REVIEW

• What was happening at the beginning of the 1920’s?

• In the election of 1920, what might people be looking for in a president?

Harding and Coolidge

The Need for Normalcy

The Election of 1920

• President Wilson’s stroke– Inability to perform

duties• Presidency ended in

chaos• Two candidates would

face off in the 1920 election– D - James Cox– R - Warren Harding

The Election of 1920

• Who do you think will be elected?

• Why?

Harding – The Need for Normalcy• Republicans lacked party

leader– Roosevelt’s death 1919

• Warren Harding sensed that Americans wanted familiarity, safety

• Declared nation needed healing, restoration, normalcy

• “RETURN TO NORMALCY”• Chose Calvin Coolidge VP

Harding vs. Cox

• Harding – Republican:– Criticized Wilson’s unpreparedness

for WWI and for peace treaty– Did not support League of Nations– Believed Wilson was to blame for the

inefficiency in passing legislation– Less help for farmers– Wanted to form a committee to deal

with labor issues– Little restrictions on business– Blamed high taxes, high cost of living

on weakened dollar– Supported developments for

business purposes

• Cox – Democrat:– Favored League of Nations– Alter Senate rules of procedure– Supported Wilson’s conduct in

WWI– Blamed Republicans for high

taxes, high cost of living– Vowed to help farmers– Improve life for laborers– Supported women’s right to

vote, women working, welfare for women and children, education, help to disabled soldiers

The Election of 1920

• Who do you think will win?

• Which policies are best for the time?

• http://www.davidpietrusza.com/1920-links.html

Harding Becomes President

• Warren Harding and his “Return to Normalcy” received 60% of the popular vote

Harding – The Man

• From Marion, Ohio• Worked as a newspaper

publisher• Believed in small town

values– Independence– Didn’t want government to

solve their problems

• Known for his love of leisure– Relaxed governing approach

Harding – The Politician

• His father – active in Republican party• Harding worked his way up politically• Elected U.S. Senator from Ohio in 1914• Frequently skipped Senate sessions• As President– Believed the job was a lot of ceremony– Hired smart team of advisors– Rarely took positions on issues

Harding’s Policies

• PRO-BUSINESS– “Less government in business and

more business in government.”• Cut the federal budget• Reduced taxes on wealthy

Americans– Thought the wealthy would start

business, improve the economy• What recent presidential

candidate does this sound like?

Harding’s Policies

• LITTLE HELP FOR FARMERS

• Believed that “the farmer required no special favors at the hands of government.”

• Fordney-McCumber Tariff– Raised cost of foreign

farm products– Short term help

The Ohio Gang

• Harding appointed highly skilled people– Andrew Mellon - Treasury Secretary– Charles Evans Hughes – Secretary of State– Herbert Hoover – Commerce Secretary

• Filled lower-level positions with friends from Ohio– Members were convicted of taking bribes– Called the “Ohio Gang”

• Harry Daugherty – Attorney General• Albert Fall - Interior Secretary• Edwin C. Denby – Navy Secretary

The Teapot Dome Scandal

• Worst scandal involved:• Albert Fall - Secretary of the Interior• What does the Secretary of the Interior control?

• Fall accepted bribes from oil companies in exchange to drill federal oil reserves on federal land in Wyoming known as the Teapot Dome

Harding’s Escape

• Harding never found to be connected with scandals

• Took vacation to Alaska to escape rumors• Collapsed during a speech because of a heart

attack• Died later that week • Popular when he died, but…• Overtime corruption and his failings ruined his

reputation as President

Coolidge Becomes President

• On August 2, 1923• Vice-President Calvin

Coolidge receives news of Harding’s death

• Took the Oath of Office as dawn broke

Coolidge – The Man

• Brought up in rural Vermont• His father owned a local store, was an active

Republican• Graduated from a college in Amherst, MA• Took up law and politics after college• Worked his way up in the Republican party

Coolidge

• Where have we heard of Calvin Coolidge?

Coolidge – The Politician

• Elected governor of Massachusetts• Became famous by handling the Boston Police Strike

Coolidge – Taking Office

• His honest helped him deal with the erupting scandals– Removed all officials

suspected of corruption• Known as “Silent Cal”– Hated small talk

• Well-liked– Ran again and reelected in

1924

Coolidge - Policies• PRO-BUSINESS• Believed in the power of

business• Believed that government

took away resources businesses could use

• Business would fuel America’s growth– Promote arts and sciences– Fund charities

• LIMITED GOVERNMENT• Worked to weaken

regulations on industry• “Active inactivity”– Proposed few laws,

policies

• Stopped plan to help farmers

• Vetoed bill to provide bonus to WWI vets

Coolidge – Indian Citizenship

• Did introduce the Indian Citizenship Act

• Stated that all Indians born in the U.S. were granted citizenship

• A long struggle for Native Americans

Coolidge’s End

• Coolidge’s presidency had led to an era of good times, but…

• As the election of 1928 approached Calvin Coolidge declared:

• “I do not choose to run for President in 1928.”

• And the nation was stunned.

Assignment• Imagine that it is 1924 and

you are Calvin Coolidge’s campaign team who will be helping him win the 1924 election. You need to write Coolidge’s platform for the Presidency addressing how he will:– Work to limit the damage of

the scandals– Restore the reputation of the

presidency– Promote pro-business policies– Promote arts and sciences – Fund charities– Limit the role of government

• Once you have written your platform, you need to create a media campaign promoting your ideas.

• Develop a slogan and then you can make campaign posters, buttons, etc. for the 1924 election.

For next class…

• Complete your campaign platforms and promotional materials.– Either delegate what people need to do or find time to

meet this weekend.– We will present these on Monday!

• Check the blog for powerpoints