1920s Review
How did WWI affect America?
• After the war, the U.S. didn’t want to be involved in international affairs- Isolationism
What is Communism? Why were Americans afraid of it?
• Dictatorship with the government controlling all aspects of life
• Promoted “workers of the world” having a revolution
Why was there an increase in strikes after WWI?
• Workers had not been allowed to strike during the war
• Prices had gone up, but wages had remained the same
Who helped settle the Boston Police Strike?
• Calvin Coolidge
What was the Red Scare?
• Fear of Communism spreading to the U.S.
What were some of the reasons that Sacco and
Vanzetti were found guilty?
• Prejudiced jury against-
–New immigrants
–Admitted anarchists
–Poor language skills
What were the Palmer Raids?
• Attempt to find suspected Communists in the U.S.
Who won the 1920 Election? What Party was he from?
• Warren G. Harding
• Republican
What was the 19th Amendment?
• Gave women the right to vote
What was Warren Harding known for?
• Pro-business
• Return to Normalcy
What was normalcy?
• Return to the way things had been
• People felt that there had been too many changes in the first two decades of the 20th century
How did Calvin Coolidge become President? What
was he known for?
• Vice-President when Harding died
• Known for being honest, and quiet
What was the Ohio Gang?
• Harding’s friends that he appointed to important positions
• Several were involved with scandals
What was the Teapot Dome Scandal?
• Involved the illegal leasing of government oil fields
Who won the 1924 Election? What Party was he from?
• Calvin Coolidge
• Republican
How were the Republican Presidents of the Twenties
pro-business?• Allowed business people to
regulate business
• Appointed Supreme Court justices that ruled for business
How did assembly lines increase efficiency?
• Standardized parts
• Job came to the worker
• Workers only had to do one job
What types of advertising were there in the twenties?
• Radio
• Newspapers
• Billboards
• Magazines
What is buying on credit?
• Paying with installments after acquiring the product
How did education change in the Twenties?
• More managers and accountants needed for the large corporations
What was the impact of radio?
• Something that people could have in common
• Big impact on advertising
Why were movies popular?
• Inexpensive and an escape
What was significant about Jazz Singer? Steam Boat Willie?
• First “talkie” movie
• First animated movie- Disney!
Why were sports so popular?
• Economy was good, so people had the time and money to spend on them
Charles Lindbergh
• 1st man to fly solo across the Atlantic
Amelia Earhart
• Famous female pilot
Jack Dempsey
• Heavyweight boxing champ
Babe Ruth
• Baseball player for the Red Sox then Yankees
Gertrude Ederle
• First person to swim across the English Chanel- France to England!
What were Flapper Girls?
• Fashion icons of the 20s- bobbed hair, short dresses and party girls!
What was the Lost Generation?
• Authors that rejected American materialism and headed to Europe
What was the Harlem Renaissance?
• Flourishing of African American writers, musicians and artists
Louis Armstrong
• Famous musician
Duke Ellington
• Famous band leader
Langston Hughes
• Famous black writer
Marcus Garvey
• Black leader- believed that blacks would be better off going back to Africa
Why did the “Great Migration” occur?
• African Americans headed north for jobs and to escape discrimination of the South
Why was the NAACP formed?
• To help protect African Americans
In what ways was the KKK powerful?
• Intimidated – blacks, immigrants, Catholics, Jews and others
• Influenced politicians to support their views
What did Fundamentalism represent?
• Literal translation of the bible• Felt that America needed to be
more religious
What was the result of the Scopes Trial?
• Brought attention to the split in America between Fundamentalism and Progressives
• Scopes found guilty
What was the role of William Jennings Bryan in the trial?
• Prosecutor- tried to find Scopes guilty
What was the role of Clarence Darrow in the trial?
• Defense attorney for John Scopes
What was Nativism?
• Preference for people born in America
• Anti-immigrant
What was the Immigration Law of 1921?
• Established a quota of 3% coming from a specific country related to the amount already in the U.S.
• Based on 1910 census• Aimed to limit the amount of
Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe
What was the Nations Origins Act (1924)?
• Established a quota of 2% coming from a specific country related to the amount already in the U.S.
• Based on 1890 census• Completely excluded Asians
Who supported Prohibition? Why?
• Business Leaders- cut down on accidents and absenteeism
• Doctors- reduce medical problems
• Women’s groups- reduce domestic abuse
What was the Volstead Act?
• Enforced prohibition
Why was the Kellogg-Briand Pact pretty much useless?
• No way to enforce it
What were the three parts of the Dawes Plan?
• U.S. Bankers lend money and make investments to Germany
• Germany pays reparations to G.B. and France
• G.B. and France repay WWI debts to the U.S.
