Utah in the 20th Century

New Wave of Immigrants• The earlier immigrants to Utah mostly came from the British

Isles and Scandinavia and were LDS converts• At the turn of the century, immigrants began coming to Utah

from many different places, mostly to find jobs.• These people would bring over their different religious beliefs,

languages, and traditions• They also faced discrimination in the workplace, especially if they

couldn’t speak English• Many immigrants from different countries were forced to live

with each other• This would cause conflict within these communities

New Wave of Immigrant cont.• A huge wave of Mexican immigrants came into Utah after the

Mexican Revolution in 1910• They mostly settled in farm lands, but others moved into cities

like Ogden and Salt Lake City• Many Greek men immigrated to Utah at this time• After they earned enough money they brought their families over

from Greece• They were proud of their culture and taught their kids to read

and speak Greek• They also have festivals in Ogden and Salt Lake City every

September• Many Japanese immigrants become farm workers in Utah• They mostly worked on farms in Box Elder, Weber, and Salt Lake

counties

African Americans in Utah• The first African Americans in Utah came with the Advance

Company• They eventually began communities of their own with

newspapers, schools, and churches• They faced a lot of discrimination in Utah, as they did in the

rest of the country• Mixed race weddings were illegal• They were not allowed into Lagoon or Saltair• Black performers were hired, but others could not buy tickets to

watch the shows• The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of

Colored People) opened a chapter in SLC in 1919• They fought hard to pass laws that would end discrimination

African Americans in Utah cont.• However, in 1921, the Ku Klux Klan opened a chapter in Utah• They lynched, or hung till dead, a man named Robert Marshall

in Price in 1925

It’s Electric!• Many electrical inventions made their way to Utah during this

time period.

Inventions in the New CenturyInvention First Used in the US First Used in Utah

Automobiles 1900 1900

Airplanes 1903 1927

Radios 1906 1922

Silent Movies 1905 1905

“The Radio has no future” “This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.”

Utah Labor Movement• Mining increased during the turn of the century• Most mine workers were foreign immigrants• Mine workers began to grow angry with how they were

treated by the mine owners and corporations• In 1905 the first labor union in Utah was formed• This was a group of miners that fought for workers rights against

the mine owners• The main tool a labor union had was to go on strike• They would refuse to work and make sure that strikebreakers, or

scabs, would not take their jobs

The Progressive Spirit• At around the turn of the century many reformers began to

grow into prominence by speaking for cleaner, safer, more progressive living conditions• People wanted the government to get involved to help make their

lives better• They wanted some regulations on companies that were polluting

too much, had monopolies, and had poor working conditions• They also wanted safer food

• One thing that was achieved through these progressive actions was workmen’s compensation if they were injured on the job

• They also wanted to provide education to more people• All these programs would help be paid for through taxes

Reclamation and National Parks• Utah began to build dams to help bring water to farmlands as

part of the national reclamation project• Many other pieces of land were put aside and protected as

national parks, monuments, and forests• Zion National Park is Utah’s first national park• Rainbow Bridge National Monument is the worlds longest natural

bridge• Today there is a lot of controversy about public lands• Should they still be protected?• Should companies be allowed to use the natural resources within

these public lands?

World War I• After German U-boats continuously attacked American ships,

President Woodrow Wilson told Congress to declare war on Germany in 1917

• Many men in Utah joined the good fight in what was called the “Great War”

• Mines and factories in Utah began to produce goods and ammunition for the war

• Most of the wheat being produced in Utah went to the war effort

• Finally in November 1918 the war ended with Germany’s surrender

The Posey War• Utah ranchers and Utah Natives were still fighting over lands• In 1915 and 1921 there were several battles between Indians

and whites• These Indian groups were lead by Posey• White Utahns arrested whole Indian communities in an effort

to deal with the “Indian problem”• Later on Posey was injured in battle and later died• After his death, all Indian prisoners were released• But most of the Indian children were forced into Indian schools

The Great Depression• The 1920s were a very prosperous

time in America, but on Tuesday October 29, 1929, the stock market “crashed”• Many people lost everything they

owned overnight• People lost their jobs, savings, and

homes• By 1930, the depression had spread

throughout the country• Utah, like many other states, had a

very high unemployment rate at nearly 40 percent

• Those who could find work could only find part time jobs and low wages

• Many families suffered and often lived on the streets or in shantytowns

Utah Struggles• Utah farmers were badly hurt during the depression• Most farmers could not afford gas for their cars so they couldn’t

bring the products to market• This made their crops and livestock worthless

• Local government and private organizations began to lend aid to people• The Boy Scouts collected food for storehouses• Women groups in many different churches worked together to

give aid to those in need• The state was having trouble taking care of the poor on its

own• Minority groups suffered most during the Depression

The New Deal

• In 1932, Americans elected Franklin D. Roosevelt as the new President of the US

• He promised the country a New Deal to get the country moving again• His New Deal created many different organizations that would provide

people around the country with jobs• The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) hired young men to build

roads, dams, bridges, and campgrounds around the country• The Works Progress Administration (WPA) hired men to build roads,

highways, schools, parks, and water lines• They also hired artists, musicians, and writers to produce works for the

public good

Help for Farmers• The New Deal also set up the Farm Security Administration

(FSA) that hired migrant farmers and gave long term loans to farmers• They also helped educate farmers on the science of agriculture

• Utah, along with most of the Midwest, was experiencing a drought during the 1930s

• To help out farmers get water, FDR created the Public Works Administration (PWA) to dig wells, build irrigation and pipeline to get water to farmers

• Dams were also built around the state

Saving Banks• Marriner S. Eccles was a

businessman from Utah and helped to renew confidence in Utah Banks• He told tellers to count money

slowly in front of costumers• He also told banks to bring large

bags of money in through the front door of the bank

• These techniques were all an attempt to get people to have confidence in their bank so they would not withdraw all their funds

• His techniques were so successful that FDR asked him to help set up the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

End of the Depression• Although a lot of these programs did provide relief for many

people and instill confidence in the public, FDR’s New Deal did not end the Great Depression

• The Depression will last until the United States enters World War II providing men and women around the country with jobs