The 1920s OK if you’re an insider, not a good time to be an outsider

Growing City culture = Lesser Moral Values?  Many thought cities were dens of evil - in large part caused by new immigrants  Also, war often breeds nationalism that desires unity and conformity  Can a country ever be unified if there are people of varied backgrounds and beliefs (religious, political, etc.)?

Threats to “America”  Rise due to fears of a threat to “ traditional American culture”  Who threatened “traditional American culture”? -- blacks, “loose” moral women, Southern and Eastern Europeans, Jews, Catholics

The Monkey Trial

Are you an insider?  “Return to normalcy”  “The business of this country is business”  Business people in govt. positions  Lower taxes on high incomes  1% of banks control 50% of business  Rich richer, poor poorer

Consumerism of 1920s

A Means of Ensuring Conformity -- KKK  During mid 1920s KKK membership rises to over 5 million

Red Summer of 1919  Racial violence throughout the US from  Riots in multiple cities.

Failures of Progressivism

Red Scare  Strikes in Seattle, Boston, and steel industry  Also bomb threats to famous citizens (including attorney general)  American Legion - anti radical group.

Foreign Radicals: The Easy Target  Led by Atty. Gen. Palmer police round up foreign-born anarchists and communists and deport them - no search warrant, no trial (1920)  Ends less than a year later under protests and false alarm in NYC on May Day.  Sacco and Vanzetti Case

Palmer Raids -

Stop Outsiders? Stop Immigration

Foreign People in General: Another easy target  Fears of a “barbarian horde” from Europe after the war lead to strict immigration laws  Eventually National Origins Quota Act - European immigration = 150,000 & no Asian immigration  Fears of a deterioration of the Anglo race (Eugenic Movement)  Quotas exist until 1960s