1. The Politics of Boom and Bust, 1920-1932
Cover Slide
The American Pageant
Chapter 32
The Politics of Boom and Bust,
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2. Al Smith campaigning in Denver, election of 1928
With his trademark derby hat in hand, Smith greets Denver politicians in his unsuccessful 1928 race for the presidency. ()
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3. Bonus Army
Bonus Army
The sign in front of the "Bonus Dugout" reads, "We have come to collect the gratitude that was promised us for participating in the World War." They received neither gratitude nor the bonus. Instead, Hoover commented: "Thank God we still have a government that knows how to deal with a mob." (Library of Congress)
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4. Coolidge cartoon
Coolidge cartoon
Basically shy and introverted, Calvin Coolidge was content to let business have free rein in the pursuit of profits. This ironic cartoon, from the December 10, 1925 edition of Life, shows the president accompanying the lively performance of big business with a saxophone and a song of praise. (Picture Research Consultants & Archives)
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5. Harding with Laddie, June 13, 1922
As politicians learned the arts of publicity, posed scenes like this became more common.
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6. Stock Market crash--curb scene October 24, 1929
As the stock market tumbled on October 24, 1929, a crowd of concerned investors gathered outside the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, unprepared for an unprecedented economic decline that would send the country into a tailspin for the next decade. (Corbis-Bettmann)
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7. Teapot Dome Window Hanger
In 1924, the Democrats tried to capitalize on the Republicans' embarrassment over the Teapot Dome scandal. They received little response because the death of Harding brought Calvin Coolidge to the presidency, and Coolidge's personal honesty and morality were unquestioned. (Collection of David J. and Janice L. Frent)
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8. Map: Election of 1924
Election of 1924
The presidential election of 1924 was complicated by the campaign of Senator Robert La Follette of Wisconsin, who ran as a Progressive. As you can see, much of his support came from republicans living in the north-central and northwestern regions where the agricultural economy was most hard hit.
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9. The Election of 1928 Map: The Election of 1928
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