The Roaring 20s Unit Overview

Organizing Principle The “Roaring Twenties” were an oddity in a sense as they were ushered in on Warren G. Harding’s campaign slogan, “a return to normalcy.” On one hand, this decade is largely marked by isolationism and a McKinley style conservatism in the political realm. On the other hand, this period of introversion displays a radical cultural shift in the American identity that challenged rural American traditions. In this sense, the decade of the 1920s was largely a departure from normalcy.

The Red Scare Origins—“nativism” and isolationism Instances Exporting the Bolshevik revolution Immigration American Communist Party (tiny) Instances The Palmer Raids Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer Believed 6,000 people arrested—bombs galore Buford-Red Ark Labor crushed “commie!” Sacco and Vanzetti Italian anarchists Palmer was also known as the “Fighting Quaker”

Ku Klux Klan Second manifestation Demographics Tactics Downfall Discrimination against: foreigners, Catholics, blacks, Jews, pacifists, communists, bootleggers, evolutionists, gambling, adultery, et cetera… Demographics WASPs—fundamentalists Midwest and Bible Belt Tactics Burning crosses and violence Downfall Corruption Violence

Stemming the Foreign Flood 1920-1921: 800,000 immigrants arrived Lazarus taken literally Emergency Quota Act (1921) 3% of 1910 census from national origins Immigration Act (1924) 2% of 1890 census Discriminates against southern and eastern Europe U.S. repeals Gentlemen’s Agreement No restrictions on Western Hemisphere Canada, Mexico, and Latin America

Quota System

Labor Unrest Labor during WWI Strike! Strike! Strike! Strikes were illegal Strike! Strike! Strike! 1919—over 3,000 strikes Labor movement painted red Boston Police Strike Crushed by MA governor Calvin Coolidge Steel Mill Strike Crushed with violence Coal Miner’s Strike John L. Lewis—success! 27% pay increase Labor loses appeal in the 20s

The Ascent of Harding Harding’s character Cabinet Plus—friendly, statesmen looking Minus—mediocre in ideas, couldn’t say no Cabinet The “Ohio Gang” Harding’s poker playing cronies Best and Worst Minds

Splendid Isolation Geneva Health Convention Middle East “unofficial observers” Middle East “black gold”—exploited by American companies Washington Naval Conference (1921-22) Wealthy don’t want to finance navy Naval disarmament—10 year “holiday” 5:5:3 Proceed with caution Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) Outlaws war as a policy*

Economics of the 20s Andrew Mellon: Treasury Secretary Tax policies encourage capital investment Increased productivity Machines and energy Markets Advertisements Need/Want confusion? Buying on credit Installment plan Superficial prosperity

Tariffs Republicans favor big business Results Fordney-McCumber Tariff (1922) Raises tax to 38.5% Tariff Commission empowers president 32 upward changes Results European war debts Britain and France cannot repay debts Dawes Plan—loans to Germany Retaliatory tariffs Exacerbated the international economic crisis

Harding Harangued Scandals Harding’s death prevents full investigation Charles R. Forbes—Veteran’s Bureau Steals $200,000,000 from hospital construction funds 2 years in jail Teapot Dome Scandal Albert B. Fall—SOI—transfers oil rich lands to the Interior Dept. Fall illegally leases land for bribes ($400,000) Illegal sale of pardons and liquor permits Harding’s death prevents full investigation

“After all, the chief business of the American people is business.” “Silent Cal” Conservative New Englander Famed for breaking up a Boston Police Strike Supports big business Supports Mellon’s tax cuts Mid-Twenties boom 5 ½ years of prosperity “After all, the chief business of the American people is business.”