1. A New Era: 1920’s

2. I. Postwar American Attitudes
Disillusionment
Society lacked idealism
Sense of personal alienation
American obsessed with materialism and outmoded moral values
Fear of Bolshevism
Red Scare
Palmer Raids
Restricting Immigration
Over 800,000 immigrants came to the US in
National Origins Act
Gave preference to European immigrants and restricted African and Asian immigrants
Sacco and Vanzetti
Two Italian anarchists executed in 1927
Symbolized the mistrust of immigrants in the US.

3. II. Politics and Government in the 1920’s
The Harding Years ( )
Election of 1920
Warren G. Harding – “ a return to normalcy”
Business Normalcy
Wanted to reduce government regulation in business
Labor union declined due to prosperity
Harding’s Scandals
“The Ohio Gang” – friends of Harding who used connections to skirt the law and enrich themselves
Teapot Dome Scandal
Secretary of Interior took bribes to set aside land for Teapot dome
Harding became distraught and died in office in 1923

4. III. The Coolidge Era (1924-1928)
Election of 1924
Democratic party divided over prohibition and Ku Klux Klan
Republicans – promised to keep businesses thriving
Coolidge won easily – due to prosperity
Domestic Affairs
Believed in Lassiz-faire
“The business of America is business”
Did not help farmers like businesses
Foreign Affairs
Worked to promote peace through agreements
Kellogg-Briand pact – attempted to outlaw war
Pact was weak because it no way of being enforced