Why were the 1920s the high point of the Ku Klux Klan’s popularity?

Learning objective – to be able to explain why the Ku Klux Klan was so popular during the 1920s I can describe some for the reasons why the Ku Klux Klan was so popular during the 1920s. Grade D I can explain the impact of the Ku Klux Klan and why did their popularity rise as well as dramatically fall. Grade B I can explain and assess the impact of the Ku Klux Klan on US society in the 1920s. Grade A

Starter – How many members were there in the KKK in 1924 and how many in 1929?

1924 – 4.5 million members 1929 – just under 200,000 members

Why was America a divided society in the 1920s? New America New immigrants from all over Europe. Many followed different religions such as Judaism and Catholicism. Many spoke limited English. Old America British descendants from the 17 th and 18 th centuries. WASPs. Controlled many areas of politics and society.

What were ‘Jim Crow’ laws? ‘Jim Crow’ laws enforced segregation in the South. Facilities, such as schools, public toilets and shops, were divided between African-American and Whites. African- Americans were given the worst facilities which had little investment. African-Americans had the right to vote but were often stopped from registering to vote with White employers threatening to sack them. Some States gave voters a reading test with African-Americans given a deliberately more difficult reading test.

How much racism was there in the North? There were no segregation laws in the North. Although, many African- Americans lived in the poorer neighbourhoods and, therefore, had the worst schools and facilities. However, there were more opportunities for African-Americans in the North for an equal life. They were more likely to get a better education and growing entertainment and sporting chances were also available. Such were these opportunities that over 1.5 million African-Americans moved North in the Great Migration between 1915 and 1925 in the pursuit of a better life.

What were the origins of the Ku Klux Klan? The Ku Klux Klan was formed after the American Civil War in 1866 in Tennessee. It was a secret society determined to protect the Whites who lived in the Old South from the threat of African- Americans who had been freed from slavery. They went into decline after 1877.

What did the Ku Klux Klan do? The Ku Klux Klan protected their secrecy by wearing white robes and met in Klaverns. They were structured like an army. Their meetings emphasised Protestantism and were governed by a rule book called the ‘Kloran’.

Why did the Ku Klux Klan gain popularity from the 1910s onwards? Immense popularity of the hit film The Birth of the Nation in 1915, which portrayed the KKK as heroes defending the WASP way of life. KKK was reformed in 1915 with cheap membership of $10 – which included KKK robes. Growing fears from poor white southerners afraid of African-Americans and immigrants willing to work for low wages and taking jobs normally reserved for them. KKK also capitalised upon the growing fears towards immigration, seeing them as a threat to American society.

How much influence did the Ku Klux Klan have on US society during the 1920s? There were examples that the KKK were able to influence elections. For example, in Maine, the Attorney-General spoke out against the KKK and was promptly removed from office. The 1920s saw KKK lead a growing campaign of terror across the South, with lynchings and burnings. This intimidation created an atmosphere of fear and terror. It could be argued that the KKK greatest influence came in their campaign for immigration controls which favoured those from northern Europe.

Why did support for the Ku Klux Klan collapse between 1924 and 1929? Membership of the KKK fell from 4.5 million in 1924 to just under 200, 000 in Also, the KKK was a victim of its own success. Having helped secure immigration controls many members were no longer actively interested. A key reason for this was the conviction of David Stephenson, the Grand Dragon of the KKK, of rape. Other members were also implicated in rapes and corruption. This undermined the KKK’s standing for moral WASP behaviour.

Plenary This word cloud summarises the content of today’s lesson. Pick out the three most important words and explain why they summarise your learning in the lesson. NOTE – you cannot choose Ku Klux AND Klan – you are just allowed one from those three!