1. Chapter 14 Politics and Prosperity
Section 1
A Republican Decade – 1920’s

2. Important New Words Communism Red Scare Teapot Dome Scandal
Kellogg – Briand Pact

3. Warren Harding (R) 1920-1923 “Return to Normalcy”
After The Great War people wanted things to get back to normal.
However, the 1920’s were anything but “normal”, ex. from ch.13 – flappers, gangsters, KKK, scopes trial, prohibition, jazz, movies.
The 1920’s turned out to be one of the most abnormal decades in U.S. history

4. The Red Scare = Political Turmoil
Most people are scared of change. Around the world and in the U.S. the political ideology of communism was gaining ground.
Most Americans were scared that communism would take over the U.S.
Since the communist used the color red as their color in Russia it became known as the “Red Scare” in the U.S.

5. The Russian Revolution
Bolsheviks – Russian for “majority”. Fought a 2 ½ year civil war against the “Whites” which were the anti communist. Lenin and the “Reds” won control of Russia.
A lot of common people supported the Reds because they promised 3 things. Peace, Land, Bread.
Define Communism.
Copy ‘Target Reading Skill’ on page 480.

6. Schenck v. U.S.
For the first time in U.S. history free speech was limited.
The Supreme Court said that the government can suppress ones free speech if that speech presents “a clear and present danger”.
Chief Justice Holmes said it was like yelling “fire” in a crowded theater.
Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision, or do you think Charles Schenck was simply exercising his freedom of speech?

7. Gitlow v. New York
Bernard Gitlow was a socialist and published a newspaper that often called for the violent overthrow of the government.
He tried to “stick it to the man!” but the man stuck it to him. He lost his appeal to the Supreme Court.
The ruling concluded that a person cannot publish speech about overthrowing the government

8. The Palmer Raids
Bombings in several U.S. cities = crazy times. Everybody blames the communist.
Bomb goes off at Attorney General Palmer’s house. Palmer is angry.
Classic example of when “sticking it to the man” can go to far.
Palmer goes massive witch hunt on the entire U.S. He uses the “clear and present danger” ruling from Schenck to hunt down people he didn’t like.
Thousands go to jail, hundreds get deported, most are innocent.
In your opinion, did Palmer do the right thing by cracking down on suspected communist? Explain your answer.

9. Sacco & Vanzetti
Two Italian immigrants accused of murdering someone. Many people believed that they were arrested because they were immigrants, communist and on Palmer’s list.
After what many believed to be an unfair trial, they were convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
7 years later they were executed. This was the trial of the decade, and the first murder trial that was played out in the media.
This was also the first mass public protest to the death penalty in the U.S.
Do you agree with the death penalty today? Why or why not?