Karl Marx Wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848

Communism A political and economic ideology –Government ownership of all land and property –A classless society where wealth is distributed according to people’s needs –A single political party controlled by the government –The country’s needs are always more important than the individual

Bolsheviks Communists rebels who overthrew the Russian government in Nov Russian word for “majority” Led by Vladimir Lenin Their emblem was a red flag Their army was called the Red Army

Vladimir Lenin –Leader of 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia

The Red Scare An intense fear of communism and other radical political ideas that spread through the U.S. in the 1920’s Triggered by Communist take-over of Russia and Hungary and labor strikes in the U.S. Suspected communists were arrested and charged with sedition. Many were jailed, removed from office, or exiled.

Sedition Any action or language that incites rebellion against the authority of the government

The Red Scare: Democracy in danger?

Anarchists People who oppose any form of political authority

The Palmer Raids January, 1920 Attorney General, A. Mitchell Palmer Justice Department conducted a series of raids to arrest “radicals” and “subversives” Over 6,000 people arrested Many immigrants and aliens No search or arrest warrants Some detained without being charged 100’s deported

Bartolomeo Vanzetti & Nicola Sacco

Sacco-Vanzetti Trial April 1920 – Braintree, MA Guard and paymaster at a shoe factory were robbed and killed 2 Italian immigrants were arrested Convicted and sentenced to death Many believed that it was fear of their radical anarchist political beliefs that led to an unfair verdict April Both were electrocuted after years of appeals

The guilty verdict was protested internationally

How did American business owners keep American workers from violently rejecting capitalism for socialism

Welfare Capitalism In order to prevent more labor strikes, employers began to improve conditions by offering  Higher wages  Paid vacations  Health insurance  English classes

Warren G. Harding 29 th President 1921 – 1923 Republican From Ohio Campaign called for a return to “normalcy”

“Normalcy” Harding’s suggestion that the U.S. wished to return to a calm, normal way of life after the stressful events of the previous decade, such as Progressivism, World War I, and the Red Scare

Harding’s Policies Isolationism – U.S. would not join the League of Nations Disarmament – nations should voluntarily give up their weapons Immigration restrictions Tariffs raised to protect American business from foreign competition

Teapot Dome Scandal Harding’s Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, gave drilling rights on government owned naval oil fields in Wyoming to 2 private oil companies Received nearly $400,000 illegally No evidence that Harding was involved Fall was fined $100,000 and sentenced to a year in prison

Teapot Dome, Wyoming Teapot Rock Teapot Dome Navel Oil Fields

Whom is this cartoonist blaming for the Teapot Dome scandal?

Calvin Coolidge 30 th President Republican Massachusetts VP under Harding - Takes office when Harding dies in Aug continued

Calvin Coolidge A man of few words – “Silent Cal” “The chief business of the American people is business.” Took a laissez-faire approach to business The government should leave business alone and let it grow

Consumer Economy An economy that depends on a large amount of spending by consumers

Larger profits for business Wages for workers increase People consume products Consumer Economy Cycle

GNP Increased Gross National Product The measure of a country’s productivity The total value of goods and services produced annually

New Electric Gadgets Available to the American Consumer Radios Toasters Vacuum cleaners Sewing machines Refrigerators Coffee pots Ovens Irons

1920’s General Electric Electric Range

Catalogs sold everything for the home... including the home

And what was the greatest invention of the age?

Henry Ford 1896 – invented the quadricycle 1899 – started the Detroit Automobile Company – made 22 cars 1900 – business failed continued

Henry Ford 1901 – There were over 50 companies making cars, but only the wealthy could afford them Ford wanted to “democratize the automobile” by making them cheaper 1903 – Started the Ford Motor Company Mass produced the Model T using assembly line production

Ford and the 1921 Model T

Assembly Line A process in which each worker completes a single specific task in the production process At the end of the line, the product is complete It took 93 minutes to build a Model T In 1923, a Model T came off the assembly line every 10 seconds

Video: The Model T & Ford’s Assembly Line 100 year anniversary in :00

Model T – 15 million sold between 1908 and Model

1923 Ford Grain Truck

Herbert Hoover 31 st President 1929 – 1933 Republican New York Continued to limit government control of big business