Unit 8 Vocabulary

Prohibition 18th amendment makes alcohol illegal This led to speakeasies (illegal saloons) and bootlegging (smuggling alcohol) Also increased organized crime and shaped culture of 1920s

Woman Suffrage 19th amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920 Women working during World War I contributed to the push to give women the right to vote

Red Scare Fear of communism and socialism during the 1920s Americans were suspicious of immigrants, communists and anarchists, especially after the communist revolution in Russia Led to restrictions on immigration like the Emergency Quota Act

Henry Ford Makes the automobile affordable by mass producing the Model-T on an assembly line

Radio Radios became more affordable during the 1920s and most Americans owned one. People listened to the radio for performances, sports, news, and speeches

Movies The film industry revolutionized American entertainment Movies became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the 1920s and movie stars fascinated Americans In the 1920s, “talkies” or movies with sound were introduced

Jazz Popular form of music during the 1920s Began in New Orleans in the early 20th century, but became most popular during the 1920s Uniquely American, jazz is a mixture of African drumbeats, traditional spirituals, blues, European instruments and ragtime

Louis Armstrong Jazz musician and trumpet player Revolutionized jazz by bringing personal expression to his music

Harlem Renaissance Literary and artistic movement in the 1920s celebrating African American culture Centered in the Harlem community in New York City

Langston Hughes Harlem Renaissance poet He wrote about the everyday lives of working people and African Americans during the time period

Irving Berlin American songwriter during the 1920s Wrote “God Bless America” Part of Tin Pan Alley – district in New York City known for song writers, composers and music publishers

Great Depression Period lasting from 1929 to 1940, in which the U.S. economy was in severe decline and millions of Americans were unemployed Causes: Overproduction, Underconsumption, Stock market speculation, and Dust Bowl

Underconsumption Americans were not buying as much as the economy began to slow down by the late 1920s This contributed to the declining economy and business failures because industries continued to produce as much as before despite the decline in consumerism

Overproduction Industries were making more than people were buying This surplus in products contributed to the declining American economy that led to the Great Depression

Stock Market Speculation During the 1920s, people bought stocks and bonds on the chance of a quick profit, while ignoring the risks As a result, the high price of stocks during this time period did not reflect value Eventually led to Stock Market Crash of 1929

Stock Market Crash of 1929 Black Tuesday – October 1929 Due to stock market speculation and buying on margin (buying stocks on credit) the value of stocks dropped drastically This led to economic crisis – even Americans who did not invest panicked, banks and businesses failed as well

Dust Bowl The region, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico that was made worthless for farming by drought and dust storms during the 1930s Causes: Over farming on the Great Plains, Drought, Windstorms Effect: Farm families were forced to leave and many moved further west

Hoovervilles Shantytowns that developed during the Great Depression because of widespread unemployment. People lost their homes and had no where else to go They were called Hoovervilles because Americans blamed Hoover for not providing direct aid to help them

Widespread Unemployment By 1933, 25% of the workforce was unemployed and millions more could only find part-time work. There were over 2 million homeless Americans migrating around the U.S. Men often left home to look for work, and families without shelter were often forced to live in places like Hoovervilles

New Deal President Franklin Roosevelt’s program to address the problems of the Great Depression Focused on relief for the needy, economic recovery and financial reform

Eleanor Roosevelt President Roosevelt’s wife She helped convince FDR to provide help to those in need, supported civil rights and encouraged FDR to appoint women to federal government positions

Neutrality Act Law passed by Congress to keep the U.S. out of future wars and to challenge FDR’s attempts to reach out to the world This law was passed because Americans wanted to maintain a policy of isolationism

TVA Tennessee Valley Authority Works program that was a part of the New Deal Provided jobs and brought electricity to rural areas by building dams (effort to control the environment)

Wagner Act Contributes to the rise of industrial unionism by protecting workers’ right to join unions Also prohibited unfair labor practices and included laws to improve working conditions

Social Security Act Passed as a part of the Second New Deal to provide additional aid to those in need Provided old-age insurance, unemployment and aid to families with children and the disabled

Huey Long Politician from Louisiana who challenged FDR He proposed a social program called “Share Our Wealth” and argued that the New Deal wasn’t doing enough to help the Americans who needed it most

“Court packing” Bill FDR proposed adding 6 new justices to the Supreme Court because the conservative Supreme Court frequently overturned his New Deal legislation Many people felt he was trying to have too much power and violating separation of powers