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Ms. Grilli
Politics and Business of the 1920s
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Set: At the bell
Interpreting Political Cartoons Journal Entree
y
The Elephant is the symbol ofthe Republican Party (GrandOld Party).
y Why is theelephant shaped likeateapot?
y Whatpoint was the cartoonist making?
y
Cartoon located onthe first slide ofthepower point
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At the BellInterpreting Political
Cartoons JournalEntree
y The Elephant is the
symbol oftheRepublican Party(Grand Old Party).
y Why is theelephantshaped likeateapot?
yWhatpoint was thecartoonist making?
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Normalcy:
y
Coined by Warren G. Hardingy This term cameto symbolize,to powerful businessmen,the
immediateabandonment ofthe foreignanddomestic policies of
Wilson.
y
This meanta returnto highprotectivetariffs anda reduction intaxes.
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y Kellogg-Briand Pack- 1929
treaty in which 64 nationsagreeto renounce war as a
means of solving international
disputes
y Isolationist foreignpolicy
y Fordney- McCumberTariff-
raisedthetax on imports to its
highest level ever- almost 60%
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Scandal in the HardingAdministration
y Thepresident mainproblem was hedidnotunderstand manythings hehadto deal with
y TheTeapot Dome Scandal- secretary ofInterior Albert B.Falls secret leasing oil- richpublic landto private companies in
return for money and land.
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he Business Boom of the 1920s
Onthe whole,the United Stateseconomy experienced steady
growthandexpansionduringthe1920s.Three factors fueledthiseconomic growth:
Machines FactoriesThe Process ofStandardized
Mass Production
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hese factors created a self-perpetuating cycle:
bettermachinery in
factories,
which ledto
higherproductionandhigher wages,which ledto
moredemandfor consumergoods
standardizedmass
production ledto
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Automobile industry
y Annual automobileproduction rose from 2 millionduringthe
1920s to 5.5 million in1929.
y By the late1920s,there was oneautomobile for every five
Americans,allowing,theoretically, for every person inthe
United States to be onthe roadatthe sametime.
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Two factors ledtothe rising
popularity of cars:
Cost--Theprice ofautomobiles declined steadily until the mid-1920s so that many well-paid working families couldnow affordto purchasea car.The ModelT Ford, for example, cost just $290
in1926.
Credit-- In1925,Americans made 75% ofallautomobilepurchases onthe installmentplan.
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Economic Effects of the Automobile:
Promoted growthof otherindustries.Especially petroleum,rubber,and steel.
Helped fuel thecreation of a
national system ofhighways.Automobiles required
better roads. AfterWWI, federal funds
becameavailable for
buildinghighways andamajor industry wasborn.
Created newservice facilities.
Filling stations,garages,and roadside restaurantssprangupacross thenation. Motels (theword itself is a blend of'motor' and 'hotel')
cateringto theneeds ofmotorists begantoreplacehotels.
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Social
Effects ofthe
Automobile:
Created a moremobile society.
Broke down thestability of family
life.
Broke down
traditional morality.
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A superficial Prosperity
y D
uringthe2
0s Americansthoughtprosperity wouldgo
on forever
y TheDawn of modern
Advertizingy Withnew good floodingthe
market, business relied
increasingly onadvertisingto
sell theproducts
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y Producinggreatquantities ofgoods
y Productivity increased,businesses expanded in size
y Buying many goods on credit
y adollar downandadollarforever
y The Installment Plan- enabledpeopleto buy goods over anextendedperiod withouthavingto putdown much money atthetime ofpurchase.
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Closure: Journal entreePick two of the questions below to answer in your journals. When you
are done do not for get to put your journals in the back of the room inyour classes box.
Closure Questions:
y What did Harding want to do to return America to Normalcy?
y What evidence shows that the United States was pursuing an isolationist
foreign policy?
y How did changes in technology in the 1920s influence American life?
y What evidence suggests that the prosperity of the 1920s was not onfirm foundations?
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Homework: Writing Response
y Directions:Homework must betypedandhanded inthe
nextday.
y Do youagree with PresidentCoolidges statement the man
who builds a factory builds atemple the man who works there
worships there? Explain your Answer.
y Think About:y The goals of business and of religion
y The American idolization of business
y The difference between workers and management
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What if?
y Directions:Listandevaluate five significantevents
from this section,usingatable. Inthe Evaluation
column,enter + ifanevent benefitedthe country, 0 if it
had mixed impact, or if itharmedthe country. Answerthesequestions under your chart.y Whicheventdo youthink benefitedthe country the most?
y Why do youthink so?