1921 to August 1923 (died in office) –Domestic Agenda Fordney-McCumber Tariff (1922)—very high, 38.5% 14% increase Suspect Cabinet—”Ohio Gang” Teapot Dome Scandal—Albert B. Fall –Foreign Policy Isolationism & Peace Keeping Washington Naval Conference (1921) Five Power Treaty (5:5:3) Nine Power Treaty Dawes Plan 2

Presidents of the 1920s: A Return to Conservative Politics Calvin Coolidge –Republican –Took office upon death of Harding (1923). –Re-elected 1924 –August,1923 to March,1929 –Domestic Issues Cleaned up scandals of the Harding Administration. Restored the image of the Republican Party. “The business of America is business.” –Foreign Policy Isolationism Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928 ) 3

Consumerism of the 1920s: “Spending Money Is the American Way” Mass Production –Assembly line –Scientific management (Taylor) Electrical Conveniences –Electricity available in more places (mostly cities) –Refrigerators, Irons, Stoves, Toasters, Vacuums, Furnaces, Lighting Shopping –Emergence of Advertising Reinforce buying things that we don’t need Create a need, brands –Emergence of Credit The installment plan Down payment, Monthly payments, Interest Buy now! Pay later! 4

Commercials were in silent movies –Example: RefrigeratorRefrigerator 5

Changes in Transportation: The Automobile Henry Ford (assembly line) Huge impact on society –Construction of paved roads –Patterns of settlement—suburbs –Petroleum industry –Rubber industry –Glass industry –Steel industry –Repair shops –Parking lots –Hotels & Motels –Restaurants –Amusement parks –Dating 6

1920s Cultural Clashes: Nativists vs. Immigrants Race: KKK rises again Religion vs. Science Prohibition: “Drys” vs. “Wets” Women’s roles: “New Woman” vs. Victorian 7

Postwar Fears Fear of Communism –Red Scare—Palmer Raids –Fear of labor agitators Boston Police Strike (1919) Steel Strike (1919) American Federation of Labor—John L. Lewis (UMWA) Fear of Anarchy –Sacco & Vanzetti 8

Immigration Literacy Test Quota System to limit immigration –1921 Emergency Quota Act 3% of those here in1910 –1924 National Origins Act 2% of the people here in 1890 –‘closing’ the Golden Door –Eugenics: science used to prove racial/ethnic inferiority 9

Ku Klux Klan KKK rises again in 1915 Targets Blacks, Jews, Catholics, and Immigrants “invisible Empire” Led by an Imperial Wizard or Grand Dragon 5-6 million participants 10

Cultural Changes: Fundamentalism vs. Modernism Age-old argument –Religion (fundamentalists) vs. science –Often rural vs. urban Scopes Trial –John Scopes—biology teacher in Tennessee –Clarence Darrow—defense attorney –William Jennings Bryan— prosecuting attorney –Outcome? 11

Cultural Changes: Prohibition 18 th Amendment: cannot “manufacture, sell, or transport” alcoholic beverages. Volstead Act: outlined procedures to enforce the amendment— underfunded! Urban vs. Rural– passed by rural strength Drys vs. wets---Scofflaws Proof that the “Noble Experiment” failed! 12

Prohibition breeds crime Crime on the Rise –Organized Crime: Al Capone St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Jailed on tax evasion –Bootleggers and Speakeasies –NASCAR –Repealed in 1933 (21 st Amendment) Utah cast the deciding vote 13

New Woman vs. Victorian Easier for Urban women with new inventions More women going to college. Many wanted to change the cultural norms Women moving into the work place. –Typewriters –Telephones Married later with fewer children. The Flapper: (not all were flappers) –Dress: short dresses –Behavior: “new morality” 14

Rise of Popular Culture: Literature The “lost Generation” who no longer had faith in cultural norms. They looked for new truths. F. Scott Fitzgerald –“The Jazz Age” –The Great Gatsby Ernest Hemingway –The Sun Also Rises –A Farewell to Arms 15

Rise of Popular Culture: Magazines & Newspapers –Reader’s Digest –Time –Life 16

Rise of Popular Culture: Sports Participation sports –Baseball –Football –Golf –Tennis –Swimming –Biking Spectator sports –Boxing –Football –Baseball Heroes –Gertrude Ederle (English Channel) –Jack Dempsey (Heavyweight) –George Herman “Babe” Ruth –Red Grange "If you have the football and 11 guys are after you, if you're smart, you'll run." 17

Changes in Transportation: The Airplane The Wright Brothers (1903) –Kitty Hawk, North Carolina 1920 Transcontinental Airmail Service Charles Lindbergh (May , 1927) –New York to Paris (nonstop) –Solo –33 hours, 29 minutes –Perhaps the greatest American hero of the 1920s! Amelia Earhart 18

Rise of Popular Culture: Mass Media The “Golden Age” of Radio –First commercial radio station— KDKA in Pittsburgh –Radio programs—comedy, drama, science fiction, children’s programs –Music, sports, News –It creates a national culture 19

Rise of Popular Culture: Motion Pictures Charlie Chaplain—”the little tramp” Rudolph Valentino— ”heart throb” The Jazz Singer (1927)—first with sound Steamboat Willie (1928) –Introduced Mickey Mouse to the world –First cartoon with sound sound 20

Rise of African American Culture: The Harlem Renaissance Birth of art and literature in the Black community By-product of the Great Migration Writers: explored the pain and joy of being Black –Claude McKay –Langston Hughes –Zora Neale Hurston 21

“The Lynching” by Claude McKay His spirit is smoke ascended to high heaven. His father, by the cruelest way of pain, Had bidden him to his bosom once again; The awful sin remained still unforgiven. All night a bright and solitary star (Perchance the one that ever guided him, Yet gave him up at last to Fate's wild whim) Hugh pitifully o'er the swinging char. Day dawned, and soon the mixed crowds came to view The ghastly body swaying in the sun: The women thronged to look, but never a one Showed sorrow in her eyes of steely blue; And little lads, lynchers that were to be, Danced round the dreadful thing in fiendish glee. 22

“A Negro Speaks of Rivers” By Langston Hughes I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. 23

“A Dream Deferred” Langston Hughes Harlem What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore–then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? 24

Rise of African American Culture: Marcus Garvey & the UNIA Argued in opposition to NAACP “Keep Black dollars in Black businesses & the Black community.” –Black nationalism –Will lead to the Civil Rights movement “Back to Africa” Movement –Raised money –Purchased ships (Black Star Line) –Many sunk –Jailed for mail fraud. Deported from the country. 25

Rise of African American Culture: Jazz Music Perhaps the greatest cultural symbol of the 1920s. “Blended instrumental ragtime” with “vocal blues.” Improvised! Performers: –Louis Armstrong (trumpet) oh yeahoh yeah –Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (piano) –Bessie Smith (vocals) 26

Sources dison's_home_in_Ft._Myers_Florida_1914_detail_LC-LC-USZ _.tiff.png/503px- Henry_Ford_at_Edison's_home_in_Ft._Myers_Florida_1914_detail_LC-LC- USZ _.tiff.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Henry_Ford_at_E dison's_home_in_Ft._Myers_Florida_1914_detail_LC-LC-USZ _.tiff.png/503px- Henry_Ford_at_Edison's_home_in_Ft._Myers_Florida_1914_detail_LC-LC- USZ _.tiff.png s_suspended_in_museum_-_desc-below_left_shot_like_flying_-_from- DC1.jpg/630px-Spirit_of_St._Louis_suspended_in_museum_-_desc- below_left_shot_like_flying_-_from-DC1.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Spirit_of_St._Loui s_suspended_in_museum_-_desc-below_left_shot_like_flying_-_from- DC1.jpg/630px-Spirit_of_St._Louis_suspended_in_museum_-_desc- below_left_shot_like_flying_-_from-DC1.jpg photo_id=326798http://pictopia.com/perl/get_image?provider_id=319&size=550x550_mb&ptp_ photo_id= _400.jpghttp://dase.laits.utexas.edu/media/american_politics_collection/viewitem/ _400.jpg Charles%20J%20Hayes/General%20Wu.jpghttp:// 20Charles%20J%20Hayes/General%20Wu.jpg Hurricane_Club_1943.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Duke_Ellington_at_the_ Hurricane_Club_1943.jpg /images/radioantique2.JPGhttp://webquest.org/questgarden/lessons/ /images/radioantique2.JPG estadium1923.JPGhttp:// estadium1923.JPG 7!Gertrude_Ederle.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/5/53/ !Gertrude_Ederle.jpg nary/rev_grange.jpghttp://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/07/01/revolutio nary/rev_grange.jpg poster.jpghttp:// poster.jpg %20of%20Creativity.jpghttp://negroartist.com/The%20Harlem%20Renaissance%20A%20Celebration %20of%20Creativity.jpg portrait.jpghttp://rpp.english.ucsb.edu/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/weiss_hughes- portrait.jpg _NYWTS.jpg/770px-Louis_Armstrong_NYWTS.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Louis_Armstrong _NYWTS.jpg/770px-Louis_Armstrong_NYWTS.jpg 27