Shrinking Democracy during the 1920s Limits on Civil Liberties Red Scare Anti-Immigration Rise of the KKK

Limits on Civil Liberties The Espionage Act, passed in 1917, made it a crime to obstruct military recruitment and it authorized the Postmaster General to deny mailing privileges to any material he considered treasonous or harmful to the war effort. The Sedition Act, passed in 1918, made it illegal to “utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous or abusive language” about the government, the Constitution, the flag, the armed forces or even the “uniform of the Army or Navy.” Wartime limits on civil liberties were used after the war during the 1920s against protestors at home.

Red Scare & Anti-immigration Italian anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were arrested outside Boston in 1920 and charged with robbing and killing a shoe factory paymaster and his guard. Though a prosecutor insisted they would be tried for murder and "nothing else," their radical politics remained a focus of the 1921 trial. They were convicted and executed in 1927 Reflected the concerns about Bolshevik Revolution and spread of Socialist ideas in America.

Red Scare & Anti-Immigration: Foreign Fears Come Home Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in Russia. During the Red Scare, Americans feared that if a small radical group could seize power in Russia, the same could happen in the U.S. April 1919, the postal service intercepted nearly 40 bombs addressed to prominent citizens, and the fears turned to flames. In 1919, anarchists bombed a government official’s house. Reflects fear that immigrants were “radicals” who would spread communism

Acts Against Immigrants: Nativism Palmer Raids: On New Year's Day 1920 Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer detained some 6,000 suspected Communists. There were no trials, but many deportations. Anti-Immigration Laws: Congress passed the Immigration Acts of 1921, 1923 and 1924 that limited immigration based on the country of origin. This set off mass deportations and illegal immigration. Limited number of immigrants from Eastern Europe to 2% the number already in the US Allowed almost no Asians into the US Anti-immigration sentiments were expressed in law, court cases and individual acts, such as the Milwaukee shooting of an immigrant, who refused to sing the national anthem at a ball game.

Rise of the KKK "..beyond any doubt the KKK is the largest and most cohesive, most efficiently organized political force in the state…" Denver Post, 1925 1925 Downtown Denver KKK rally KKK member Clarence Morley serves as Colorado governor 1925-1927

“Come unto me, ye opprest” European Anarchist- on shirt in background Point- What main point is the cartoonist making with this cartoon? Evidence- What evidence can you find in the cartoon that supports the point? Analysis- Do you think this cartoon was successful in making its point? Did it fall short? Explain.