Themes (Major Topics) of the 1920s

Immigrant v. American

Change

Technology

Basis of Conflicts

Urban v. Rural

Wet v. Dry(Alcohol or

not?)

Leisure Time

Religion v. Science

African-American

Experience

Women’s Roles

After WW1 (1919-20)

Fear of foreign Ideas & targeting

immigrants (Red Scare)

Ku Klux KlanProtect “pure”

America

Nation wide worker

strikes & bombings

Want to forget war & get back to normal

Gov’t hunts down radicals

Laws to reduce

immigration Expel & arrest

immigrants

"Come unto Me, Ye Opprest!"

Literary Digest, 7/5/19.

Fear that Radical Immigrants from Europe threaten

liberty

The Red Scare 1919-20Fear of foreign Ideas & targeting

immigrants (Red Scare)

• The fear that revolution and anarchy would come to America– Hatred switches from Germans to all immigrants– 1919 – Bombing plot exposed – 36 to kill famous &

wealthy Americans – 1919 – 8 bombs explode at same time in 8 cities– 3600 strikes by workers nationwide

• America is hysterical.

Conflicts

The Red Scare 1919-20Fear of foreign

Ideas & targeting immigrants (Red Scare)

• Government targets immigrants & radicals– US Gov’t illegal Palmer Raids arrest thousands– Sacco & Vanzetti convicted of murder. Some say executed

b/c they are anarchist Italians. – U.S. ship nicknamed the “Soviet Ark” ships 300 radical

immigrants back to Europe.

• Gov’t passes laws to slash Eastern European immigration.

Gov’t hunts down radicals

Laws to reduce immigration

Expel & arrest immigrants

The Gauntlet Flung Down.

5/21/19.

Anarchy uses terror to threaten a free nation

• By 1925, 5 million members – midwest & South • Main targets are immigrants, Catholics, Jews,

evolutionists, drinkers and sinners.• Want to get rid of immigrants from Italy, Poland, Russia.

Ku Klux Klan

Protect “pure”

America

Conflicts

Obsession with buying “things”

Want to forget war & get

back to normal Spectator

sports grow

Cities boom – jobs and fun

Consumer culture & Free Time Cars, radios,

movies, appliances

Change

Growth of Advertising

• Economy robust during 1920s – European nations crippled by WW1.

• High incomes and production– Money to spend on cheap cars (assembly line/Ford)– Consumer credit - crazy buying of goods like radios– Hollywood / movies grow due to technology and

demand– City population grows – jobs & entertainment– US is connected through technology; rapid spread of

fads & ideas;

Want to forget war & get back to

normal

Consumer culture & Free Time

Change

trConflicts b/w

traditional and new

values

Prohibition

Religion vs. Science

Scopes Trial

Evolution v. Fundamentalism

Purify America

Wets v. Drys

City v. Country

Lack of Gov’t enforcement

Rise of Mafia

Two sides of the same road? Does religion or science explain the origin of humankind and the earth?

• Dayton Tennessee Scopes “Monkey” Trial 1925• TN outlawed teaching evolution in schools

– South is strongly religiously based – belief in literal reading of the Bible. (fundamentalist)

– Northern city folk trend toward science• Scopes opts to be arrested – can a government

dictate a religious belief? • Turns into a media circus• Scopes convicted – but religious beliefs seen as

anti-science & intolerant

Religion vs. Science Evolution v.

FundamentalismCity v. Country

• Congress passes law in 1919 (18th Amendment to the Constitution) – repealed 1933

• Not enough police! – City people ignore the law– Illegal speakeasies (bars) all over cities. – Mafia gangsters compete for control of cities &

provide illegal liquor. • It does reduce alcoholism and wife abuse

Prohibition Purify America

Wets v. Drys

City v. Country Conflicts

Women’s Changing

Roles 19th

Amendment – The Right to

Vote

Independence &

Opportunities

The “New” Woman &

Flapper

Jazz. Speakeasies

and Jobs

Conflict

Change

Social, Political, Work

Discrimination

• Women’s fight for the vote took 100 years• Protests in 1910s led to arrests and abuse• Law passed in 1920 (19th Amendment)• The “New Woman”/Flappers worked in limited

jobs for less pay –• They challenged ideas of “proper” behavior –

most women looked down on them as immoral. • Independent & willing to divorce

Women’s Changing

Roles

African-American

Experience

Competition for Jobs, Housing

Harlem (NY) Renaissance

Racial Conflict / Riots

in Multiple Cities

Great Migration

from South to North

Escape Racism,

lack of jobs in South

Black Pride

Jazz Music & Clubs popular

Literature and Art

• Great Migration – from South to North to escape prejudice, discrimination– Seek better wages & living conditions – need for workers

during WWI (immigration drops)– Racial conflict over housing, jobs

• Harlem Renaissance– Black cultural pride in music, art, literature– White acceptance of aspects of Black culture– Struggle for political and economic equality

African-American

Experience