1. Politics of the 20s
US History

2. Spanish-American War
Gains & Imperialism
Immigration
Urbanization
“He Kept Us Out of War”
WWI
Progressive Reforms
117 k dead, 205 k wounded
Post-War American
Attitudes
Russia “falls” to Communism

3. A Return to “Normalcy” and Isolationism
Warren G. Harding wins election in 1920 (R, OH)
Defeats democrats James Cox & Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harding called for a return to normalcy
He promised the return to a time before world war and progressive reform
Warren Gameliel Harding

4. Harding Presidency
In Foreign Policy, America desired less armament and no war
1921 Washington Naval Conference
The 5 Power and 9 Power Treaties
Called for major naval powers to reduce arms (US, GB,FR, JA, IT)
10 yr holiday on warship building
Charles Evans Hughes

6. Harding and the Court
During his 3 yrs as Pres. WGH placed 4 justices on the supreme court, including WH Taft as Chief.
Most of these justices were favorable to big business.
The court killed progressive leg.

7. Harding Good for Business
Corporations did well under Harding.
Antitrust laws ignored.
ICC was ran by men sympathetic to RR’s.
Sec. of Commerce Hoover urged big business to self regulate.

8. The Harding Presidency
Kellogg-Briand Pact
1929 – US led agreement of 64 nations to renounce war as a national policy
Fordney-McCumber Tariff - 60% on US imports (highest ever)
Germany defaulted on reparation payments
Dawes Plan
US banks loaned $2.5 billion
Germany used money to pay reparations
Charles Dawes

9. Harding Presidency Andrew Mellon Sec. Of Treasury Scandal Ohio Gang
drastically cut taxes
Scandal
Ohio Gang
Group of Harding friends in his cabinet
graft
Teapot Dome
Sec. Of Interior Albert B. Fall
transferred oil reserves from navy to Dept of Interior then leased land to private comps.
Received a $400,000 kickback
convicted
Albert B. Fall

10. Harding Presidency August 2, 1923
Harding died suddenly from either a stroke or heart attack
VP Calvin Coolidge
restored people’s faith in gov’t
won election in 1924

11. 5 Questions
What effect did involvement in WWI have on American attitudes?
What is “normalcy?”
What is the purpose of the Washington Naval Conference & the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
What is the Dawes Plan?
What is the Teapot Dome Scandal?