Roaring Twenties

Overview Period from 1919 (end of WWI) to 1929 (Stock Market Crash) Decade of the 1920s was a period of prosperity and optimism

Overview When WWI had ended, most, Americans had more money to spend 1920s saw rapid advancements in communication and transportation

Overview 1920s were nicknamed the “Roaring Twenties,” – a wild period where people abandoned old traditions

Prohibition 18th Amendment (passed in 1919) to the Constitution made it illegal to buy or sell alcohol Congress passed the Volstead Act to enforce Prohibition, but it was not effective

Prohibition Although taverns and bars closed, illegal taverns called “speakeasies” popped up Smuggling of alcohol was common, often done by crime organizations like the Mafia, or La Cosa Nostra (our thing in Italian) Prohibition = Unpopular

Al Capone Mafia leader in Chicago and the #1 bootlegger Chicago = very corrupt in the 1920s Capone = brutal & ruthless = responsible for many murders

Al Capone Battled Irish gangs for control of illegal bootlegging Capone nicknames: “Scarface,” or “Mayor of Chicago”

Al Capone St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929) Capone murdered 7 gangsters from Bugs Moran’s Irish gang in Chicago

The Untouchables Capone opposed by Federal Agent Elliott Ness FBI men nicknamed = G-Men (for Government Man) Ness had a small band of men nicknamed “Untouchables” – because they couldn’t be bribed Ness finally got Capone indicted for income tax evasion (1931) --- Capone served 8 years

Politics of the 1920s Republican Warren Harding, a senator from Ohio, was elected in 1920 as President Harding was pro-business, and attempted to lower taxes and decrease government spending

Politics of the 1920s Harding. However, is remembered for the political scandals that wrecked his administration When he became President, Harding brought friends from Ohio – called the Ohio Gang – to Washington, D.C. as advisers

Tea Pot Dome Scandal Worst scandal of Harding’s administration One of Harding’s cabinet members leased government oil reserves to oil men who gave him kickbacks Harding’s administration went down as the most corrupt in history

President Calvin Coolidge Harding died in office in 1923 Calvin Coolidge, Harding’s VP, took office when he died Personality = very dry and quiet Nicknamed = Silent Cal

President Calvin Coolidge Hands-off President – believed government should stay out of business affairs Wanted to create a climate where business would prosper – quote: “America’s Business is Business”

The Golden Age of Sports

The Golden Age of Sports 1920s = The Golden Age of sports Top sports of the decade = baseball, boxing and college football

Babe Ruth George Herman “Babe” Ruth was the top athlete of the 1920s and the most famous athlete in U.S. history

Babe Ruth Ruth was most famous for playing right field for the New York Yankees, and for hitting towering home runs Because so many people paid to see him play, Yankee Stadium is called “The House that Ruth built”

Babe Ruth Ruth nicknames = The Great Bambino...The Sultan of Swat

Babe Ruth Ruth started out in baseball playing for the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher/outfielder He was both the best hitter and pitcher in baseball at the same time

Babe Ruth He was traded to the New York Yankees in the early 1920s It was with the Yankees where he achieved his greatest fame

College Football Red Grange, a halfback at Illinois, was nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost” Grange earned fame in 1924 by scoring 5 touchdowns and accounting for 402 yards vs. Michigan

Notre Dame Football In the 1920’s, the nation became fascinated by Notre Dame, a small Catholic school in Indiana that won almost all their games and 4 national titles

Knute Rockne The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were coached by Knute Rockne in the 1920s He was famous for giving stirring pep talks Considered the greatest coach of the 20th Century winning 89% of his games

George Gipp Notre Dame running back and first All-American Died of pneumonia in 1920 Eight years later, Rockne asked his team to “Win one for the Gipper,” beating Army 13-6

Heavyweight Jack Dempsey dazzled fans by knocking out opponents Boxing Heavyweight Jack Dempsey dazzled fans by knocking out opponents

Other Sports Bobby Jones dominated golf and began the Master’s Tournament in Augusta, Georgia Tennis star Bill Tilden became the first great American tennis player