Postwar HavocEssential Question: What are some examples of post World War I tensions?

WWI Ends in 1918 and Americans temporarily rejoice

Economic and political turmoil casts a dark shadow over victory

Farm and factory production decreases as demand falls

Returning veterans have trouble finding employment

100% Americanism movement emergesCelebrates all things AmericanAttacks ideas and people that are

foreign

The End of WWI Brings New Troubles At Home

Russian Revolution of 1917 begins

Lenin’s dream is to have an international worker’s revolution

Americans embraced capitalism

Became fearful of Communists and radicals – known as the Red Scare

The First Red Scare

In 1919 radicals played a role in which bombs were mailed to gov’t officials – plot failed.

Mitchell Palmer (Attorney General of the U.S.) was one of the targets.

Led attacks on radicalsHe arrested and deported

hundreds of aliens

The Palmer Raids

Most explosive times in labor history – 4 million workers participated in 3,000 strikes

President Wilson kept workers happy to prevent strikes during WWI

When war ends his priorities change

Red Scare weakens labor movement

Labor Strife Grows

Competition for scarce jobs and Red Scare lead to the rise of nativism.

Clash between older immigrants (protestant Christians from N + W Europe) vs. newer immigrants (Catholics and Jews from S + E Europe)

Push to limit immigration of these groups1921 passed a quota – est. # of immigrants from

each country allowed to enterNational Origins Act of 1924: set quotas to 2% of the

# of people living in the U.S. at 1890.

Limiting Immigration

Relative proportions of immigrants from Northwestern Europe (red) and Southern and Eastern Europe (blue) in the decades before and after the immigration restriction legislation.

Started as a terror group that targeted African-Americans.

Hate group began to targets Jews, Catholics and radicals.

Slogan of 1920s: “Native White, Protestant supremacy”

Spread to other areas of U.S.

Revival of KKK

Talk to your neighbor: What are some examples of post World War I tensions?