1. History Alive Republicans in Command President Warren G. Harding didn't seem to mind at all that his dog had interrupted a White House photo shoot. Harding’s landslide victory for president in 1920 began 12 years of Republican rule. Harding promised low taxes, higher tariffs, restriction on immigration and aid to farmers. Promised “law and order” and “return to normalcy”.

2. History Alive President Harding's first Cabinet, 1921 Harding appointed several bright people to his cabinet. He also appointed several less qualified people from his home state of Ohio who became known as the “Ohio Gang”. The Ohio Gang eventually engaged in a host of corrupt activities for personal gain.

3. History Alive Albert B. Fall Some government offices suffered mismanagement and thievery under President Harding. The worst: Albert B. Fall, secretary of the interior, gained control of government oil fields and secretly leased them to oil companies. The oil fields were located in Tea Pot Dome, Wyoming. Fall had been given $125,000 and cattle from the oil companies. He was convicted of a crime in office and spent a year in jail.

4. History Alive Vice President Coolidge being sworn in as President. Harding died in August of 1923. Vice President Coolidge became the President. Coolidge was on vacation at his parents Vermont farm when he heard the news of Harding’s death. His father was a notary public so he swore him into office by light of a kerosene lamp.

5. History Alive On August 4, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge posed for a picture at his desk. The black band around his arm observes the death of his predecessor Coolidge kept most of the same men in cabinet positions after Harding’s death. Coolidge appointed a new attorney general, Harlan Fiske Stone, and game him orders to weed out the Ohio Gang. Americans appreciated Coolidge’s smooth and silent style. Coolidge had great faith in American business.

6. History Alive President Coolidge and family. Coolidge was devoted to his family. It is estimated that Coolidge averaged a four- hour workday as President. Coolidge was entirely committed to the business community. As the economy improved during the 1920’s, Coolidge became more convinced that the United States should be guided by business principles.

7. History Alive Mellon and Hoover with Coolidge Americans voted overwhelmingly to “keep Cool with Coolidge” in the election of 1924. Progressives continued to argue for government control of business with little success. Coolidge’s pro-business program appeared to be a great success as the nation enjoyed a period of great prosperity. Between 1921-1929 the output of industry nearly doubled. Not every American was in business. Farmers and unionized workers standard of living dropped.

8. History Alive Demands of the presidency were so great that Coolidge refuse the Republican nomination in 1928. That opened the door for Herbert Hoover to run. The Republican conventin nominated him.

9. History Alive Herbert Hoover with his dog, King Tut. Herbert Hoover was a self- made man. He worked through college and graduated from Stanford. He earned his firs million before he was 40. Hoover believed in the philosophy of “rugged individualism”. Republican party strength was small town America and white protestant voters.

10. History Alive Boy Scouts holding large derby over head of Alfred Emanuel Smith, Gov. The election of 1928 was between Republican Herbert Hoover (conservative, pro business, belief in individual, protestant) and Alfred E. Smith, Governor of NY (pro public health, workers’ compensation, civil liberties, government control of some industries, catholic) Hoover won but six months after the oath, the stock market collapsed.