THE WAMPOT METHOD! To analyze political cartoons and other primary resources we will be using Mr. Phelps’ patented method: WAMPOT! What?: What is the subject? (what’s it about?) Author: Who created this work? Medium: what is it? (political cartoon, song, etc.) Purpose: what is the goal of this peace? Opinion (of author): What does the author think about the subject? Trustworthy?: Can we trust the author to present the information fairly & do they have their facts straight?

“The Only Way to Handle It”

12.2 The Harding Administration

Harding Administration Conservative Republican Harding elected because voters were exhausted of change

Den of Corruption He surrounded himself with corrupt friends His “Ohio Gang” of poker players routinely broke the Prohibition law (and other laws too) These guys used the old patronage system to give govt. jobs to loyal supporters

Den of Corruption Teapot Dome Scandal: U.S. Navy land, rich with oil, was leased to two big oil companies Interior Secretary Albert B Falls was found guilty of taking nearly half a million $ in bribes These sorts of scandals help Harding to be consistently ranked one of the worst presidents.

International Relations 1921 Washington Naval Conference was a success for limiting the size of navies Many countries signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, saying “no” to war But there was no real commitment to actually avoid war

International Relations Germany’s out-of-control inflation made their economy too weak to pay back all those reparations to France and Britain American banker Charles Dawes came up with a “solution…”

The Dawes Plan