Back to NormalcyBack to Normalcy

Harding'sHarding's PresidencyPresidency

1920 Election1920 Election Republicans Warren G. Republicans Warren G.

Harding & Calvin Harding & Calvin Coolidge defeat Coolidge defeat Democrats James Cox Democrats James Cox & Franklin D. Roosevelt& Franklin D. Roosevelt

Harding calls for Harding calls for

““a return to normalcy”a return to normalcy”

Harding's PresidencyHarding's Presidency

Best known for a series of scandals Best known for a series of scandals that marred his time in office. that marred his time in office.

He pardoned the imprisoned Socialist He pardoned the imprisoned Socialist party leader, Eugene Debs.party leader, Eugene Debs.

Persuaded the steel industry to end Persuaded the steel industry to end the 12-hour day and replace it with the 12-hour day and replace it with an 8-hour day.an 8-hour day.

The Washington ConferenceThe Washington Conference

Conference on Limitation of Armaments

8 nation conference in Washington D.C. that led to the:

Four-Powers Treaty

The Five-Powers Treaty

The Nine-Powers Treaty

Four-Powers TreatyFour-Powers Treaty

Agreement signed by the U.S., Great Britain, Agreement signed by the U.S., Great Britain, France, and Japan.France, and Japan.

It sought to eliminate the development of rival It sought to eliminate the development of rival blocs in East Asia, as well as to preserve blocs in East Asia, as well as to preserve the territorial sovereignty of the signatories' the territorial sovereignty of the signatories' holdings in the Pacific. holdings in the Pacific.

The Five-Powers TreatyThe Five-Powers Treaty U.S., Great Britain,

Japan, France, and Italy: Agree to freeze their navies Agree to freeze their navies

at 1921 levels.at 1921 levels. Agree to cease battleship Agree to cease battleship

production for 10 yearsproduction for 10 years Reduce fleet of capital Reduce fleet of capital

ships to a fixed ratio ships to a fixed ratio (5:5:3:1.75:1.75)(5:5:3:1.75:1.75)

Expected to produce a Expected to produce a balance of power in the balance of power in the PacificPacific

The Nine-Powers TreatyThe Nine-Powers TreatyFrance, Great Britain, Japan, Italy,

Belgium, China, the Netherlands, Portugal and the U.S.

agree to preserve equal commercial agree to preserve equal commercial rights in Chinarights in China

The United States was concerned by The United States was concerned by Japanese designs on China after the Japanese designs on China after the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)

Turned the Open Door Policy into a Turned the Open Door Policy into a treatytreaty

LaborLabor

The years following the end of World War I were a period of deep social tensions, aggravated by high wartime inflation.

Food prices more than doubled between 1915 and 1920; clothing costs more than tripled.

The Steel Strike of 1919 became the focal point for profound social anxieties, especially fears of Bolshevism.

Red ScareRed Scare

LaborLabor During the 1920s, many of labor's gains

during World War I and the Progressive era were rolled back.

Membership in labor unions fell from 5 million to 3 million.

The U.S. Supreme Court outlawed:– picketing – overturned national child labor laws– abolished minimum wage laws for women

Emergency Quota ActEmergency Quota Act

The main reason for passing the Act was The main reason for passing the Act was that the flood of immigrants in recent years that the flood of immigrants in recent years had negative wage effects on native-born had negative wage effects on native-born Americans. Americans.

limited the annual number of immigrants limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to who could be admitted from any country to 3% 3%

National Origins ActNational Origins Act

In 1924, Congress reduced the number of immigrants allowed into the United States each year to 2% of each nationality group counted in the 1890 census.

It also barred Asians entirely.

The burning cross is a symbol used by the Klan to create terror. Cross burning is said to have been introduced by William J. Simmons, the founder of the second Klan in 1915.

A quote from Woodrow Wilson used in the film

The Menace of Modern Immigration: an address outlining fully the policies of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan by H. W. Evans, 1924.

The huge Confederate memorial at Stone Mountain, site of the founding of the second Klan; work was begun in 1923 with funding mainly from the Klan, and was completed in 1970.

Sheet music to "We Are All Loyal Klansmen," 1923