1. EFFECTS of the Great War
Political, Economic, and Social effects of WWI on the United States

2. America Adjusts to Peace
FLU EPIDEMIC GRIPS THE NATION
September 1918-Deadly strain of influenza appeared
Originally a bird flu that mutated to spread to humans
Originated in the US and spread!
Sense of doom and dread!

3. Spread of Influenza in 1918

5. WOMEN AND AFRICAN AMERICANS FACE NEW REALITY
1920’s: Women had fewer jobs due to men coming back home
Soldiers returning: now in competition to find jobs with African Americans
Race Riots erupted
Chicago, Illinois (1919); (1921) Tulsa, Oklahoma

6. INFLATION LEADS TO LABOR UNREST
After the war, people began to spend $$$$ on consumer goods
Scarcity led to the INFLATION, the rise in prices
Farmers had a tough time! (Surplus of food caused prices to go down!)
Workers wanted to strike!

7. The Red Scare FEAR OF COMMUNISM STARTS THE RED SCARE
COMMUNISM: Ideology called for revolution as a prelude to the death of capitalism (What US is)
Red Scare: Widespread fear that communists and radicals were plotting revolution
Bomb threats!
Palmer Raids carried out: Police arrested thousands of people, some were radical, others not. Hundreds of radicals were deported

8. SACCO and VANZETTI ARE EXECUTED
Italian immigrants who were known anarchists (did not believe in having a government)
Both charged with murder
Eyewitnesses said: “The murderers looked ‘Italian.’”
Found guilty pretty much right away!
By 1920, the hysteria was gone!

10. AMERICANS EMBRACE NORMALCY
A QUIET AMERICAN GIANT:
America is the industrial power of the world after the Great War
Europeans had to borrow money on credit from American businesses so they could have our goods
We became the largest CREDITOR NATION (other countries owed more than we owed them)

11. THE WORLD ADJUSTS TO A NEW WORLD ORDER
US came out of the war strong and confident; other countries did not!
Where does the US now stand?