The 1920s: Values in Conflict

Religion Modernists- took historical/critical views of certain passages in the Bible; believed they could accept Darwin’s theory of evolution and still maintain their faith Fundamentalists- believed every word in the Bible must be accepted as literally true Creationism was the foundation of fundamentalism Fundamentalists blamed modernists for a general decline in morality across the country

Revivalists on the Radio Religious revivals swept through America periodically since the Great Awakening 1920s revivalists preached a fundamentalist message, but did so for the first time using mass media (the radio)

The Scopes Trial Highlighted the debate between fundamentalists and modernists Tennessee outlawed the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution in public schools ACLU wanted to challenge the constitutionality of these laws Convinced biology teacher John Scopes to teach evolution to his class Scopes was arrested and tried in 1925

The Scopes Trial Scopes was defended by Clarence Darrow William Jennings Bryan represented the fundamentalists, and testified as an expert on the Bible Scopes was convicted, but it was later overturned Throughout the trial, Darrow and the modernists had thoroughly discredited fundamentalism as fact Questions about the relationship between religion and public schools remains highly controversial

Prohibition The adoption of the 18th Amendment and a federal law to enforce it was the culmination of many decades of work by the temperance movement Prohibition did not stop people from drinking Became fashionable to go to clubs/bars known as speakeasies where bootleg liquor was sold Police, judges, and politicians often looked the other way

Prohibition Rival groups of gangsters often fought for control of the lucrative bootlegging trade Organized crime became a huge business Millions made from the sale of booze led gangs to expand other enterprises Prostitution, gambling, narcotics Prohibition directly contributed to the rise of organized crime and a black market for alcohol

Repeal of Prohibition Supporters of the 18th Amendment pointed out the decline in alcoholism and alcohol-related deaths Growing public resentment against prohibition and the rise of organized crime, plus economic arguments in the early years of the Great Depression led to the repeal of prohibition in 1933 The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment- prohibition was over

Nativism Immigration shot up after the end of WWI Over a million foreigners entered the U.S. between 1919 and 1921 These newer arrivals were mainly Catholics and Jews from eastern and southern Europe Nativist prejudices came back in full force Job competition, fears of socialist or communist revolutions Congress responded to public pressure by passing a number of quota laws

Quota Laws First Quota Act of 1921- a maximum of 375,000 foreigners could enter the country Second quota act of 1924- set even more quotas, mainly aimed at groups considered “undesirable” 1927- quota for all Asians and eastern and southern Europeans had been limited to 150,000 All Japanese immigrants had been barred Canadians and Latin Americans were exempt from these quotas 500,000 Mexicans migrated legally to the Southwest during the 1920s

The Sacco and Vanzetti Case Two Italian immigrants convicted of robbery and murder in 1921 Liberals protested the trial Claimed the two men were accused, convicted, and sentenced to death because of their Italian and anarchist background After six years of appeals and debates over the fairness of the trial, Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in 1927

The Ku Klux Klan Most extreme expression of nativism was the resurgence of the KKK This new Klan used modern advertising techniques to attract members 5 million by 1925; mostly middle-lower class white Protestants Also focused their hostility on Catholics, Jews, foreigners, Communists

The Ku Klux Klan Dressed in white hoods Burn crosses, apply vigilante justice Whips, tar and feather, lynching Developed a strong political influence Political officials and law enforcement did little to stop violence

The Ku Klux Klan Many native-born white Americans tolerated the Klan It vowed to uphold high standards of Christianity Fraud and corruption were rife in the KKK Leader of Indiana’s Klan was convicted of murder in 1925 Influence and membership declined rapidly Continued to advocate for white supremacy throughout the 20th Century Only small, splinter factions of the KKK remain scattered throughout the country

? What was the difference between modernists and fundamentalists? Give a brief timeline of what happened during the Scopes Trial What were some unforeseen consequences of prohibition? How is the Sacco and Vanzetti case related to nativism? What became the most extreme form of nativism in the 1920s?