CHAPTER 12 Section 1 Americans Struggle with Postwar Issues MAIN IDEA: A desire for normality after the war and a fear of communism and “foreigners” led to postwar isolationism.

POSTWAR TRENDS Public exhausted Debate over League of Nations divided America Returning soldiers faced unemployment or took their old jobs from women and minorities Cost of living doubled Farmers and factory workers suffered as wartime orders diminished NATIVISM- prejudice against foreign-born people ISOLATIONISM- policy of pulling away from involvement in world affairs

Fear of Communism COMMUNISM- an economic and political system based on a single party government ruled by a dictatorship Communists put an end to private property, substituting government ownership of factories railroads and other businesses

RED SCARE 1919 Revolutionaries in Russia overthrew czar Bolsheviks established a communist state RED FLAG Called for a worldwide revolution to abolish capitalism everywhere 70,000 radicals joined the communist party in the U.S

THE PALMER RAIDS Bombs mailed to government U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer & J. Edgar Hoover hunted for communists, socialists and anarchists ANARCHIST- People who opposed any form of government Trampled people’s rights, invaded homes, jailed without legal counsel

Sacco and Vanzetti Italian immigrants Anarchists Evaded draft during WWI Arrested and charged with robbery and murder of a factory paymaster Found guilty and sentenced to die 1961 ballistic tests showed the pistol found on Sacco was the one used in the murder but no proof that Sacco pulled the trigger

LIMITING IMMIGRATION “Keep America for Americans” The need for unskilled workers in America decreased Klu Klux Klan (KKK)-100% Americanism 1924 reached 4.5 million Drove foreign born out of the country QUOTA SYSTEM- Emergency Quota Act 1921-established the maximum # of people who could enter the U.S

A TIME OF LABOR UNREST During war strikes were limited b/c they disrupt production Employers did not want to give raises 4 million walked off the job BOSTON POLICE STRIKE- police had not been given a raise since beginning of WWI Denied right to unionize When asked for a raise=fired Coolidge declared no right to strike New officers were hired

STEEL MILL STRIKE Workers wanted the right to negotiate for shorter working hours Wanted union recognition and bargaining rights US Steel corporation refused to meet with union leaders 300,000 walked off the job Hired strike breakers/agreed to work during strike Striking workers beaten by police Linked strikers to communists Ended Jan. 1920 w/ 8 hour day but without a union

COAL MINERS’ STRIKE John L. Lewis-leader of The United Mine Workers of America Protested low wages and long workdays Nov. 1, 1919 Strike, Attorney General ordered them back to work President Wilson appointed and arbitrator to settle the dispute Miners received a 27% wage increase John L. Lewis became a national hero

LABOR MOVEMENT LOSES APPEAL Union membership declined because… Much of the workforce consisted of immigrants willing to work in poor conditions Immigrants spoke in multiple languages so unions were hard to organize Farmers were use to relying on themselves Most unions excluded African Americans