The 1920’sAfter the war…Roaring and Jazz

Life in American after the war???

Economy: trying to adjust League of Nations: country divided Returning soldiers: high unemployment Women and minorities: lost jobs Industry: suffering economically (no war) Farming: suffering also

Nativism Prejudice against people from other

countries Very popular in U.S. after war Anti-immigration Led to policy of Isolationism

U.S. began to shy away from foreign affairs Lasted until WWII

Communism Economic/political system Dictator ruled govt. system No private property Government ownership of all

businesses “The Red Scare” Leader: Vladimir Lenin Communism spreads to U.S.

Sacco and Vanzetti Italian immigrants Anarchists (opposed to any

govt.) Evaded draft in WWI Arrested/charged for robbery

& murder of a factory supervisor and his guard

No substantial evidence, but still found guilty

Sentenced to death

More Problems… Hate groups (KKK)

Against African-Americans and all immigrants

Quotas: limited # of immigrants (per country)

Labor Issues: 3,000 strikes in 1919 Employers often accused striking workers of

being communists.

Warren G. Harding Became pres. In 1921 Sought a return to “normalcy” Cabinet called the “Ohio Gang”

Friends of Harding Corrupt/graft

Teapot Dome Scandal: Oil reserves transferred and benefited Albert Fall

(Sec. of Interior & friend of Harding) Found guilty of bribery

New Industries (under Coolidge) Auto:

New roads, urban sprawl, new industries (i.e. gas stations, repair shops, shopping centers, etc.)

Airplane: Mail service, transatlantic flights (Earhart, Lindberg),

passenger flights Appliances:

Irons, refrigerators, stoves, toasters (made life easier for women)

Credit: Installment plans (people wanted to believe economy was

good)

Prohibition 18th Amendment: production, sale and

transportation of alcohol was prohibited Many believed liquor caused “moral problems” Speakeasies and Bootleggers

Underground nightclubs Smuggled liquor and sold illegally

Organized Crime – Al Capone 21st Amendment: Repealed prohibition

Scopes Trial Evolution John T. Scopes – biology teacher Clarence Darrow – Scopes’

attorney William Jennings Bryan –

prosecutor Found guilty/fined $100 (until

overturned) Outlawed the teaching of

evolution Fundamentalists – believed the

Bible should be taken literally.

Women of the 1920’s Flapper

More assertive, new clothes and hair styles, dances

Drinking, smoking, open discussion of sex

Double standard – more sexual freedom for men

Women were working outside of the home Birthrate declined

Mass Culture Education changed

No longer for just “college bound” Rising literacy rates Reading for entertainment (Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Radio News source Music: Gershwin Emergence of jazz

Entertainment Games, sports, dancing, trends (flagpole sitting)

Harlem Renaissance African-American art, literature, music,

ideological and political movement Marcus Garvey – believe in a “separate” society Langston Hughes – poet Louis Armstrong – trumpet player Duke Ellington – composer/jazz pianist Bessie Smith – blues singer

I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes, But I laugh,

And eat well, And grow strong.

Tomorrow, I'll be at the table

When company comes. Nobody'll dare

Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.