The 1920s A Reactionary America BACKGROUND: Post World War I, America was a rapidly changing society. Americans were disillusioned with widespread death and destruction after World War I. The Great Migration and immigration created a more diverse America. Economic wealth and prosperity was now the norm. New scientific ideas were on the rise. While many of these changes were positive, overall…so much change, so fast, led to an America that often reacted quickly and irrationally to all this change. Two of the most reactionary events of the 1920’s were the Rise of Xenophobia and the Rise of Fundamentalism.

RISE OF XENOPHOBIA

The Russian Revolution In 1917, the Bolsheviks, a communist group, led by Lenin, seized control of Russia and established the Soviet Union. First Red Scare – panic over the spread of Soviet communism sweeps through America Bolsheviks = Communists Point out pictures of Lenin Lenin’s Tomb Soviet Flag U.S.S.R. Why would the U.S. be scared of communism? Direct threat to capitalism - Aetheistic - Workers unions established in America (Haymarket Square) 2 Communist Parties established in America

Communism Characteristics No private (personal) ownership of property Equal distribution of wealth Government control of industry/property No religion Very little personal freedoms (speech, press, protest, etc) John Lennon’s Imagine Direct threat to capitalism and Western society. Supply and Demand Difference between Socialism and Communism Socialism = Sweden, Norway, Canada Communism = North Korea, Cuba, China

Palmer Raids A. Mitchell Palmer (U.S. Attorney General)-rounds up suspected communists and deports them from the country.

Labor Union Problems Labor strikes fuel a fear of communism and a hatred of foreigners.

The New Ku Klux Klan The New Ku Klux Klan re-emerges as the movement achieves power. Nativism and xenophobia: Fear of immigrants, African Americans KKK spreads out of the South, northward Movie glorifying KKK, gains even more followers  Birth of a Nation – KKK WASP vs. Southern and Eastern Europe (closer to anarchists and communists)

Victims of Xenophobia or Guilty Murderers? Sacco & Vanzetti Victims of Xenophobia or Guilty Murderers?

Anarchists: All forms of gov’t should be abolished Both Italian immigrants Anarchists: All forms of gov’t should be abolished

Both accused of murdering a paymaster & shoe store security guard The Case Both accused of murdering a paymaster & shoe store security guard

Not impartial Trial Judge Referred to Sacco & Vanzetti as “Dagos” Xenophobia and hatred of communist style governments in Italy, caused prejudice in the trial, which was light on evidence

1927 Both convicted of murder & sentenced to death.

Vanzetti - I wish to say to you that I am innocent Vanzetti - I wish to say to you that I am innocent. I have never done a crime, some sins, but never any crime. I thank you for everything you have done for me. I am innocent of all crime, not only this one, but of all, of all. I am an innocent man.

The American Immigration Act of 1924 limited immigration from countries in South and Eastern Europe The massive influx of Europeans that had come to America during the first two decades of the century slowed to a trickle.

The RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM

Introduction America was changing in the 1920’s. One of the ideas that was changing was the idea of the theory of evolution. This scientific theory challenged the biblical story of creationism. The widespread reaction to new scientific ideas often was a rise in religious beliefs, extreme literal interpretations of the Bible known as fundamentalism.

John Scopes vs. Tennessee To test the idea if teaching evolution was “wrong”, the state of Tennessee put a biology teacher on trial. Otherwise known as the Monkey Trial. It attempted to settled the debate of “should evolution be taught in public schools.”

BACKGROUND The Butler Law banned evolution on the grounds of it being heresy to the Bible in 1925. It challenged the Biblical story of creationism. The America Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sought out teachers to test the Butler law.

John Thomas Scopes John Thomas Scopes was born in Paducah, Kentucky. His family moved to Illinois when he was a teenager. He eventually got a law degree from the University of Kentucky in 1924. He moved to Dayton, Tennessee where he became a football coach and a substitute teacher for Rhea County High School. He was 24 when he was asked to participate in the trial.

The Scopes Trial Due to the huge publicity of this issue, many well-known people stepped up to be apart of the trail. William Jennings Bryan who brought about the Butler law decided to be the prosecutor for the trial. Clarence Darrow was the high profile attorney that wanted to represent teacher Mr. Scopes in the trial. Pictured: Darrow and Bryan

The Trial John Scopes’ pleads not guilty. William Jennings Bryan takes the stand to defend fundamentalism and creationism, but cannot put forth provable facts to support his side. Darrow: “Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.”

The Ruling The jury deliberated for a total of 9 minutes. Scopes was found guilty and only had to pay $100 in fines. While Scopes lost, most of the radio listening public believed science and facts “won”.