1. The Jazz Age

2. Section I: Time of Turmoil
Essential Question: How did prejudice and labor strife affect the nation following World War I?
Section I: Time of Turmoil

3. Events after WWI made some Americans intolerant of immigrants and foreign ideas
America was tired of war and wanted to return to normal life
Therefore, skeptical of foreigners
Russian Revolution
Bolsheviks were attempting to overthrow the capitalist system
Americans feared this was a threat
Fear of Radicalism

4. Fear of Radicalism (cont)
The Red Scare
Fear of “Reds” (Communists)
Over 10,000 people arrested as suspected communists
A few hundred deported
Many released for lack of evidence
Also included a fear of anarchists
Believed there should be no government
Sacco and Vanzetti
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian immigrants and anarchists
Accused of killing 2 men during a robbery in Massachusetts
Convicted and sentenced to death
Some felt it was a prejudiced case against immigrants, others felt they were guilty
Bartolomeo Vanzetti’s Final Statement Primary Source Document Analysis activity to accompany
Fear of Radicalism (cont)

5. Labor and Racial Strife
The 1920s brought increased labor unrest and racial tensions, often marked by violence.
After WWI, industrial workers strike to get better wages
Many Americans blamed Bolsheviks for American unrest
Racial tensions were also increasing at this time
Labor and Racial Strife

6. Sept. 1919, about 350,000 steel workers went on strike
Demanded increase in wages and 8 hour work day
Steel companies accused strikers of being “Red Agitators”
Cost the strikers public support (forced the end of the strike)
18 strikers died in a riot in Gary, Indiana
Boston police officers went on strike for the right to form a union
This angered many Americans
Governor at the time, Calvin Coolidge, sent out the National Guard to end the strike
Resulted in the entire police force being fired
Many workers did not join labor unions because they thought it was too radical
Led to a sharp decline in union membership throughout the 1920s
Labor Strife (cont)

7. A. Phillip Randolph Labor leader and Civil Rights Activist
Worked tirelessly for more than a decade to win union recognition for his group
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Began to grow in the 1930s when the government began to encourage unions
“Freedom is never given; it is won. And the negro people must win their freedom… This involves struggle, continuous struggle.”
Helped organize the March on Washington with Martin Luther King Jr.
A. Phillip Randolph

8. Racial Unrest In 1919, racial tensions led to violence
More than 70 African Americans lynched in the South
In Chicago, a riot broke out after a group of whites stoned an African American child swimming in Lake Michigan
Boy drowned and set off the riots
For 2 weeks, gangs roamed streets attacking each other and burning buildings
Left 15 whites and 23 African Americans dead and more than 500 people injured
African Americans turn to Marcus Garvey for answers
Powerful leader who opposed integration
Supported “Back to Africa” movement
Program where African Americans would create their own country in Africa
Founded Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)
Racial Unrest

9. Answer the following questions in your notes (I will include this in your notebook check): 1. What was the outcome of the Boston Police strike of 1919? 2. What was the UNIA? What was its purpose? 3. Why did Americans fear anarchists? What did Americans expect to happen? 4. How did prejudice and labor strife affect the nation following WWI? (paragraph)
Section I Review

10. Section 2: Desire for Normalcy
Essential Question: In what ways did the election of Harding and Coolidge reflect America’s changing mood?
Section 2: Desire for Normalcy

11. The Harding and Coolidge administrations favored business and wanted a smaller government.
Harding promised a return to “normalcy”, which was exactly what Americans wanted to hear
Americans thought this would mean an end to foreign turmoil
Harding and running mate, Coolidge, won by a landslide in 1920 (This was the first Presidential election where women could vote)
Ran against James Cox (running mate FDR)
Harding and Coolidge

12. President Harding gave many government jobs to his buddies, nicknamed the Ohio Gang
Many of these men were unqualified; some turned out to be corrupt
Biggest scandal was the Teapot Dome Scandal involving Albert Fall, Secretary of the Interior
In 1922, Fall leased government oil reserves in California and Wyoming to owners of 2 oil companies in exchange for over $400,000
Fall was convicted of bribery and became the first official cabinet member to go to prison
Though President Harding was not personally involved in any of the scandals, it tarnished his presidency
Harding took a trip to escape all of the mess and became ill, suffered a heart attack, and died while on that trip.
Scandals

13. “Silent Cal” Takes Over