Politics in the 1920s How Exciting…

Republican Revolution Warren G. Harding Former Governor and Senator from Ohio Elected in 1920 Republican Appeared to be “Presidential” Promised in his campaign slogan a “Return to Normalcy” After World War I, that’s what people were looking for Harding sought to bring a peaceful and prosperous future to America

Germany after WWI “War Guilt Clause” Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles Required Germany to take responsibility for the damage done in World War I Forced Germany to pay reparations for the war ($442 billion in 2017 money) Germany must disarm Rampant inflation and political unrest plagued Germany for the next decade

Hitler’s rise to power Germans were alienated by the harshness of the Treaty of Versailles Poverty and political unrest were the result of the rampant inflation Adolf Hitler seized upon this upheaval to take control of the German government Promised to toss out the Treaty of Versailles Make the German nation proud and strong again

Communism and the Red Scare Russian Bolsheviks gained total control of the government Overthrew the interim government Won a civil war challenging their power Changed the name to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and adopted a communist economic platform The Bolsheviks marching on Red Square in 1917

Communism Type of Economy Government owns all land and property A single political party controls the government The needs of the country always takes priority over the needs of the individuals Vladimir Lenin, Communist Leader of the USSR believed that and isolated communist country could not survive Fought for the spread of communism Americans would resist the spread of communism Fear of the spread of Communism and the actions taken to protest and undermine it in America became known as The Red Scare

Red Scare grips America Radicals wanted known communists jailed or expelled from the country Newspapers excited American fears of communism Schenck v. United States Anti-war activist during World War I O.K.’d the silencing of free speech when there is “a clear and present danger to America” Gitlow v. New York Bernard Gitlow was an anarchist who called for the overthrow of the American Government Upheld Gitlow’s state conviction of criminal anarchy while at the same time ruling that the Bill of Rights cannot be violated by the state governments

Sacco and Vanzetti Italian anarchists who were convicted of armed robbery Most people felt that they were arrested because they were immigrants Questions about the fairness of the trials Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in the electric chair for the crime Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti

The Harding Presidency Harding was a below average leader Doubted his own abilities Creditability questioned by the opposition Favored isolationism Avoiding political and economic entanglements with foreign nations Red Scare makes this difficult, as well as creating a hostile environment for immigrants Harding’s policies and practices become increasingly unpopular with the American people

Harding the worst? Disorganized and ineffective administration Many scandals Many in Harding's administration were convicted of bribery and accepting kickbacks Many destroyed important papers and then committed suicide Harding’s administration is filled with political cronies and unqualified people

The Teapot Dome Scandal The most serious and public scandal during the administration Teapot Dome, Wyoming Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall sold drilling rights in the Teapot Dome oil reserves to private oil companies Accepted gifts and kickbacks Went to prison Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall

Calvin Coolidge Harding died in office Succeeded by Vice-President Calvin Coolidge “The chief business of the American people is business” President Calvin Coolidge (R – MA)

Coolidge tries to avoid war Favored Harding’s policy of isolationism Preferred to leave foreign policy decision to his Secretary of State Frank Kellog Orchestrated the Kellog-Briand Pact 15 nations pledged not to threaten war in their dealings with one another Secretary of State Frank B. Kellog