1. Bellwork What were some of the social changes of the 1920s?
Why did South Carolinians participate in the Southern Literary Renaissance?

2. Economy of the 1920s
8-6.3

3. I. Impact of WWI
During the war, SC produces food for armies and cotton for uniforms
After the war, decrease in demand led to lower prices
Spring 1920: cotton is 40 cents per pound
December 1920: cotton is 13 ½ cents per pound

5. I. Impact of WWI End of cotton Boll weevil destroyed the cotton crop
In some years, it destroyed ½ the crop
Drought and soil conditions made it worse
Farmers turn to peaches and livestock

6. II. Bank Failure
Farmers borrowed money to expand land and equipment and buy pesticides
What happened when cotton prices dropped?
Farmers did earn any money so they couldn’t make payments on their land

7. II. Bank Failure
Banks foreclose, which means the banks take their land
But, no one wants to buy the land from the banks b/c they are too poor. So, the banks are failing.
Farmers become sharecroppers, move to the North or mill towns
Before the stock market crash: the state is in a depression

8. III. Textile Industry High demand during war years, then it drops off
Man made fibers like nylon replace cotton
Shorter skirts used less material
International competition increased as tariffs lowered

9. III. Textile Industry New England mills close up and move south
Why? Cheap labor
To increase profit:
“speed-up” = machines run faster
“stretch-out” = workers in charge of more machines

10. III. Textile Industry Wages are still low
Mills are making more cloth than needed, so workers are fired
By the end of the 1920s, textile industry was in trouble just like agriculture

11. Review Questions

12. What word means “spreading information to large audiences”
What word means “spreading information to large audiences”? What new invention of the 1920s helped create it?

13. Which of the following best describes SC’s economy after WWI?
Farmers made money due to increased supply
Farmers lost money when foreign countries began to grow their own crops
Cotton prices rose due to shortages from the boll weevil
Textile mills began to close due to decreased demand

14. What happened after critics called SC a cultural wasteland?

15. What was a celebration of African American culture
What was a celebration of African American culture? Name one important participant from SC.

16. True or False: SC did not have many flappers and our society stayed pretty much the same during the 1920s.

17. True or False: Cotton remained the primary cash crop in SC until the 1940s.

18. True or False: Cotton prices continued to rise after WWI and farmers stopped growing peaches to grow more cotton.

19. True of False: The Stock Market Crash had little impact on our economy since SC was already severely depressed.

20. Name on reason textile mills suffered during the 1920s
Name on reason textile mills suffered during the 1920s. What was one of the ways textile mills tried to increase profits?