Bell Work: 11/23 Picturing History (page 701) – Review picture, read caption, copy and answer questions.

Chap. 24 “THE JAZZ AGE” Sec. 1 “Time of Turmoil” After WWI an atmosphere of distrust remained. Many were eager to return to normal life. They grew more and more suspicious of foreigners, foreign ideas, and those who held views different from their own. The Russian revolution deeply disturbed some Americans – Russian communists encouraged workers around the world to overthrow capitalism

The Red Scare The wave of fear of foreigners led to the Red Scare, a period when the government went after “Reds” – as Communists were known - and others with radical views. In 1919-1920 Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer & his deputy J. Edgar Hoover, ordered arrests and staged raids of people suspected of being communists. In time people realized the danger was greatly exaggerated – The Red Scare passed but the fear underlying it remained.

Sacco & Vanzetti Two Italian immigrants Nicola Sacco & Bartolomeo Vanzetti were arrested for robbing a shoe factory and killing a guard & paymaster. They were tried & convicted & sentenced to death. They were executed in 1927 while proclaiming their innocence. The Sacco Vanzetti case suggested the depth of feelings against foreigners & radicals in the U.S. in the 1920s.

Labor Unrest During the war years labor and management had put aside their differences. When the war ended, conflict flared anew. Workers demanded increases in wages. They staged more than 2500 strikes in 1919. The wave of strikes fueled American fear of the Bolsheviks & radicals.

Strikes Sweep Country 350,000 Steelworkers went on strike Police officers in Boston went on strike – officials fired entire Boston Police Dept. A growing feeling against unions led to a drop in union membership in 1920s. African American A. Philip Randolph started the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and would later emerge as a leader of the civil rights movements.

Racial Unrest During WWI more than 500,000 African Americans had left the South for new jobs in the North. Many northern white resented African American competition for jobs. In 1919 rising racial tensions led to violence. Many African Americans turned to Marcus Garvey who founded Universal Negro Improvement Association to promote racial unity and pride. He also supported a “back to Africa” movement.