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The Roaring 20’s
Society in the 1920’s
• The 1920’s were a time of rapid social change
• Young people – especially women – adopted new lifestyles and attitudes
• The rural population continued to decline and the urban population continued to increase – traditional values were challenged
Society in the 1920’s
• The 19th Amendment and the increase of women workers during WWI put women in a higher social status
• They craved even more equality with men
• A new image of women was developed called the “flapper image” and was rebellious
Society in the 1920’s
• Only a small number of American women were flappers yet it had a wide impact on fashion and behavior
• Hemlines on dresses rose higher, long hair was cut short, and wore heavy makeup
• Flappers also drank and smoked in public – to express their want to break from the past
Society in the 1920’s
• Some businesses still remained prejudiced against female workers – but the number of women in the workforce increased
• Women began taking part in politics and voting – although transformation was slow
• Jeannette Rankin (Montana) first women to serve in Congress
Society in the 1920’s
• Demographics in America also changed in 1920’s
• First time in nation’s history that urban population was larger than rural population
• Farmers were struggling – crop prices dropped and production costs rose – bad formula
Society in the 1920’s
• African-Americans continued the Great Migration from the south to the north during the 1920’s
• In 1860 – 93% of blacks lived in the south – in 1910 – 89% and by 1930 it was 80%
• However the north was no promised land – blacks faced anger and hatred there as well
Society in the 1920’s
• The results of WWI also forced many European refugees to enter the United States
• Laws were passed to limit immigrants from Europe – but laws did not prevent Mexicans and Canadians
• Barrios – or Spanish speaking neighborhoods popped up in Los Angeles
Society in the 1920’s
• The growth of cities resulted in the creation of suburbs and change in cities
• Transportation systems were built – like trolleys which used overhead wires for power
• Buses and cars also emerged during the 1920’s which changed transportation and city life
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What is a flapper? Describe what a flapper looks like and discuss the attitudes that flappers had towards society.
• Discuss how cities began to change during the 1920s. How did populations change? How did the infrastructure change?
Developing a National Culture
• Roaring Twenties also saw the creation of many national heroes
• Public was recovering from WWI and the new cultural changes – heroes reminded them of the “good old days”
• Heroes had bravery and were courageous – representing the values of America
Developing a National Culture
• Charles Lindbergh – nicknamed “Lucky Lindy” became the world’s best and most famous aviator
• Contest for $25,000 for first non-stop flight from New York to Paris – across the Atlantic Ocean
• Took off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island May 20, 1927
Developing a National Culture
• Lindbergh landed in Paris 34 hours later on May 21, 1927
• Flight was very difficult – no co-pilot, no computer, weak radio
• Lindbergh was given Congressional Medal of Honor and became global icon
Society in the 1920’s
Developing a National Culture
• Amelia Earhart became first woman to fly solo, non-stop across the Atlantic in 1928.
• Broke numerous flying records during the 1920’s – first to Hawaii from California
• In 1937 she tried to fly around the world – disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Declared dead in 1939.
Developing a National Culture
• Boxing became very popular – Jack Dempsey became a heavyweight legend.
• Babe Ruth became a national hero with his record breaking 60 home runs.
• Gertrude Ederle – gold medalist in the 1924 Olympics – 1926 first woman to swim across the English Channel (35 mi.)
Society in the 1920’s
Developing a National Culture
• Changes in mass media also helped promote a new national culture and identity
• Before the 1920’s America was very regionalized – they did not share common culture
• Films, news gathering and the new radio broadcasting changed all that
Developing a National Culture
• Between 1910 and 1930 the number of theaters rose from about 5,000 to 22,500 – selling 80 million tickets a week
• First film introduced with sound – The Jazz Singer in 1927
• Audiences loved it – called them “talkies”
Developing a National Culture
• Americans used newspapers and magazines to follow the off-screen lives of stars
• The use of newsprint doubled between 1914 and 1927 – newspapers grew in size and circulation
• Newspaper companies were combined – helping to create a national culture
Developing a National Culture
• In 1920 Frank Conrad – an engineer – set up a radio transmitter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Conrad sent recorded music and baseball scores over the air – response was fantastic
• First U.S. radio station developed – KDKA – by 1922 500 stations were on the air
Developing a National Culture
• The radio, combined with the Great Migration of African-Americans to northern cities helped make jazz music popular in the 1920s
• Jazz grew out of ragtime and blues music of the south
• By 1929 – two-thirds of the radio stations were dedicated to jazz music
Developing a National Culture
• 1920’s also became known as the Jazz Age
• Most popular place to hear jazz music was Harlem – a district in northern Manhattan
• Harlem had over 500 jazz clubs where musicians – mostly black – entertained audiences
Developing a National Culture
• Famous musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman rose from Harlem
• Dance called the Charleston was the “in” thing to do – wild, reckless and full of kicks
• The jazz uprising in Harlem created what was called the Harlem Renaissance
Developing a National Culture
• The Harlem Renaissance transformed the African-American identity
• Painting, and literature also thrived along with music during the Harlem Renaissance
• Langston Hughes, Claude McKay and Dorothy West were famous Harlem Renaissance artists
Developing a National Culture
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Why is it important to have a national culture?
• How did a national culture grow during the 1920s?
• What is the most interesting part of the Harlem Renaissance to you? Why?
Capone and Scopes
• Rapid social change after World War I caused conflicts among people with differing beliefs and values.
• The 18th Amendment passed in January 1920 made all alcoholic beverages illegal.
• Prohibition – had worthy intentions.
Capone and Scopes
• Eliminate drunkenness and abuse of family members
• Get rid of saloons where prostitution and gambling thrived.
• Prevent absenteeism and on the job accidents.
Capone and Scopes
• Not everyone obeyed the law – 95% of the people in Kansas obeyed – 5% of people in New York.
• Bootleggers developed – people who provided illegal alcohol in the U.S.
• Some operated private stills – others smuggled it in from Canada and Caribbean.
Capone and Scopes
• Bootleggers sold their alcohol to owners of speakeasies – or illegal bars and saloons.
• Speakeasies were hidden, and people entering often had to say a password or show a membership card to get in.
• Bootlegging also led to organized crime waves.
Capone and Scopes
• “Gangsters” controlled alcohol distribution, gambling, racketeering, and prostitution.
• For gangsters, territory equaled money – gangs fought for control of more territory.
• Fights were bloody – machine guns, shotguns and other violent weapons were used.
Capone and Scopes
• The most notorious gangster outfits operated in Chicago.
• In 1925 a young gangster murdered his way to the top – named Al “Scarface” Capone.
• Capone made $60 million a year from illegal activities and bought police and judges for protection.
Capone and Scopes
• Capone eventually was convicted of income tax evasion in 1931 – Prohibition ended in 1933.
• Religion was also a area of conflict in the 1920s – especially the subject of evolution.
• A debate formed over whether or not evolution should be taught in public school.
Capone and Scopes
• Religious fundamentalists – or strict followers of religion were feeling threatened throughout the 1920s.
• Questions were being asked about God’s role in life – the devastation of war caused the questions.
• Fundamentalists hated the idea of evolution – because it went against the story of the bible.
Capone and Scopes
• Tennessee following fundamentalist urging banned the teaching of evolution in school.
• A science teacher named John T. Scopes challenged this law – and arrested for teaching evolution.
• The trial that followed became famous – known as the Scopes Trial.
Capone and Scopes
• Trial put country’s best lawyers head to head – William Jennings Bryan (fundamentalist) and Clarence Darrow (for evolution).
• Trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee in July 1925.
• Press swarmed – first trial ever broadcast over the radio.
Capone and Scopes
• Scopes found guilty – paid a $100 fine.
• Best part of trial was when Darrow put Bryan on the stand and directly questioned him on the bible.
• The debate was engaging to the public – Bryan died days later.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Why did it take so long to convict Al Capone, a well-known criminal of illegal crimes?
• The Scopes Trial is also known as the “Monkey Trial” – why do you think it gained this nickname?
• What was the debate that led to the Scopes Trial?
Racial Tensions
• Americans clashed over race in the 1920s.
• During the summer of 1919, mob violence between black and white Americans erupted in 25 cities.
• Called the “Red Summer” because of all the blood that was spilled.
Racial Tensions
• The worst of the race riots occurred in Chicago.
• Stone throwing at a Lake Michigan beach led to a violent race riot.
• After the riot, 23 blacks were dead and 15 whites died – 537 wounded – massive property loss.
Racial Tensions
• The Ku Klux Klan also saw a revival in the 1920s behind the leadership of William J. Simmons.
• 1922 KKK had 100,000 members – by 1924 it was up to 4 million.
• Not just a southern problem now – largest membership was in Indiana – a northern state.
Racial Tensions
• Federal Government once again fought back – leader of KKK in Indiana arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
• By 1927 – KKK had diminished again thanks to government action.
• KKK still had an impact in the 1920s – terrorizing, killing and lynching.
Racial Tensions
• African-Americans became frustrated with violence and racism – dreamed of returning to homeland.
• Marcus Garvey led a movement to try to make that happen.
• Garvey – from Jamaica – established the Universal Negro Improvement Association – UNIA.
Racial Tensions
• Garvey encouraged blacks to build self-respect and economic power.
• Also supported a movement to return to “motherland Africa” – and a separation of the races.
• Garvey raised $10 million for a steamship company called the Black Star Line.
Racial Tensions
• However, Garvey was sentenced to prison on fraud charges.
• Later he was deported back to Jamaica – and the UNIA in America collapsed.
• Garvey’s ideas served as an inspiration for future black Civil Rights movement leaders.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Compare and contrast the KKK and Marcus Garvey’s UNIA movement. How were the two movements similar, and how were they different.
• Imagine you were at the Lake Michigan beach when the Chicago race riot broke out. Write a diary entry discussing what you saw, and your reaction.
Red Scare
• The Russian Revolution in 1917 and a series of strikes and bombings at home convinced people that political violence was a real threat to America.
• Communism was being ushered into Russia and threatened American values and beliefs.
Red Scare• Communism has three main parts:
• 1. The government owned all land and property.
• 2. A single political party controlled the government.
• 3. The needs of the country is more important than the needs of the individual.
Red Scare
• However, the major reason Americans feared communism because it was hostile against capitalism and freedom – and they wanted to spread communism throughout the world.
• The Russian communist flag was red – hence, Americans fear of communism became known as the “Red Scare”.
Red Scare• During the Red Scare – Americans became
suspicious of European radicals entering the country.
• The Supreme Court decision in Schenk vs. U.S. gave the government power to jail radicals.
• During WWI, Charles Schenk mailed letters to drafted men urging them not to report for duty.
Red Scare
• Schenk was arrested and he defended himself with the “freedom of speech” argument.
• Supreme Court overruled Schenk, saying that freedom of speech can be suspended when there is a “clear and present danger”.
• The case opened the door for the “Palmer Raids”.
Red Scare
• A series of bombs exploded in several cities – damaging the home of A. Mitchell Palmer – Attorney General of U.S.
• Palmer convinced that radicals were trying to overthrow government.
• Claimed they were a “clear and present danger” to the U.S.
Red Scare
• Palmer led government raids that arrested suspected radicals.
• Many arrested were innocent – and deported without evidence.
• Palmer Raids lost steam as people lost faith in the methods being used.
Red Scare
• The Red Scare also played a part in one of the most controversial events in US history.
• Gunmen robbed and killed a guard and paymaster of a shoe factory in Massachusetts.
• Police arrested two Italian immigrants – Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.
Red Scare• Guns were found on both men when arrested –
and Sacco’s gun matched the model used in the shooting.
• However, many Americans felt the two men were arrested because they were radicals.
• Many criticized the trial as unfair – but they were convicted and electrocuted for the crime.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Why did Americans fear communism?
• What was the Supreme Court’s explanation for ruling against Charles Schenk’s claim to freedom of speech?
• Discuss and describe the case of Sacco and Vanzetti.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Labor strikes throughout the country fueled more fear of a communist revolution in America.
• 3,500 to 4,500 strikes between 1916 and 1920.
• Fear was that communist agitators were behind the strikes.
Labor Strikes and Republican Rule
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Boston police formed a union – angry over no pay raise since 1914.
• 19 officers fired for union activity – whole police force went on strike.
• Rioting started in Boston – National Guard called in to restore order.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Most Americans opposed strikes – viewed them as anti-American.
• It was thought that radical immigrants were responsible for organizing unions and strikes.
• Lack of support from citizens and government reduced union membership.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Red Scare also affected elections in the United States.
• Americans felt Republicans were more likely to restore stability.
• Result was a Republican dominance throughout the 1920s.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Republicans favored business and sought social stability.
• In 1920 Warren Harding became president – promised a return to “normalcy”.
• Defeated Democrat James Cox.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Adopted an isolationist foreign policy.
• Isolationism led to the country becoming nativist.
• Public opinion and policy favored native-born Americans over immigrants.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• The nativist shift happened because:
• 1. Belief that immigrants could never be fully supportive of US.
• 2. Most nativists were Protestant. Immigrants were mostly Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox and Christians.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• 3. Nativists blamed city slums on immigrants.
• 4. American workers believed that immigrants were a threat to jobs.
• 5. Immigrants from countries blamed for The Great War (Southeastern Europe) were considered dangerous.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Harding administration passed the National Origins Act of 1924.
• Limited annual immigration to 350,000
• Quota established to limit immigrants from each nation.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Promoted “disarmament” which called for nations to voluntarily reduce military.
• Passed Fordney-McCumber Tariff which promoted big business.
• Raised import taxes to high levels to deter imports – however this hurt U.S. industry.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Harding made mistake by appointing many friends to important cabinet positions.
• They were called “The Ohio Gang”
• Some members involved in bribes, and theft of government money.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• The most famous Harding Administration scandal was the Teapot Dome Scandal.
• Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, gave rights to private oil companies to drill on government reserves in Teapot Dome, Wyoming.
• Fall was given $400,000 in bribes.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• Some became suspicious of Fall’s increased standard of living.
• Investigation exposed Fall and he was convicted and sentenced to jail time.
• Fall was the first cabinet member to ever to go to prison.
Labor Strikes and Harding
• There was no evidence that Harding was involved with any of the scandals.
• Harding died of a heart attack on August 2, 1923. Some believe strain from scandals caused it.
• Vice President Calvin Coolidge took over Presidency.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• What was the purpose and the effect of the National Origins Act of 1924?
• What were the reasons for the “nativist” shift in America?
Business Boom
• Coolidge was widely respected for his role in the Boston Police Strike in 1919.
• He brought back honesty to the office, as he did not interfere with investigations.
• Continued most policies of Harding administration.
Business Boom
• Coolidge was quiet – but an effective speaker.
• Practiced laissez-faire policy with American business.
• “The business of the American people is business.”
Business Boom
• Coolidge declined to run in 1928
• 1928 Election: Herbert Hoover (Rep.) vs. Alfred E. Smith (Dem.)
• Hoover won. He was recognized for his hunger programs during the war, and benefited from the “Coolidge Prosperity”.
Business Boom
• After a short recession following the war, US economy boomed.
• Wages increased, and the amount of millionaires doubled.
• Developed a consumer economy - a large amount of buying.
Business Boom
• Installment plans (buying on credit) fueled consumer economy.
• By 1929, Americans used installment plan to buy:– 60% of cars– 70% of furniture– 85% of appliances
Business Boom
• First automobile model was developed in 1892.
• In the 1920’s the automobile became available in the mass market.
• Henry Ford developed his own method of production that revolutionized the industry.
Business Boom
• Ford was a young engineer who spent his spare time developing a “horseless carriage”
• Started his own automobile company in 1903.
• Sold 30,000 “Model T’s” in 1908.
Business Boom
• Ford wanted to produce enough cars so that they could be affordable to everyone.
• To produce that many cars he created his own assembly line.
• Became one of the most influential people of the century.
Business Boom
• Each worker does one task – they master their position.
• At height of assembly line, one Model T was produced every 24 seconds.
• By 1927, Ford’s Model T’s accounted for half of the cars in the world.
Business Boom
• Automobiles gave rise to suburbs – people began moving out of the cities.
• Automobiles supported other businesses:• Gas stations• Car dealerships• Motels• Restaurants
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• How did buying on credit change the practices of the American consumer?
• How did the automobile affect American way of life?
Hidden Economic Dangers
• While most Americans enjoyed a better standard of living, others struggled.
• Unskilled laborers remained poor – and for many farmers the 1920s brought devastation.
• During war time farm prices were high – but post war conditions caused prices to drop.
Hidden Economic Dangers
• Debt for farmers was rising – they had bought land during war boom and could not pay.
• The coal industry and cotton textiles also were suffering.
• Demand during war was high but not anymore.
Hidden Economic Dangers
• Stock market considered the weather vane of the nation’s economy
• Market value of stocks was $27 billion in 1925. By 1929 it was $87 billion.
• Wages rose by 40 percent since 1914 – Unemployment under 4 percent
Hidden Economic Dangers
• Unions were weakened after 1919 labor unrest
• Companies kept unions weak with welfare capitalism.
• Raised wages, paid vacations, health plans, English classes – kept workers from joining unions.
Hidden Economic Dangers
• Economy was not as strong as it appeared - there were warning signs of danger
• Uneven prosperity: Only rich were getting richer, and small business was not prospering.
• By 1929, 200 companies controlled 49 percent of industry.
Hidden Economic Dangers
• Buying on credit: increased personal debt
• Assembly line manufacturing made goods more available
• Installment plans made goods irresistible to consumers – even though they could not afford them
Hidden Economic Dangers
• 71 percent of families below $2,500 yearly income
• 80 percent of families had zero savings
• Some families needed their children to work for additional income just to survive
Hidden Economic Dangers
• People played the stock market with hopes of getting rich quick
• Speculation: making high risk investments with hopes of getting high gain
• Buying on margin practices increased to attract lower income investors
Hidden Economic Dangers
• There was also the problem of too many goods and too little demand.
• Industry began making more than consumers were buying.
• The economy in the 1920s was “sick” – and no one saw it until it was too late.
YOUR TURN TO WRITE
• Which industries were not benefitting from the business boom of the 1920s, and why?
• How is buying stocks on margin similar to using installment plans?
• Describe the distribution of wealth in the United States in the 1920s, and how were families affected?
