Roaring 20s

A Republican Decade Strikes, arrests, revolution overseas—such

events frightened Americans in the 1920s and they turned to Republican Party for stability and economic prosperity

What is happening in this picture?What concept is this political cartoon illustrating?

The Harding Presidency 1920-1923 1920 election, Republican Warren

G. Harding promised “return to normalcy”

1920 won presidency until death in 1923 Foreign policy reflect America’s

desire for isolationism—policy of avoiding political or economic alliances with foreign countries No attempt to join League of Nations

Yet President support efforts to prevent future wars Disarmament—nations voluntarily

give up their weapons

Economically, he favored:Lower taxesLess control over

businesses Support high

tariffs (taxes) on foreign, competitor goods to make them more expensive protect US businesses/workers

Culturally, as America became more isolationist, they also became more nativist—movement favoring native-born Americans over immigrants Nativist Reasons = Anti-

Immigrant Never loyal Blamed for urban city problems

—slums & corruption Fear for loss of jobs Pass on anarchist (violent

overthrow of government) + communist (opponent of democracy + capitalism) ideals

End of President Harding…Literally Start of 1923, economy bouncing

back + strong popularity for president Mid 1923 corruption scandals in

Harding’s cabinet Biggest scandal Teapot Dome

Scandal Harding’s Secretary of Interior

Albert Fall bribed by oil executives to sell government land in Teapot Dome, Wyoming—oil

Albert Fall became 1st cabinet member imprisoned for crime while in office

Harding died in 1923 during the scandal in office

The Coolidge Presidency 1923-1928 Vice President Calvin

Coolidge became president and cleaned up scandals

Elected president 1924-1928

Major View “The Business of the American people is business” Laissez-Faire limited to

no government interference in business

Election of 1928

When Coolidge decided not to run for a 2nd term, Republicans nominated Herbert Hoover

Hoover promised more pro-business, isolationism & small government = victory

A Business Boom...Mixed Success 1920s gave birth to

much of modern America Shopping centers,

fast-food, advertising, mass media, cars, radios, movies

Causes of Economic Growth Consumer Economy—depends on a large amount

of buying (consuming) by people who use products New & Improved products Model-T cars,

refrigerators, radios, vacuums, ovens, telephones Income tax cuts (% taken out of paycheck for

government) left people with more $$$ Higher wages gave people more money to spend

on movies, radio, sporting events Until 1920s, Americans generally paid cash for

things they bought Borrowing = unthrifty + immoral

1920s saw new ways to purchase goods as demand for them grew Credit—a way to delay paying for a

purchase (pay once you hit a certain amount)

Installment Buying—system allows customer to make partial payments (installments) over a few months

Installment + Credit plans encouraged people to buy things who otherwise would not even though they had to pay high interest rates

Economic Troubles Economy appeared to

be healthy but looks can be deceiving…uneven prosperity Huge gap between

rich and poor 50% in poverty

Many Americans did not prosper Farmers over

production Minorities—African

Americans

New Roles for Women During 1920s, women had more

freedom than ever before drove cars, sports, college, teachers, nurses, social workers

Some women in 1920s called themselves flappers – young, rebellious fun-loving, bold Stood for a longing to break with the

past Fashion Shorter dresses, short hair,

make-up Manners Smoked + drank in public

19th Amendment gave women right to vote

1920s women developed a new attitude toward marriage = partnership (men agreed)

Mass Media Before 1920s, the majority

of Americans did not travel much and was divided culturally

Mass Media communications that reach a large audience Film, Radio, Advertising

peaceful propaganda Created a national culture

(things that people had in common across the country) songs, dances, fashion,

slang, sports, news

Lost Generation For some, the decade after

WWI was not a time for celebration deep despair + resentment = Lost Generation Lost in a greedy, materialistic

world F Scott Fitzgerald The Great

Gatsby Focus on wealthy,

sophisticated Americans during Jazz Age

Rich self-centered and shallow

Prohibition 18th Amendment—ban

alcohol Most Americans disregard

law Bootleggers suppliers +

smugglers of illegal alcohol

Speakeasies illegal bars Rise of organized crime

Al Capone

Jazz Age 1920s—Jazz Age—was a

time celebrating new and modern things Jazz music—mix of

African rhythms, ragtime, blues free spirit of the times

Rebelled against values which led to WWI

Harlem Duke Ellington + Louis

Armstrong musicians

Issues of Religion Religious movement called fundamentalism

gained followers and political power Fundamentalists took the bible literally

(everything was true) Argued that public schools shouldn’t teach

evolution—theory that living things developed over millions of years from simpler life forms

Felt it contradicted the Bible pass laws made evolution teachings illegal

1925, John Scopes broke law & found guilty Guilty verdict over-turned by state Supreme Court **Clash between modern beliefs vs. traditional

values

The Harlem Renaissance

1920s brought changes to the lives of many African Americans

Great Migration North and Western cities for economic and social opportunities

Confronting Racism As blacks moved out of the South the KKK

eventually moved with them By 1924, the KKK claimed about 5 million

members ‘America for Americans’

KKK carried out many crimes against African-Americans, Catholics, Jews & immigrants

Increasing violence against African Americans rallied the efforts of the NAACP Worked in vain to pass anti-lynching laws +

protect voting rights

Many African-Americans were losing faith in the US dreamed of a place where they could live in peace

Marcus Garvey Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) sought to build up blacks’ self-respect + economic power Garvey urged ‘Back to

Africa’ solution since equality seemed hopeless Failed

Rise of Harlem Late 1800s wealthy white

community Build up too much and buildings

remained vacant real estate prices fall Black businessmen started buying

cheap buildings and selling them to African Americans

By 1920, New York, Harlem, became the unofficial capital of black America

Soon Harlem produced cultural activity called Harlem Renaissance Symbolized rebirth of hope and

culture for African Americans Writers, singers, painters,

sculptors, scholars move to Harlem

In Summary… New technologies led to social

transformations that improved the standard of living for many, while contributing to increased political and cultural conflicts. New technologies contributed to

improved standards of living, greater personal mobility, and better communications systems.

Technological change, modernization, and changing demographics led to increased political and cultural conflict on several fronts: Tradition vs. innovation Urban vs. rural Fundamentalist Christianity vs. scientific

modernism Management vs. labor Native born vs. new immigrants White vs. Black Idealism vs. disillusionment

The rise of an urban, industrial society encouraged the development of a variety of cultural expressions for migrant, regional, and African American artists (expressed most notably in the Harlem Renaissance movement); it also contributed to national culture by making shared experiences more possible through art, cinema, and the mass media.