The 1920’s

1. The 1920’s

2. Jive talk • 20’s slang • I have a beef with this sap that smashed into my jalopy over on the main drag. He scrammed but the bull nabbed him and figured he was spifflicated. • I have a complaint with this fool that smashed into my old, run down car on the main street in town. He left in a hurry but the police caught him and found out he was drunk.

3. The roaring 20’s • Write down what you already know about the 1920’s, or what these images make you think the 20’s were all about?

4. The roaring 20’s

5. Postwar America • A Return to “Normalcy” • Back to isolationism. The U.S. pulls out of world affairs. • Resurgence of nativism and anti-immigrant feelings. • Trend towards a conservative government.

6. The Red scare • Threat of communism! • Bolsheviks take over power in Russia • State-based economic system established • 70,000 Americans joined Communist power • Americans freak out for fear of losing personal property and having no ownership of businesses • “Red Scare”

7. THE RED SCARE VOCAB • Communism : Economic and social system where all are equal and all property is owned by the state • Anarchists: Those who oppose any form of government • Mitchell Palmer • Attorney who took the forefront in the “Red Scare” • Would become the FBI started by Hoover • Hunted down suspected Communists, socialists, and anarchists • NO civil rights for anyone

8. THE PALMER RAIDS • Mitchell Palmer heads up a group to eliminate Communism • Hunted down all suspected communists • Invaded private homes, meetings, and offices • Civil rights abandoned • Jailed with no trial • Visitors arrested • Deportations in the hundreds without trial

9. SACCO AND VANZETTI • Shoe maker and fish peddler • Italian immigrants who were anarchists • Two men shot and killed a factory worker and his guard, took 15,000, and fled in a car • Witnesses said they “looked” Italian • Sacco and Vanzetti arrested for murder, had • alibis, circumstantial evidence, and prejudicial • remarks made by judge during trial

10. SACCO AND VANZETTI • Jury finds both guilty and they were sentenced to death • Possible Sacco guilty but not Vanzetti

11. RISE OF THE KLAN • Anti-Immigration feelings • KKK revival in 1915 and grows through the 20’s • Promoted Americanism and nativism • White males that were native born blow up to 4.5 million • Made up of people who felt threatened by changes in American society • Power would decrease towards the end of the 20’s because crimes committed

12. LABOR UNREST • Workers not allowed to strike during World War I • Government would not allow anything to interfere with war effort • 1919 the year of strikes • Prices increased, wages have not • More than 3,000 strikes, 4 million people • Coal Miners Strike successful

13. LABOR unrest • Many saw unionism as a Communist threat • Membership declined because: • Mostly made up of immigrants who had no choice but to work in poor conditions • Immigrants spoke many languages and were difficult to organize • Farmers relied mostly on themselves

14. PRESIDENT HARDING • 29th President of the U.S. • Looked for a return to “normalcy” • Worked for peace so America can stay isolated • Passed high tariff to protect American business

15. IMMIGRATION • Nativism: anti-immigration attitude, favoring the interests of native-born people over immigrants • Anti-immigration feeling rose in U.S.

16. IMMIGRATION • Quota system: established maximum number of people who could enter the U.S. for a foreign country. • Goal was to cut European immigration, and it did!

17. Immigration • g

18. SCANDALS • President Harding appoints friends to his cabinet • The Ohio Gang: rowdy, poker buddies from home who were corrupt • Took bribes to overcharge government all without Harding knowing

19. TEAPOT DOME SCANDAL • Teapot Dome Scandal • Oil–rich land set aside for the Navy to use • but gets leased to private oil companies for money. • Cabinet member, Albert Fall, who leased the land suddenly became the owner of $325,000, and an abundance of cattle and ranch land (Given by companies he let lease land in a bribe) • All done, allegedly, without Harding knowing • Harding dies before investigated

20. The BUSINESS OF the 1920’s

21. BUSINESS • Businesses flourish, many people make lots of money • Government stays out of business, minimal involvement • Low taxes and regulation

22. GROWTH OF AUTOMOBILE • Mass production: production of goods (cars) in large quantities by use of machinery and assembly lines • More Americans buy and own cars, impacts • Americans in many ways…

23. Growth of automobile • Urban sprawl: unplanned spreading of cities in every direction • Rural families can travel • People can travel farther for work, live farther away from city centers

24. Growth of automobile • Creates many jobs • Built roads, gas stations, tunnels, repair shops

25. NEW GOODS • Electricity widespread, new inventions create easier lifestyle • Mass advertising: modern advertising of researching and appealing to consumers to sell more product.

26. Buying on credit • Washing machines, cars, vacuum cleaners, radios…. • People want this stuff! So what do they do?? • Buy on EASY CREDIT • Installment plans: allowed people to buy goods over a period of time without putting much money down.

27. BUYING ON CREDIT • Superficial Prosperity • pay now and pay as you enjoy it! • economy booming and people had jobs and believed it would last forever! • Spending beyond your means

28. Advertising • 20s advertising