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1920’s

The Roaring 20’s

Economics

After WW I, women that had worked in factories returned home. By 1919 there was an after war recession that led to unrest, violent labor disputes and conflicts.

Eventually prosperity slowly emerged during the 1920’s as business production increased, the stock market made gains, and confidence in the system returned.

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Economics Dawes Act of 1924- a plan in which US Banks would

loan large amounts of money to Germany, enabling them to make reparation payments, and thus allowing France and Britain to reduce required payments. France and Britain would also repay debts to the US.

This plan worked as long a the flow of money continued from the US.

The Great Depression would create a break in this cycle.

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Society Society in the 1920’s- The decade of the twenties

was a time of rapid change in American society. Popular culture reflected the growing prosperity of

the era.

Traditional values were challenged in: Religion- Darwin’s Theory and the Scopes Trial The Role of Women – 19th Amendment and

fashion Immigration and Race relations Prohibition – 18th Amendment

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Barrio- term that described geographic Latino area in a city.

1918 Flu Epidemic- following WW I, the Influenza Pandemic resulted in the death of over 500.000 people in the US. World wide, more died from the flu pandemic in one year than four years of the bubonic plague.

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The Red Scare The Communist

Revolution in Russia and the rise of world communism led to a reaction of communism in the US called the Red Scare.

US writer John Reed wrote Ten Days That Shook the World, regarding events in Russia, and predicted a communist world revolution

John Reed

Red Square- Moscow

7Kremlin Wall St. Basil’s Cathedral

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By 1920, there were 40,000 registered communists in America.

A US steel strike of over 340,000 workers, the Boston Police strike, and coal strikes were claimed to have been instigated by communist leaders.

As a result of this Red Scare, the US Government adopted a policy to stop the communist threat and end the “Red Menace.”

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The Palmer Raids

A. Mitchell Palmer, the Attorney General of the US and J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI led government raids on radicals and subversives that posed a “clear and present danger “ to the country.

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Sacco and Vanzetti One alarming result of the Red Scare was the trial

of Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants that claimed to be anarchists. They were charged with robbery and murder, found guilty and finally executed in 1927.

The case was very controversial, and over time some have considered them innocent.

Their guilt was the result of prejudice and fear of radical ideas.

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Society

The Great War – many returned from the war in Europe shocked by the horrors of war and effects of shell shock, injury and disillusionment.

This led many men and women to challenge traditional values and create a revolution in manners and morals

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Changing roles for Women:

Flapper- young women who were rebellious, bold, energetic and full of life.

19th Amendment- 1920:Allowed universal female suffrage

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Other Events:

Charles Lindbergh ( Lucky Lindy) First to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1927 in his plane called ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’’

Amelia Earhart- Female flyer that flew across the Atlantic, and disappeared in the Pacific

Jack Dempsey- Famous heavyweight boxing champion

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Jim Thorpe- Native American sports hero that won Olympic gold medals and played professional football.

George Herman Ruth- “Babe Ruth” Famous baseball player

Gertrude Ederle- famous female swimmer that swam across the English Channel

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Mass Media, Jazz Age and Literature

Mass media- method of communication to a large number of people

Jazz Singer- First “talking” film ..\YouTube - The Jazz Singer.mht

KDKA- First large radio station

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Duke Ellington- famous African American jazz musician,composer,pianist,and bandleader

Louis Armstrong- African American trumpet player called “Satchmo”

George Gershwin- composer and bandleader

Georgia O’Keeffe- female artist that painted natural objects like landscapes and flowers

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Sinclair Lewis- author that was critical of American business in novels like Babbitt,Main Street, Arrowsmith and Elmer Gantry.

Lost Generation- term coined by Gertrude Stein as she described expatriate young American writers in Europe, including Ernest Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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Edna St. Vincent Millay- Writer that wrote about the youth of the 20’s that were ‘burning their candle at both ends’

F. Scott Fitzgerald- author known for his insight into the 20’s generation through his novels like the Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise.

Coined the term “Jazz Age”

F. Scott and Zelda

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Harlem Renaissance- African American literary movement in the 1920’s

Langston Hughes- one of the famous Harlem poets; also a writer, playwright, and journalist that is studied today because of his clear and strong voice regarding being an African American

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Cultural Conflicts 18th Amendment- prohibition- outlawed the consumption

of, manufacture of, distribution or sale of any liquors. This resulted in many illegal

activities and crime.

Bootlegging- illegal supply of alcohol

Speakeasies- illegal establishments where alcohol was sold

Al Capone- Chicago gangster of organized crime known as “Scarface “

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Conflicts in Religion Fundamentalism- religious

beliefs based on a strict interpretation of the Bible.

Scopes Trial- trial of biology teacher John Scopes, in Dayton, Tennessee over the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution in a public school.

Scopes was found guilty, but later the case was thrown out of court.

Clarence Darrow- attorney that defended the teacher John Scopes to determine if he was innocent or guilty of teaching evolution.

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Conflicts in immigration and race relations.

Marcus Garvey- Jamaican born leader of a movement to promote African pride. He also led a movement ( Garvey Movement) to create a nation in Africa.

The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) Challenged racial equality and immigration through intimidation and violence. Stressed nativism in their beliefs.

KKK March on Washington - 1925

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Presidential Politics

Elected President in 1920- Warren G. Harding- wanted to return to ‘normalcy’ , died in office in 1923

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President 1923 to 1928- Calvin Coolidge- campaigned to ‘Keep cool with Coolidge’ and believed in the “business of America is business.”

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Elected President in 1928- Herbert Hoover

The Great Engineer

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Replacing the League

By 1921, it was obvious the US would never join the League of Nations.

US Secretary of State Hughes wanted something to maintain world peace, and organized the Washington Conference in 1921-22.

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Treaties

The Kellogg-Briand Pact was passed in 1928- an agreement between over 50 nations which outlawed war as an instrument of national policy.

The US finally understood the importance of a world peace organization.