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The Roaring 20s: Politics and Government By: Anthony Godinez, Dimitri Martinez, James Kittleman, Gina Milano
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The Harding Administration 1921- 1923 Warren G. Harding Inaugurated in 1921 He was described as “easy-going” and nice He was surrounded by his corrupt cronies—the Ohio Gang His administration was filled with scandal.
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Harding’s Domestic Policies Harding signed the "Sweet Bill” Created the Veterans Bureau Harding signed the Budget and Accounting Act –Created the Bureau of the Budget and the General Accounting Office. Packers and Stockyards Act –Prohibited packers from engaging in unfair and deceptive practices. Emergency Agriculture Credit Act –Authorized new loans to farmers in order to sell livestock Capper–Volstead Act –Protected farm cooperatives from anti-trust legislation Future Trading Act of 1921 –Later ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court
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More Domestic Policies Revenue Act of 1921 –Reduced the corporate tax from 65% to 50% Federal Highway Act of 1921 –Improved and expanded the nation's highway system Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act –Increased the tariff rates from previous tariffs Radio Act of 1912 –Necessary to help the new radio industry
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Harding’s Foreign Policy Knox-Porter Resolution –Officially ended World War I for the United States after the signing of peace treaties between U.S. and Germany and Austria. Washington arms conference and treaties 1921-1922 –Arms limitations and treaties between participating nations. Thomson–Urrutia Treaty –Payment for land used to make the Panama Canal to Panama. Urged U.S. participation in a proposed International Court –Many of his supporters were against this and never happened.
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Other Issues Sheppard-Towner Maternity Act –First major federal government social welfare program Dyer Bill –Anti-lynching bill but did not pass Senate Great railway strike & repeal of 12 hour work-day –Railroad workers went on strike over working conditions. August 1923, President Harding suddenly collapsed and died during a stop in California to Alaska –Proceeded by Vice-President Coolidge.
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Coolidge Administration 1923– 1929 Calvin Coolidge became president right after Harding died. Known as “Silent Cal” for his silent demeanor. Coolidge did not fire any cabinet members feeling he should finishing Harding's term
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Coolidge's First-term Policies Veterans' World War Adjusted Compensation Act or "Bonus Bill" was passed over his veto. Immigration Act or Johnson–Reed Act –Limited the number of immigrants; excluded Chinese & Japanese Revenue Act of 1924 –Decreased personal income tax rates while increasing the estate tax, and creating a gift tax to reinforce the transfer tax system Washington Naval Treaty or Five-Power Treaty –Limited the naval armaments of ally countries He won 1924 election against Davis and La Follette
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Coolidge Domestic Policy Revenue Acts of 1926 and 1928 –Reduced taxes again while continuing to keep spending down to reduce federal deficit Coolidge was adherent of laissez-faire ideology –He favored less regulation by ICC and FTC Curtis-Crisp Act vs McNary-Haugen Farm Relief Bill –Coolidge opposed McNary-Haugen bill because of agriculture must stand "on an independent business basis” and offered Curtis-Crisp Act that would allow for subsides to farmers. Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 –Coolidge was criticized for handling of flood. Coolidge supported Civil Rights – Passed Indian Citizenship Act and supported anti-lynching laws
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Coolidge Foreign Policy Coolidge believed U.S. should join the World Court –League of Nations accepted but Senate failed to act to modifications asked by the League. Kellogg-Briand Pact –Did not achieve outlawing war but provided the idea of international law Support Mexican government against rebels. Coolidge represented the U.S. at the Pan American Conference but occupation in Latin America continued
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Hoover Administration 1929-1933 Coolidge decided not to run for reelection. Herbert Hoover ran instead an won He was commerce secretary under Harding and Coolidge Faced Wall Street Crash of 1929
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Hoover’s Domestic Policies Hoover began his presidency on an optimistic note Created an antitrust division in Justice Department Organized the Federal Bureau of Prisons Began construction of the Boulder (Hoover) Dam Signed the Norris-La Guardia Act – Limited judicial intervention in labor disputes Reorganized the Bureau of Indian Affairs Set aside land for national parks and forest Charles Curtis, the nation's first Native American Vice President served Hoover.
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Foreign Policy Hoover-Stimson Doctrine –United States would not recognize territories gained by force Hoover began working on Latin American relations Treaty of Ancón and Treaty of Lima –Resolved conflict between Chile and Peru
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Great Depression Calls for greater government assistance increased as the economy continued to decline. Hoover rejected direct federal relief payments to individuals and was also a firm believer in balanced budget U.S., unemployment had reached 24.9 and many people including Roosevelt blamed Hoover for personal responsibility Federal Home Loan Bank Act –Response for government assistance which would create new home construction and reduce foreclosures but was too late. Revenue Act of 1932 –Largest peacetime tax increase in history in order to balance budget Emergency Relief and Construction Act –Authorized funds for public works programs.
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The Harding Scandals Veterans’ Bureau Scandal –Bureau for hospitalization and rehabilitation of veterans –Colonel Forbes stole 200 million dollars from veteran’s hospital funds Justice Department Scandal –Attorney General Daugherty suspected of profiting from the sale of government alcohol supplies, failing to enforce prohibition statutes, and the selling of pardons
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Scandals (cont.) Alien Property Custodian Scandal –Alien Property Custodian appointed in WWI to handle property in the U.S. belonging to citizens of enemy nations –Thomas Miller take a $50,000 bribe from Jess Smith to influence the settlements of some property belonging to aliens Teapot Dome Scandal –Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall took $400,000 bribe from two men in return for the lease of land that contained oil
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The Bonus Bill Veto Soldiers want the monetary compensation promised to them for their services in the WWI Congress passes a Bonus Bill in 1922 Harding argues balancing the budget takes precedence over the nation's debt to veterans of the Great War and vetoes it
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Retreat from Progressivism or extension of reform? Retreat from Progressivism People were less involved in government and business was favored over the people Officials were also corrupt Veto kept money in the government and away from the people
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Effects of the 19th Amendment New Freedom for women Dress reform, became educated, entered the workforce National Women's Party emerged in 1923 Women advocated Equal Rights Amendments Women began to work in cities Women started to live outside the confines of being a wife and homemaker partied, played sports, wore different clothes
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Effects of the 19th Amendment cont’d Women gained a new sense of confidence Dressed and danced dirty, drank illegally, openly spoke of sex Margret Sanger--promoted birth control for women AFL did not support working women Adkins v. Children’s Hospital Mary Pickford--actress
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Women before 1920
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Women after 1920
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≠ To what extent were the women of the1920s reflective of the progressive era?
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1. Women did not vote as a block-- there was no such thing as the "women's" vote. 2. The struggle for suffrage no longer united disparate elements of the feminist movement 3. Younger women were less interested in reform and more interested in rebelling against social conventions Women rights movement died down
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Herbert Hoover vs. Alfred Smith Iowa Orphan Successful Business man Made promises to the public Alcoholic Catholic Urban New Yorker
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Special Session in Congress Hoover made politically unwise pledge which he did not want to break Called Congress to special session to discuss making changes to the tariff Started reasonable, but became complex as it faced lobbyists from the Senate
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Hawley-Smoot Tariff The effect of the Special Session Highest protective tariff in peacetime history –Average duty on non-free goods was raised to 60% Passed in 1930 (after the start of the Great Depression)
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Effects of Hawley-Smoot Tariff Angered Foreigners –Made buying exported goods expensive Made the depression worse Forced U.S. into further isolationism Gave Hitler “fuel for the fire”
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Were the 1920s a retreat from progressivism or an extension of reform?
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