Normalcy and Good Times: Presidential Politics 1920 - 1926 Chapter 16 Section 1

Objective TSWBAT analyze presidential politics of the 1920s by examining Harding and Coolidge’s policies.

The Harding Administration In 1920, when Warren G. Harding ran for president his campaign slogan “Return to Normalcy,” helped him win the presidency. Why would it be important to Americans to get back to normal after the War?

President Harding

Harding Harding made a few distinguished appointments to the cabinet, but most appointments were given to friends. E.g. Herbert Hoover (Secretary of commerce). He gave many political appointments to friends from Ohio. The group became known as the Ohio Gang. This led to corruption Col. Forbes (head of the Veterans Bureau) was caught selling supplies from veteran hospitals for personal gain. This cost the taxpayer $200m.

OHIO GANG

The Teapot dome scandal Harding’s secretary of the interior, Albert B. Fall, secretly allowed private interests to lease lands containing U.S. Navy oil reserves at Teapot Dome, Wyoming. He received bribes totaling over $300,000. Fall was the first cabinet officer in history to go to prison.

Tea Pot dome scandal What is the message of this cartoon? What does the elephant represent? Who is associated with the scandal? How are the Democratic Party members responding to the scandal?

↑ Teapot Dome, WY, oil fields are to the near this location.

Another scandal… Another Harding administration scandal involved Attorney General Harry Daugherty. He had been Harding’s campaign manager. He refused to turn over files and bank records for a German-owned American company. This company had been seized during WWI as enemy property. A portion of a bribe (paid by a German agent to receive patents) were found in a Ohio bank account that Daugherty controlled. The new president, Calvin Coolidge, demanded Daugherty’s resignation. What do you think would be the effect of scandal on President Harding’s reputation?

The Coolidge Administration Vice-President Calvin Coolidge became president after Harding’s death while still president. His focus was on prosperity through business leadership with little government intervention. Business leaders should oversee business, not the gov’t. He easily won the Republican Party’s nomination for president in 1924.

Election of 1924 The Democratic Party’s candidate was John W. Davis. Those not supporting either candidate formed a new Progressive Party with Robert M. La Follette as their candidate. Coolidge won the 1924 election easily. Republicans used the slogan “Keep Cool with Coolidge”. He promised to give the United States the normalcy that Harding had not.

Summary