Chapter 12 Section 2 Notes The 1920 Election Wilson didn’t run again Wouldn’t have gotten elected anyway. Why? Even though we won, blamed for WWI Deaths and Injuries Economic Problems after war High unemployment, High prices on products Economy needed time to shift to peacetime products Fear (communism) and Strikes around the country

1920 Candidates

1920 Election Results Harding Wins Campaign Promise – Return the U.S. to “normalcy” WHY? See 1st Slide

Harding’s foreign policy goal Keep Peace around the World after WWI HOW?

Washington Naval Conference 5 major naval powers (U.S., England, France, Italy, Japan) U.S. represented by Sec. of State Charles Evans Hughes Agreed to not build any new war ships for 10 years Get rid of some existing ships (1st disarmament ever!) Didn’t include enough countries Russia, Germany (no navy… but still)

Kellogg-Briand Pact Signed by 15 major countries. Said they would never go to war Sounded good… but no way to enforce it Didn’t last very long

Europe after WWI England & France owe U.S. $$$ 2 possibilities How will they pay it back? 2 possibilities 1. Sell stuff to us. Fordney-McCumber tariff 60% tax on imports Done to help out U.S. businesses and farms *** SEE CARTOON for explanation Makes #1 hard to do. 2. Collect war $$$ they are owed Germany is broke and destroyed No way to pay it back France & England close to starting another war with Germany #2 can’t happen either

Dawes Plan Done to avoid war So, Germany owes U.S. $$$ instead Am. Banks lend $$$ to Germany Germany pays England & France England & France pays us back So, Germany owes U.S. $$$ instead Does U.S. ever get it all back? YES… IN OCTOBER OF 2010!!! 92 years after war ended http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2023140,00.html

Harding’s advisors Some were good Most were bad Hughes – Sec. of State later became Sup. Ct. Judge Hoover – Sec. of Commerce later became Pres. Mellon – Sec. of Treasury reduced national debt Most were bad Ohio gang Group of Harding’s friends Not qualified appointed them anyway Called patronage Used their positions to become wealthy (graft) Some caught, others just suspected

Biggest of many scandals Teapot Dome Scandal Biggest of many scandals U.S. govt. protected some land in the Western U.S. that had oil. Albert Fall (Sec. of Interior) Decided since it wasn’t being used, he’d lease the land to private oil companies and get paid. The land wasn’t his… it was owned by the U.S. Govt. convicted of felony bribery 1st Cabinet member ever to go to jail.

Harding Dies 2 and a half years into his presidency Country begins to return to normal… scandals didn’t help Exhaustion, Heart attack, suicide, or murder? Nobody knows for sure May have been prosecuted for involvement in Teapot Dome if it didn’t happen Clip on website