America - America - The New The New

SuperpowerSuperpower

Post-War ProblemsPost-War Problems

• Europe wanted Central Powers to pay reparations for damage caused during war

• Europe wanted to take all land owned by Central Powers before the war

• Europe wanted to leave Germany powerless

President Woodrow President Woodrow WilsonWilson

• He felt that Germany shouldn’t be punished heavily

• Europe needs to eliminate cause of war or another World War would happen

President Woodrow President Woodrow WilsonWilson

• Devised a plan for peace known as FOURTEEN POINT plan

FOURTEEN POINT PLANFOURTEEN POINT PLANDesigned to eliminate causes of warDesigned to eliminate causes of war

• Self-determination – countries should be able to rule themselves (end of imperialism)

• Freedom of the Seas

FOURTEEN POINT PLANFOURTEEN POINT PLANDesigned to eliminate causes of warDesigned to eliminate causes of war

• League of Nations – a world organization dedicated to keeping peace

• Mandate System

Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

• National boundaries were re-drawn in Europe and new countries created

• League of Nations created (Germany excluded)

Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

• Germany was stripped of all power and embarrassed–had to pay $33 billion in reparations

for war

–military was dismantled

U.S. Congress rejects U.S. Congress rejects TreatyTreaty

• Treaty did not address the causes of the war

• US felt France and G.B. went too far in punishing Germany

U.S. Congress rejects U.S. Congress rejects TreatyTreaty

• America did not want to join League of Nations –felt League of Nations would try to

control American foreign policy

Roaring Twenties (1920’s)Roaring Twenties (1920’s)

• Era of Great American Prosperity• Fueled by money generated from

World War I and rebuilding of Europe• Most Americans invested in Stock

market• Era of American Gangsters (Al

Capone)

Harlem Harlem RenaissanceRenaissance

Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

• Re-birth of African-American culture in Harlem, NY

• Led by poet Langston Hughes

Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

• Responsible for art, literature, music (jazz & blues) that transformed culture for all Americans

Economic CycleEconomic Cycle

• Phase 1 – economy is growing; new jobs being created

• Phase 2 – economy is at its highest peak; low unemployment (Roaring 1920’s)

Economic CycleEconomic Cycle

• Phase 3(Recession) – economy is slow; jobs being lost

• Phase 4(Depression) – economy not generating money; unemployment extremely high