1c: Changes in society

Question 1

What did the 1920 census show, but how can this be disputed?

Answer 1

It showed that more people lived in urban areas than the countryside for the first time (54 mn out of 106 mn).
HOWEVER, as urban areas were places with 2.5k+, 16 mn still lived in towns with fewer than 25k inhabitants - clung to traditional values of thrift and hard work.

Question 2

What was there tension between in 1920s America?

Answer 2

Small town and rural areas, and big cities - seen as immoral and sinful.
Many saw the major growth in urban areas as a threat - voted the Republicans to “turn back the clock”.

Question 3

What were many people worries about?

Answer 3

Large non-white, non-Protestant immigration to cities: they aim to subvert the American way of life.
Led to endemic racism and the Red Scare.

Question 4

What did Prohibition lead to that threatened the American way of life?

Answer 4

Led to increased crime and gangsterism.

Question 5

What did many believe about young women?

Answer 5

That they were becoming too independent and hedonistic.

Question 6

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What were people fearful of when it came to immigration?

Answer 6

They were fearful that Asian, and Southern and Eastern European immigration would threaten the survival of the Anglo-Saxon race.
Further, they believed it would threaten American values and the USA.

Question 7

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What idea led to attempts to limit immigration?

Answer 7

Eugenics:

Too many inferior races and intermixing would threaten the superiority of the white race - racial degeneration.

Question 8

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What was the Emergency Immigration Law of 1921?

Answer 8

It limited European immigration to 3% of that population in the USA in 1911.
Favoured white protestants who would have had ancestors move there before 1911.

Question 9

Immigration and the Red Scare:

How did the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 stiffen immigration restrictions?

Answer 9

Banned any Japanese immigrants.
Set a ceiling of no more than 150k immigrants per year.
HOWEVER, this did not apply to Mexicans who were used as cheap labour for harvest in California.

Question 10

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What occurred in relations to industrial unrest after WW1?

Answer 10

High inflation caused unrest (food prices had doubled).

In 1919, 4 million went on strike (1/5 of the labour force). Many believed this was commie revolution.

Question 11

Immigration and the Red Scare:

Who became targeted due to the Red Scare?

Answer 11

Recent eastern European immigrants - seen as communists who wanted to overthrow the govt.

Question 12

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What were the Palmer Raids?

Answer 12

Due to assassination attempts of high profile Americans, 6,000 people were arrested on the basis that they sought a revolution.
Mitchell Palmer was already popular due to his exposure of communist activity in the USA.

Question 13

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What was the result of the Palmer raids?

Answer 13

Many of the detained had to be released within days as there was no evidence against them.
Further, Palmer could not use it as a springboard to become nominated for President as his prediction of a Communist demonstration in NYC failed to materialise.
Red Scare died away.

Question 14

Immigration and the Red Scare:

What was the case of Sacco and Vanzetti?

Answer 14

Two anarcho-Italian immigrants were accused of armed robbery in Boston and found in possession of guns.
Despite little evidence, they were tried and executed in 1927 (the incident occurred in 1920).

Question 15

Immigration and the Red Scare:

How did people react to the Sacco and Vanzetti case?

Answer 15

In cities, people protested.
In rural areas, they supported the executions as they were quick to believe that cities were filled with foreigners who threatened the American way of life.

Question 16

The KKK:

Who were they, and how big?

Answer 16

They were a white-supremacist group who found a lot of support in the Mid-West and South.
By 1921, it had 100,000.

Question 17

The KKK:

Who and what were they opposed to?

Answer 17

Opposed to black, Jews, Catholics, and foreigners.
Attacked threatening ideas: evolution, working on Sabbath.
Did not borrow from non-Anglo culture.

Question 18

The KKK:

How did it connect with people?

Answer 18

It added purpose to the boring lives of many rural folk.

Plus, it appealed to the sadistic and racist instincts of many.

Question 19

The KKK:

How big did the Klan get?

Answer 19

Roughly 4 million members in the mid 1920s.

Their reach spread North - Pennsylvania had over 200,000 members.

Question 20

The KKK:

Why did the Klan collapse?

Answer 20

Evidence of corruption and exploitation:

• The leader (Stevenson) raped a woman who then committed suicide - he was charged with second-degree murder.
• Business ventures led to extravagant lifestyles for the leaders - removed from their purpose; ppl not happy.

Question 21

The KKK:

How can we see the fall in support?

Answer 21

By 1929, membership had fallen to roughly 200,000.

Question 22

Concerns about immorality:

What did they connect immorality with?

Answer 22

They connected and vice with new ideas (such as new city lifestyles).
People distrusted the cinema, jazz music and dances such as the Charleston.

Question 23

Concerns about immorality:

What were flappers and how were they perceived?

Answer 23

Flappers were young girls who wore short skirts and smoked in public.
Social conservatives saw them as shameless - President of Florida uni said they were “born of the devil” and would “carry future generations to destruction”.

Question 24

Prohibition:

What did this illustrate about politics and society?

Answer 24

The many contradictions in the USA.

The govt were being required by conservatives to interfere with people’s private lives to promote moral living.

Question 25

Prohibition:

What was the 18th Amendment of 1918?

Answer 25

Banned the sale, production, and transportation of intoxicating liquor.
The Volstead Act defined intoxicating liquor as any drink containing more than 0.5% alcohol.

Question 26

Prohibition:

Who had responsibility over Prohibition?

Answer 26

The Treasury.

The first commissioner was John F Kramer.

Question 27

Reasons for Prohibition:

What types of groups supported prohibition?

Answer 27

A variety:

• Women’s groups as they saw alcohol as a means for male oppression.
• Big business as they believed it led to inefficiency at work (Heinz).
• Religious groups as alcohol was sinful and responsible for wrongdoing.

Question 28

Reasons for Prohibition:

Who tended to support prohibition?

Answer 28

Protestants who lived in small towns in the South and West - mainly voted Republican.
It was opposed by many urbanites, Europeans, and Democrats.

Question 29

Reasons for Prohibition:

How come a country as large as the USA could implement such a measure?

Answer 29

There was little opposition as many believed it was the root of social problems.
By 1917, 27 (of 48) states had already passed prohibition laws.

Question 30

Reasons for Prohibition:

What were the two main factors the contributed to increased prohibition popularity?

Answer 30

1 - Impact of WW1

2 - Disorganisation of opposition.

Question 31

Reasons for Prohibition: Impact of War

Why did many feel it was patriotic to go without alcohol?

Answer 31

Grain used in drinks was needed for food - 1917 Lever Act banned use of grain in alcohol manufacture.

Question 32

Reasons for Prohibition: Impact of War

Why did the brewers increase Prohibition support?

Answer 32

Many of the breweries were of German origin and had supported the German-American alliance during the war.
There were strong anti-German attitudes.

Question 33

Reasons for Prohibition: Disorganisation of Opposition

What does this mean?

Answer 33

There were very few protests against it, plus, many of the groups who supported Prohibition didn’t have shared interests so couldn’t find common ground.

Question 34

Failure of Prohibition:

How much was Kramer given compared to how much it should have been?

Answer 34

Kramer was given $2 million to enforce it despite the Anti-Saloon League estimating that $5 million was needed.

Question 35

Failure of Prohibition:

What geographical difficulties arose?

Answer 35

America had 18,700 miles of coastline and land border - it was near impossible to prevent smuggling.
1925: Officer in charge of enforcement estimated that they only intercepted 5% of alcohol entering the country.

Question 36

Failure of Prohibition:

What were bootleggers?

Answer 36

As chemists could still sell medicinal alcohol, some exploited the system.
George Remus bought up various breweries before prohibition to produce medicinal alcohol. He then got 3k gangsters to move his products to illegal stills of big cities. He made $5 million in 5 years.

Question 37

Failure of Prohibition:

What was moonshine?

Answer 37

Illegal alcohol.
Industrial alcohol was often diverted and redistilled. However, there was no quality control and this led to poisoning (34 ppl died in one instance in NYC).
SO, the govt did not prevent alcohol, just “safe” alcohol.

Question 38

Failure of Prohibition:

What problems did Treasury agents face?

Answer 38

They were few in numbers (3,000) and were paid $2.5k to stop a $2 billion industry.
Thus, many were corrupted - one agent made $7 million selling illegal licenses to bootleggers.

Question 39

Failure of Prohibition:

How were supporters of prohibition divided?

Answer 39

The Anti-Saloon League was divided:

Some wanted stricter controls, whereas others emphasised educational programmes to deter people from drinking.

Question 40

Failure of Prohibition:

How did the role of the govt hinder prohibition?

Answer 40

1 - Congress didn’t do more as they did not want to alienate the wealthy who enjoyed a drink.
2 - The fed govt had a reduced role; most was up to States who were lukewarm on the subject.

Question 41

Failure of Prohibition:

Why was the popularity of speakeasies evidence of failure?

Answer 41

Because times changed.
People wanted to have a good time and the illegal consumption of alcohol in gangster speakeasies became popular and fashionable.

Question 42

Crime and gangsterism:

How did prohibition lead to the rise of gangsterism?

Answer 42

Mobsters could control territory and establish monopolies in the sale and manufacture of alcohol.
These were fiercely defended - John Torrio ran the show in Chicago; he retired in 1925 with $30 million in savings.

Question 43

Crime and gangsterism:

Who was the most notorious gangster?

Answer 43

Al Capone.
He embodied the spirit of free competition and enterprise.
Due to little govt interference, he did not see an issue with his business ventures.

Question 44

Crime and gangsterism:

Why did he go to jail?

Answer 44

Tax evasion, 1932.
Estimated that he had done $70 million worth of business.
He never forced anyone to drink and saw himself as a businessman.

Question 45

Crime and gangsterism:

How did increased police in Chicago lead to violence?

Answer 45

Their profits were being cut, so gangs were trying to extend their territory further.
Capone had an army of 700 who committed 300 murders.

Question 46

Crime and gangsterism:

What was the Valentine’s Day Massacre?

Answer 46

1929: 5 of Capone’s men were dressed as police, arrested 7 of a rival gang and shot over 100 bullets into them.

Question 47

Prohibition: For and against.

Why did some question the success of Prohibition?

Answer 47

Because it had led to an explosion in organised crime.
1927-1930: 227 gangland murders in Chicago.
These gangs grew and expanded into other ventures (gambling etc).
Also, illegal drinking criminalised much of the population. However, wc saloons were closed, not the mc speakeasies - it hurt the poor.

Question 48

Prohibition: For and against.

Why can it be argued that it had some successes?

Answer 48

1 - Consumption fell.
2 - Roads became safer.
3 - Fewer alcohol related deaths and arrests.
4 - Fewer workplace accidents.

Question 49

End of Prohibition:

What did Hoover’s Wickersham Commission find?

Answer 49

The law couldn’t be enforced: many citizens violated it and bootleggers made hefty profits.
It took up 66% of the Law enforcement budget but wasn’t working.

Question 50

End of Prohibition:

Who abolished it?

Answer 50

FDR with the 20th Amendment.

It was now the responsibility of the States to decide whether they would follow it.

Question 51

Role and Status of Women:

How did they react?

Answer 51

In a variety of ways as they are not a homogenous group.
Some saw it as a good thing for their protection, whereas others thought it was too conservative and at odds with the modernising world.

Question 52

Role and Status of Women:

Did the right to vote help liberalise women?

Answer 52

Not really as they did not experience greater opportunities.

Question 53

Role and Status of Women:

How did legislation fail to help women?

Answer 53

The Sheppard-Towner Act (1921) set up pregnancy clinics but turned attention away from birth control and reinforced view that the woman was responsible for children.
The banning of the night shift for women (to protect them) just meant they lost their jobs and became financially dependent on men.

Question 54

Role and Status of Women:

Why was the flapper revolution a myth?

Answer 54

Most young women were as traditional as their parents:
Middletown, 1929: 89% said they wanted a job but would give it up for marriage.
At Vassar Women’s college, it was believed that it should teach women domestic skills and 90% believed they were unprepared for jobs.