The Roaring 20’s

Essential Questions:1.How did World War I affect post-war

politics and create an atmosphere of fear?

2.What were the cultural and social changes in American during the 20’s?

3.How did spending and irresponsibility lead to the economic crisis during the 30’s?

Post War America and the Red Scare

Roaring 20’s Unit

Post War America Nativism hostility towards

immigrants, sweeps the nation Isolationism – US shifts back to staying

out of foreign affairs A great fear of communism exists in

the United States Beginning of the 1st Red Scare

•began in 1919 when the Bolsheviks (“the majority”) overthrew the Russian government and established a Communist society

•a Communist party formed in the USA:

•70,000 radicals joined (including members of labor unions)

•advocated an overthrow of capitalism and united worldwide revolution of workers

•several dozen bombs were mailed to government and business leaders

The Red Scare

Palmer Raids- Mitchell Palmer – Attorney General of the United

States leads the attack against communists- J. Edgar Hoover – Special Assistant to Mitchell

Starting in 1919, Palmer and Hoover hunted down suspected communists and anarchists

Violate civil liberties and deport hundreds without trials (witch hunt)

Fail to turn up any evidence and Palmer eventually loses all credibility

Sacco and VanzettiThe Crime

•May 1920 – Sacco & Vanzetti were arrested and charged with the robbery and murder of a factory paymaster and guard in South Braintree, MA (both were admitted anarchists)

•witnesses reported that the criminals appeared to be Italians

•both Sacco & Vanzetti asserted their innocence and provided alibis

•the evidence was entirely circumstantial

•the judge was biased and used prejudicial remarks

Executed in 1927 (electric chair)

“In all my life I have never stole, never killed, never spilled blood…We were tried during a time…when there was hysteria

of resentment and hate against the people of our principles, against the

foreigner…I am suffering because I am a radical; I have suffered because I was an Italian and indeed I am an Italian…If you

could execute me two times, and if I could be reborn two other times, I would

live again to do what I have done already.”

~ Bartolomea Vanzetti

Ben Shahn Shahn sheds light on the feelings of many

immigrants of the 1920’s Born in Lithuania, moved to New York at an

early age Photographs of people and street scenes,

showing American life as it is Made public the anti-immigrant feelings felt

around the US, particularly with the Sacco and Vanzetti case

He addresses the social and political issues and shows the poor with a sympathetic attitude

“The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti” by Ben

Shahn

The Characters standing are the President of Harvard University

(middle), President of MIT, and a former judge named Grant. All known

for the prejudice feelings.

This case came to symbolize the rift

between immigrants and native-born Americans

at the time