1920's, The Great Depression and the New Deal

The Second Industrial Revolution Innovation U.S. develops the highest standard of living in the world The twenties and the second revolution electricity replaces steam modern assembly introduced Airplanes – Charles Lindbergh – first solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean (1927)

Socially transforming innovations electricity electric lightbulb (1880's – 1924 the Phoebus cartel) automobile mass production – assembly line Fordism radio

Scientific Advancements and Conservatism The Scopes Trial (1925) Eugenics – Immigration Act of 1924

The Automobile Industry Auto makers stimulate sales through model changes, advertising Auto industry fosters other businesses Autos encourage suburban sprawl

Patterns of Economic Growth Structural change professional managers replace individual entrepreneurs corporations become the dominant business form Big business weakens regionalism, brings uniformity to America

Glenwood Stove Ad

Economic Weaknesses Railroads poorly managed Coal displaced by petroleum Farmers face decline in exports, prices Growing disparity between income of laborers, middle-class managers Middle class speculates with idle money

City Life in the Jazz Age Rapid increase in urban population Skyscrapers symbolize the new mass culture Communities of home, church, and school are absent in the cities

Women and the Family Ongoing crusade for equal rights “Flappers” seek individual freedom Most women remain in domestic sphere Discovery of adolescence teenaged children no longer need to work indulge their craving for excitement

The Roaring Twenties Decade notable for obsessive interest in celebrities Sex becomes an all-consuming topic of interest in popular entertainment

The Flowering of the Arts Alienation from 20s’ mass culture "Exiled" American writers put U.S. in forefront of world literature T.S. Eliot Ernest Hemingway F. Scott Fitzgerald Harlem Renaissance--African Americans prominent in music, poetry

The Rural Counterattack Rural Americans identify urban culture with Communism, crime, immorality Progressives attempt to force reform on the American people upsurge of bigotry an era of repression

The Fear of Radicalism 1919-- “Red Scare” illegal roundups of innocent people forcible deportation of aliens terrorism against “radicals,” immigrants 1927-- Sacco and Vanzetti executed

Prohibition 1918--18th Amendment ratified 1920--Volstead Act prohibits production, sale, or transport of alcoholic beverages Consumption of alcohol reduced Prohibition resented in urban areas Bootlegging becomes big business 1933--18th amendment repealed

The Ku Klux Klan 1925--Klan membership hits 5 million Attack on urban culture, inhabitants Defense of traditional rural values Klan seeks to win U.S. by persuasion Violence, internal corruption result in Klan’s virtual disappearance by 1930

Immigration Restriction 1924--Congress restricts all immigration Preferential quotas to northern Europeans Mexican immigrants exempt from quota

The Fundamentalist Challenge Fundamentalism: stress on traditional Protestant orthodoxy, biblical literalism 1925--Scopes Trial discredits fundamentalism among intellectuals “Modernists” gain mainline churches Fundamentalists strengthen grassroots appeal in new churches

Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover Republican presidents appeal to traditional American values Harding scandals break after his death Coolidge represents America in his austerity and rectitude Hoover represents the self-made man

The Election of 1928 Democrat Al Smith carries urban vote governor of New York Roman Catholic Republican Herbert Hoover wins race Midwesterner Protestant Religion the campaign’s decisive issue

The Great Crash 1928--soaring stock prices attract individual, corporate investment 1929--stock market crashes directly affects 3 million credit crunch stifles business Businesses lay off workers Demand for consumer goods declines

Effects of the Depression Hardship affects all classes The middle class loses belief in ever-increasing prosperity Thousands of young homeless, jobless

Fighting the Depression Republican attempts to overcome catastrophe flounder Depression gives Democrats opportunity to regain power

Hoover and Voluntarism Hoover initially seeks solution through voluntary action, private charity Eventually aids farmers and bankers Resists Democratic efforts to give direct aid to the unemployed perceived as indifferent to human suffering programs seen as incompetent

Bank Failures, 1929-1933

The Emergence of Roosevelt Franklin Roosevelt born to wealth and privilege 1921--crippled by polio 1928--elected governor of New York talented politician 1932--defeats Hoover with farmer- worker-immigrant-Catholic coalition

The Hundred Days Banking system saved from collapse Fifteen major laws provide relief New Deal aims to reform and restore, not nationalize, the economy

Roosevelt and Recovery National Recovery Administration industries formulate codes to eliminate cut-throat competition, ensure labor peace codes favor big business, unenforceable 1935--NRA ruled unconstitutional Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 farmers paid to take land out of cultivation prices increase sharecroppers, tenant farmers dispossessed

Roosevelt and Relief 1933--Harry Hopkins placed in charge of RFC to direct aid to unemployed 1933--Civilian Conservation Corps provides employment to young people 1935--Works Progress Administration place unemployed on federal payroll Programs never sufficiently funded

Roosevelt and Reform 1933-34--focus on immediate problems 1935--shift to permanent economic reform

Challenges to FDR Father Charles Coughlin advocates nationalizing banks, anti-Semitism Francis Townsend calls for wealth redistribution from young to the elderly Huey Long calls for redistribution of wealth by seizing private fortunes

Social Security 1935--Social Security Act passed Criticisms too few people would collect pensions unemployment package inadequate Establishes pattern of government aid to poor, aged, handicapped

Labor Legislation 1935--Wagner Act 1938--Fair Labor Standard Act allows unions to organize outlaws unfair labor practices 1938--Fair Labor Standard Act maximum hour minimum wage

Impact of the New Deal Had a broad influence on the quality of life in the U.S. in the 1930s Helps labor unions most Helps women, minorities least

Rise of Organized Labor 1932--National Recovery Act spurs union organizers Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO) formed by John L. Lewis CIO unionizes steel, auto industries 1940--CIO membership hits 5 million, 28% of labor force unionized

The New Deal Record on Help to Minorities Crop reduction program allows whites to fire or evict blacks, Hispanics Public works programs help by providing employment New Deal figures convince minorities that the government is on their side 1934--Indian Reorganization Act gives American Indians greater control

Women at Work Position of women deteriorates in ‘30s jobs lost at a faster rate than men hardly any New Deal programs help Progress in government Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor, the first woman cabinet member women appointed to several other posts Eleanor Roosevelt a model for activism

End of the New Deal 1936--New Deal peaks with Roosevelt’s reelection Congress resists programs after 1936

The Election of 1936 FDR’s campaign attacks the rich promises further reforms defeats Republican Alf Landon Democrats win lopsided majorities in both houses of Congress FDR coalition: South, cities, labor, ethnic groups, African Americans, poor

The Supreme Court Fight Supreme Court blocks several of FDR’s first-term programs 1937--FDR seeks right to "pack" Court Congressional protest forces retreat FDR’s opponents emboldened

The New Deal in Decline 1936--cutbacks for relief agencies 1937--severe slump hits economy Roosevelt blamed, resorts to huge government spending 1938--Republican party revives

The New Deal and American Life New Deal’s limitations depression not ended economic system not fundamentally altered little done for those without political clout Achievements Social Security, the Wagner Act political realignment of the 1930s