America in the 1920’s

I.Rise of isolationism & nativism A.Americans return from WW1 disillusioned & frustrated with outside world B.Americans want to be left alone - isolationism

I. Rise of isolationism & nativism 1.Isolationism leads to nativism 2.Nativism leads to racism 3.Rise of new KKK, Immigration Acts, & Red Scare (fear of communists) a.New KKK- target anyone who isn’t white protestant throughout the country b.Immigration Quota Act of Limited annual number of immigrants

II. Red Scare A.Communists take over Russia B.Feared communists would take over world C.Problems caused by Red Scare 1.Palmer Raids – arrested people thought to be communist 2.Sacco & Vanzetti Case – Italian immigrants tried for murder & put to death (weren’t really guilty)

III. Rise of mass media A.New forms of entertainment & communication 1.Radio- broadcast Jazz & fireside chats 2.Movies – offer escape from harsh realities 3.Newspapers – shaped cultural norms 4.Magazines – shaped cultural norms B.Creation of American Culture 1.American heroes a.Charles Lindbergh – 1 st solo non-stop flight across Atlantic b.Amelia Earhart – 1 st woman non-stop flight across Atlantic c.George Herman “Babe” Ruth – baseball homerun king d.Jack Dempsey – boxing hero 2.Popularity of Jazz

Mass Media and Communications Radio - broadcast jazz and Fireside Chats When Franklin D. Roosevelt was governor of NY, he faced a conservative Republican legislature, so during legislative session he would occasionally address the citizens of New York directly. He appealed to them to help get his agenda passed. Letters would pour in following each of these "chats," which helped pressure legislators to pass measures Roosevelt had proposed.

Mass Media and Communications Movies - provided escape from Depression-era realities

Mass Media and Communications Newspapers and magazines - shaped cultural norms and sparked fads

IV. Jazz Age A.Night clubs & dance halls 1.Duke Ellington – famous Jazz composer 2.Louis Armstrong – famous Jazz trumpet player 3.Flappers – young women wore shorter skirts & short hair cuts (symbols of change) B.Harlem Renaissance 1.African-American novelists, poets, & artists celebrated their culture B.Lost Generation 1.American writers frustrated by WW1 looking for new meaning of life

V.Roaring 20’s A.Technological advances spur economy 1.Affordable automobiles, new roads a.Henry Ford b.Assembly line c.Model T B.Vacuum cleaners, movie industry, radio C.Everyone investing in stock market & making money

VI. Fundamentalism A.People feared changing society B.Feared society’s morals declining C.Try to preserve traditional way of life 1.Scopes Trial trial centered on Tennessee law banning teaching of evolution (clash between traditional religious beliefs & modern science) 2.Xenophobia (KKK) – hatred of foreigners 3.Prohibition – banning of alcohol use

Challenges to Traditional Values Traditional religion - Darwin’s Theory and Scopes Trial Informally known as the Scopes Monkey Trial—was an American legal case in 1925 in which high school biology teacher John Scopes was accused of violating the state's Butler Act which made it unlawful to teach evolution. Witnesses included modernists, who said religion was consistent with evolution, and fundamentalists who said the Bible trumped all human knowledge. The teaching of science and evolution expanded, as fundamentalist efforts to use state laws to reverse the trend had failed in the court of public opinion.

VII. Era of Prohibition A.Alcohol poisoning society B.* (not in notes) Immigrants known for consuming alcohol C.Prohibition starts with Temperance movement 1.Women led temperance movement 2.Women considered societies moral watchdog 3.Prohibition empowered women & led to passing of 19 th Amendment (voting rights)

VIII. Passing of 18 th Amendment (Prohibition ) A.Passed Jan. 16, 1920 B.Not very well accepted C.Proved difficult to enforce 1.Bootlegging – selling illegal alcohol 2.Speakeasies – illegal bar that sold alcohol D.Rise of organized crime 1.Al Capone – Chicago Italian mob boss during prohibition (known to murder competitors) 2.St. Valentines Day Massacre – 1929 murder of 7 mob members of Irish gang a.Capone suspected of ordering hit because members of rival gang led by Bug Moran