October 25, 20131. Collect Current Event2. Video Clips: Harding and Coolidge Presidencies3. 21.1 Guided Reading Questions4. 21.2 Vocabulary

Unit IIIThe 1920’s

21.1Presidential Politics

The Harding Administration

Republican Warren Harding becomes President in 1920.

He called for a “return to normalcy”- return to normal life after WWI.

Unfortunately, his Presidency is filled with several scandals.

He appointed many of his friends from Ohio to his cabinet or to other high level jobs.

His Ohio Gang sold government jobs and protected some criminals from prosecution.

The Harding Administration Teapot Dome Scandal Albert Fall secretly

allowed private businesses to lease lands containing U.S. Oil reserves in Teapot Dome, Wyoming.

Fall made over $300,000 in bribes in Teapot Dome scandal and was first cabinet member ever to go to prison.

June, 1923, Harding, en route from Alaska to California on a tour of the West, died of a heart attack.

The Coolidge Administration

Coolidge was a pleasant change to Americans tired of the Harding scandals.

“Silent Cal” tried to restore Americans’ confidence in the Presidency.

Election of 1924 Republican: Calvin Coolidge Democrat: John Davis Progressive: Robert La Follette Coolidge wins and states: “The chief business of

the American people is business.”