Chapter Ninth Edition America: Past and Present America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Transition to Modern America 25

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Second Industrial Revolution U.S. emerges from war as powerful nation – from debtor nation to creditor nation Develops the highest standard of living in the world Industrial output doubles Explosive growth in consumer-goods 1920s - second industrial revolution - Electricity replaced steam - Modern assembly introduced

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Automobile Industry Mass production of the auto lowers prices from $950 to $250 Marketing crucial to growth of auto sales – promote new models Auto industry fostered other businesses Autos encouraged suburban sprawl Auto completely changed American life – the car ruled

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Patterns of Economic Growth New technologies meant new industries such as radio and motion pictures Technology – key to new affluence Structural change –Professional managers replace individual entrepreneurs –Corporations become the dominant business form

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Patterns of Economic Growth Marketing and national brands spread Big business weakened regionalism, brought uniformity to America Consumer goods revolution disguised decline of traditional industries

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Glenwood Stove Ad

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Economic Weaknesses Railroads poorly managed and competition from trucking industry Coal displaced by petroleum, natural gas Cotton textile mills decline – new synthetic fabrics Agriculture – weakest area of economy - overproduction brought decline in prices

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands WORKERS Growing disparity between income of laborers and middle and upper-classes American worker did not share in this boom time Labor unions were weakened “yellow dog” contracts Portrayed as radical Injunctions

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands City Life Major demographic shift – people move from country to cities Rapid increase in urban population Skyscrapers symbolized the new mass culture Focus shifted to city for entertainment

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Women and the Family Ongoing crusade for equal rights “Flappers” sought individual freedom Most women remained in domestic sphere Nineteenth Amendment had less impact on woman than expected American family became smaller – more birth control

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Rural Counterattack Shift in population led to heightened social tensions Rural Americans preserve traditional values and identify urban culture with Communism, crime, immorality as evil Urban progressives attempt to force reform on the American people War encouraged nationalistic spirit and a dislike of immigrants

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Fear of Radicalism 1919: “Red Scare” – outgrowth of nationalism after WW I – undercurrent of intolerance A. Mitchell Palmer lead attack –Illegal roundups of innocent people –Forcible deportation of aliens –Terrorism against “radicals,” immigrants 1927: Sacco and Vanzetti executed Italian immigrants and anarchists – justice system compromised

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Prohibition 18th Amendment gives federal government power to pass Volstead Act of prohibiting production, sale, or transport of alcoholic beverages Consumption of alcohol reduced Prohibition resented in cities Bootlegging/crime became big business and criminals benefit most from prohibition 1933: 18th amendment repealed Prohibition bred a disrespect for the law

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Ku Klux Klan Rebirth 1915 in Georgia: Klan membership hit 5 million Target blacks, Catholics, women, Jews – anyone different Attack on urban culture Defends traditional rural values Klan sought to win U.S. by persuasion Sexual and financial scandals resulted in Klan’s virtual disappearance by 1930

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Immigration Restriction 1924: National Origins Act Reflected nativism in America Fear that immigrants would take American jobs Quotas favored northern Europeans Mexican immigrants exempted from quota Most enduring achievement of the rural counterattack Issue today: Open immigration vs. restrictive legislation

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Fundamentalist Challenge Fundamentalism: Stress on traditional literal interpretation of the Bible Science vs. religion/Bible Scopes put on trial for teaching theory of evolution (against law in Tennessee) 1925: Scopes Trial discredited fundamentalism among intellectuals Divide between science and fundamentalists Fundamentalists strengthened grassroots appeal in new churches

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Politics of the 1920s Republican party apparently dominant Democratic party split between urban and rural branches weaken Democratic party Urban wing of the Democratic party emerged as the most powerful force

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover Republican presidents, Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover appeal to traditional American values Harding scandals broke after his death Coolidge represented America in his austerity and honesty Hoover represented the self-made man

Copyright ©2011, ©2007, ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. America: Past and Present, Ninth Edition Divine Breen Frederickson Williams Gross Brands The Election of 1928 Democrat Al Smith carried urban vote –Governor of New York –Roman Catholic Republican Herbert Hoover won race –Midwesterner –Protestant Religion the campaign’s decisive issue Democrats have strength in cities