America in the 1920s Flashcards
what what is isolationism
the policy of remaining separate from other countries affairs.
why did the first world war allow America to prosper inancially
The USA loaned money to Britain and its allies to buy equipment, which brought lots of new jobs and made business people very rich. They also ended up with no huge wartime debts.
What is another reason America prospered during/after the first world war
It had a very small impact on america, almost no important areas were destroyed, and America suffered much fewer losses.
what percentage of American homes had electricity in 1916 compared to 1927
15% in 1916 vs 70% in 1927
what was one of the things the economic boom allowed people to do
Buy new and modern “gadgets” such as fridges, vacuums, gramophones etc. This also brought new jobs as these goods were in much higher demand.
How many cars were there in America in 1919 vs 1929
9million 1919 vs 26million 1929
How many telephones were there in America in 1919 vs 1929
10million 1919 vs 20million 1929
How many radios were there in America in 1919 vs 1929
60,000 1919 vs 10million 1929
How many refrigerators were there in America in 1921 vs 1929
for every refrigerator in 1921, there were 167 by 1929
what was one of the reasons for the boom
the Fordney-McCumber tariff which put high taxes on goods entering the country, making american goods more attractive.
how did the government encourage rich people to help boost the economy
they cut taxes paid by rich people to encourage them to make more companies/businesses to make more jobs. The low taxes also allowed people to spend more money of the new “gadgets”
what was the “laissez faire” approach
the policy of leaving businesses alone to create wealth.
What was the significance of the motor industry in the economic boom
Car making used 20% of america’s steel, 65% of its leather, and more than 75% of its rubber and glass. The industry brought lots of new job opportunities and allowed people to travel more.
what were two things manufacturers used in car production
assembly lines and mass production
what is an assembly line
where something is built bit by bit by lots of different people, each specialising in one part of the product.
what is mass production
when something is made in large amounts very quickly and efficiently, allowing companies to sell more products for cheaper.
How did advertising help with the boom
Adverts were put up on billboards, newspapers, magazines, cinemas and radios to encourage people to buy new “gadgets.”
what is a hire purchase plan
“buy now pay later” where people would buy goods in small installments over a fixed period. 6 out of ten cars were bought this way.
what is the cycle of prosperity
mass production makes goods cheaper -> more people buy goods -> hire purchase helps people buy goods -> advertising persuades people to buy even more goods -> more people are employed to make these goods -> people spend their wages of more goods -> the cycle starts again.
How much did the model T Ford cost in 1911 vs 1928
$800 1911 vs $295 1928
how many people bought “Tin Lizzies” between 1911 and 1928
15million
why did the price of the Ford drop so much
because of assembly lines
how many cars were on the roads in america by 1926
nearly 20million and one in two was a Ford
How did the car industry create jobs
not only did more people have to work in the factories that made the cars, but it also created jobs in the industries that supplied the materials for the cars, in industries making roads, petrol companies and in gas stations. by 1925 over 500,000 people worked in the car industry.
why did the economic boom not help farmers
as european farms began to recover, there became less demand for american farm produce. There were also new machines to help with farming, meaning there was more food available than the population could eat. This meant a lot of farmers couldn’t make money and were forced to sell land or were evicted. around 600,000 farmers lost their farms in 1924 alone.
why did other industries such as coal mines and cotton/wool factories also suffer
other products such as man made fibres and oil gas or electricity became more popular, putting many companies out of business.
what were African-Americans who rented small areas of land from a landowner called
sharecroppers
why were sharecroppers hit especially hard
They were already poor, and there was not much work for them in towns or big cities, with some factories operating a whites only policy.
what happened to indigenous americans
a lot of their land was seized by mining companies and they were forced to live on reservations. Most indigenous americans lived in extreme poverty and had a lower life expectancy.
what was the spread of the money in America during the boom
the richest 5% earned 33% of all the money.
how did the amount of millionaires change in america between 1921 and 1927
in 1921 there were 21 individuals earning over $1million per year, in 1924 there were 75, in 1926 there were 207 and in 1927 there were 15,000 US millionaires.
how many people have an income of less than $1000 per year
6million families (42% of the total).
what was playing the stock market
when people bought shares in companies and made money by selling them on.
what was buying on the margin
when people bought shares with money borrowed from banks or with a small deposit of 10%. They would then pay the remaining amount with the profits.
how many people owned shared in 1920 compared to 1929
4million people in 1920 and 5 times as many in 1929.
what did Herbert Hoover say about playing the stock market
that “Americans today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before. The poor man is vanishing from among us.”
what were some of the crazes in the roaring twenties
Mahjong, crosswords, marathon dancing and pole sitting.
what industry thrived during the roaring twenties
sport, Babe ruth hit a home run record and by 1930 he was earning $80,000 a year (nearly £7million a year today)
what helped to make sporting events popular
radios, newspapers and magazines as they could appeal to a huge audience. In fact, around 60million radio listeners heard the coverge of the 1927 world heavyweight boxing title fight between Jack Dempsey and Gene tunney.
why were the 1920s often called the Jazz age
because a new form of music became popular, Jazz. It was known for improvisation, as fast tempo and lively rhythms.
who did jazz music appeal to
the young, both black and white, and it started being played more and more in dancehalls, bars, nightclubs and even in some of the big northern cities such as Chicago and New York.
what other craze did jazz music bring about
dancing. New dances such as the Charleston, One step, Tango,a dn the Black Bottom.
who benefitted from Jazz music becoming so popular
black musicians such as Louis armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, and Benny Goodman.
what was life like for women before the first world war
Most women led very restricted lives. Middle/upper-class women had to be polite and cover up as much skin as possible, often with little makeup. Women also had to have a chaperone when with a man. Smoking was not allowed, women had to dance with gloves on, and they had low paying, low skilled jobs such as cleaning and secretarial work. They also couldn’t vote.
what happened to women during WW1
Women took over mens jobs. They earned money and began to feel independent. They were also given the right to vote in 1920. By 1929, there were around 10.5million women with jobs (25% more than in 1920), the divorce rate doubled during the 20s. Women also wore more revealing clothes, went on dates without a chaperone and smoked/drank in public. In 1900, a survey said almost 80% of college students had not had sex before marriage. Another survey in 1920 showed only 31% had not.
what was a flapper
a woman who rode motorbikes, went to nightclubs with men until early morning, wore more revealing clothes and makeup and was more rebellious in most aspects of traditional life.
what was other peoples reactions to flappers
some more traditional members of society dissaproved and formed an “Anti-flirt league” to protest. Other people saw flappers as an example of the evils in modern life (mostly older americans in rural areas). In fact, the president of Florida University said that the short skirts of flappers “are born of the devil and are carrying the present generation to destruction.”
did all women’s lives change
no, flappers were mostly middle and upper-class women from the northern states. Most other women still led normal lives.
what was prohibition
a law that stopped(prohibited) any american selling, making, or transporting any drink containing more than 0.5% alcohol
what group of people were against alcohol
religious organisations and churches. There were also pressure groups which campaigned against alcohol, one notable one being called the Anti-Saloon league.
what did some people say alcohol caused
social problems, violence, poverty, addiction, debt and a decline in moral values.
how many states were already against alcohol
33 set limits and some already banned it completely.
when was the prohibition made a law
16th January 1920
how many prohibition agents were then at first
1500
what was a prohibition agents job
to locate the places that sold or made alcohol, then make arrests and confiscate the alcohol. They also had to prevent alcohol being smuggled in from abroad.
how many agents were there by 1930
3000
where was alcohol mostly being smuggled in from
mexico from the south and canada from the north.
why did prohibition never work
people still wanted to drink alcohol.
how did people get hold of alcohol during prohibition
from speakeasies
who ran speakeasies
gangs
what was sold on speakeasies
bootleg alcohol and moonshine
what was moonshine
a home-made spirit that was very strong and often caused illness and death.
what was a bootlegger
someone who smuggled in achohol
what was a number of people dying from alcohol poisoning in 1920 compared to 1926
98 in 1920 to 800 in 1926
where were speakeasies found
in private hotel rooms, cellars etc
how did people gain entry to a speakeasy
passwords or coded door knocks
how did gangs get away with their crimes
they bribed or intimidated police, lawyers and judges.
how did gangsters make money
fixing horse/dog races, running brothels, and racketeering.
what was racketeering
when businessmen and shopkeepers paid gangs to stop them smashing up their premises.
what was this new type of crime called
organised crime.
what were some famous gang leaders
Al Capone, ‘Lucky’ Luciano, ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly, and Vito ‘Chicken Head’ Gurino.
how did gangs settle arguments
gunfights and bomb attacks.
how many speakeasies were there in america by the 1930s
200,000
how many speakeasies were there in New York by 1930
32,000
How many bars were there before prohibition (in New York)
15,000
when did people start to realise prohibition wasn’t working
1933
what was one organisation that were against prohibition
the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment (AAPA)
what did the AAPA believe about prohibition
it was a threat to a person’s right to choose to drink, legal alcohol would create lots of new jobs and the government could tax alcohol itself.
which of the candidates in the 1932 presidential election campaign won and why
Franklin D Roosevelt because he opposed prohibition and one of the first things he did as president was repeal prohibition.
when was Roosevelt made president
1933
how many people emigrated to America between 1850 and 1914
around 40million (10% of the population and the biggest movement of people in recorded history)
why did people come to America
fleeing poverty, famine, persecution, or looking for a new and better life.
of the 2000 people on the Titanic, how many were migrants looking for a new life in America
nearly half
Fact
In 1920, there were twice as many Irish people in New York as there were in Dublin.
what is a push factor
when someone leaves a country to escape something.
what is a pull factor
when someone leaves a country because the new place is better.
what are some pull factors for why immigrants came to America
There was lots of land (Cheap, fertile farmland and lots of natural resources).
Opportunities for jobs in new industries and starting businesses.
Workers were earning on average nearly 2x as much as in other countries and the standard of living was the highest it had ever been in the countries history.
“The American dream” or the idea everyone has the right to achieve success and prosperity. “All men are created equal with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
what are some push factors for why immigrants left their home countries
Land was in short supply and generally more expensive than in the US.
There was still a strict class system (upper class owned the best land etc while lower class lived hard lives)
some groups were persecuted for their beliefs, especially Jews.
Most European citizens lives in poverty.
where did many immigrants come from
Britain, Ireland, and Germany
what were “New-Immigrants”
Immigrants from mainly southern and eastern europe (Italy, Austria-Hungary, Poland, Greece and Russia).
Fact
Many areas became known by the name of the immigrants that dominated that area, e.g. Little Italy in New York and Greektown in Detroit.
why were “New-Immigrants” often resented by “old” immigrants
They were usually poor, couldn’t speak English well, had new traditions and religious practices (many were Jewish or Catholic while “Old” Immigrants were often protestants).
why were Americans scared of Immigrants
Because of the Russian Revolution in 1917 making them worried it might happen to them with all the new and “different” arrivals.
what was life like for immigrants
Some had thriving businesses while others still had poor working conditions, were still poor and suffered considerable hardship.
why did people feel as though immigrants wanted to “steal” their jobs
many were badly educated and willing to work for low wages, so they were more easily employed.
why did the government start introducing laws limiting the amount of immigrants
They felt the new immigrants didn’t enrich the life/culture of America.
what was the new law about immigrants introduced in 1917
It banned entry to the USA for any immigrant over the age of 16 who was unable to read a sentence of 40 words.
what was the 1921 Immigration Quota Law
it restricted the amount of immigrants to 350,000 per year.
what did the 1924 National Origins Act do
reduce the amount of immigrants allowed even further to 150,000 per year.
where did the majority of African-Americans live in the US
southern states.
how many African-Americans were lynched in the year 1897, 1903 and 1921
over 100 in 1897, 84 in 1903 and 61 in 1921.
why did these lynchings take place
To remind African-Americans that white Americans were firmly in control.
what were slaves used for
Farm Labourers and servants on huge southern tobacco and cotton farms.
when was slavery abolished in the US
1865
what were Jim Crow laws and why were they introduced
Laws to keep black and white people seperate (segregated) and they were introduced to “keep control” over the African-American population in America and.
what did Jim Crow laws stop African-Americans from doing
They stopped them from using the same restaurants, hotels, swimming pools, libraries, in the military, in marriages (no mixed race marriages in some states), blood banks, taxis and even cemeteries as white people.
how were African-Americans stopped from voting
they had to pass a difficult literacy test or pay high taxes before they voted.
how many African-Americans left the southern states
2million out of 12million.
why did African-Americans leave the south
to get away from racial discrimination, get jobs in new industries and get slightly better pay.
in what other ways were African-Americans discriminated against
they were usually last to be given jobs, first to be fired, had the worst housing in the poorest areas, some factories only employed white people, race riots and “white beaches”
What was one notable race riot
when an African-American kid accidentally entered a “white beach” in Chicago.
what happened to the African-American populations in New York and Chicago by 1920 compared to 1900
More than doubled in both.
what was the “Black renaissance”
when talented African-American poets, writers, artists, and musicians collected in Harlem and New York, making it a centre for creativity, black culture and black pride, attracting many white customers with the excitement and liveliness of the nightclubs and jazz bars.
what does renaissance mean
rebirth in Italian.
who was a notable African-American politician
WEB Du Bois, who set up the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People).
what did the NAACP campaign for
the right to vote.
did the NAACP succeed in 1920
No, but it still exists today.
when was the NAACP set up
1910
when and why was the KKK founded
1860s to terrorise African-Americans in southern states.
why were African-Americans beater up/killed by the KKK
to try to make them too scared to register to vote and show that white people were in control.
what sparked the revival of the KKK
A 1915 Hollywood feature film called “The Birth of a Nation”
why did this film help revive the Ku Klux Klan
It glorified the Klan as an organisation intent on protecting normal people.
what was the KKK member count by 1925
5million
who were most Klan members
poor white protestant people mainly from southern and western states who lived in smaller, rural towns.
why did the klan attack and kill African-Americans
They wanted someone to blame for not living prosperous lives and stealing their jobs.
what other groups did klansmen attack
Jews, Catholics, immigrants, gamblers, drunks and anyone who wasn’t like them.
what was the usual dress of klansmen
White robes, white hoods, and american flags
what were some of the klans methods of torture/murder
whipping, branding with acid, kidnapping, castration, lynching, and covering with burning hot tar and feathers.
who was the Imperial Wizard
a dentist from Texts called Hiram Wesley Evans.
how did people join the KKK
secret, elaborate ceremonies using code words known as “Klonversations”
what was the name of the KKK handbook
the Kloran
what caused the decrease of Klan members
the conviction of David Stephenson (a local Klan leader) for kidnapping, rape and murder of a young woman. At his trial he revealed many KKK secrets.
by how much had the Klan member count dropped within a year of the Stephenson’s conviction
from 5million to 300,000
how many immigrants came to america between 1820 and 1920
35 million
where did most immigrants come from
britain and northern europe
what was the amin religion of immigrants
protestant
when did the “new wave” of immigrants come and from where
1880, from central and eastern europe, Japan and China.
why were these new immigrants seen as a threat
they had different beliefs, traditions and cultures
what did communists or “reds” beleive
all workers should join together, rebel against a countries leadership and share wealth equally.
why did some people see reds as the enemy
because their ideas were very “un-american” and people were scared of a russian revolution in America.
how many Russians had come to america in the last few years
1.5 million
when was the American Communist Party set up
1919
what were two incidents that increased peoples fear of communism even more
the blowing up of the front of Alexander Mitchell Palmer’s house by a suicide bomber and the killing of 30 people in New York.
who was Alexander Mitchell Palmer
the man in charge of America’s law and police.
what was another group people were scared of
anarchists
what did anarchists believe
countries should not be ruled by organised governments with set laws and rules, but everyone should rule themselves through voluntary cooperation.
why did many americans feel they had good reason to fear anarchists
in 1901 an anarchist called Leon Franz Czolgosz shot dead President William Mckinlay.
what did Alexander Mitchell Palmer vow to do after the attack on his home
gte rid of americas communists.
what were Palmer’s attempts to get rid of reds called
“Palmer Raids”
what happened during the Palmer Raids
around 6000 suspected communists were arrested and put in prison across 33 cities.
what did they find during the Palmer Raids
three pistols and no explosives.
what did Palmer announce there were plans for
communist terror attacks that never came.
what was this period of tension called
the Red Scare
what happened to trade union membership during the 1920s
It fell from 6million in 1920 to 3.6million in 1923.
what are three things about Sacco and Vanzetti that made them more likely to be disliked
they were poorly educated, spoke little english and were anarchists.
what was the evidence against Sacco and Vanzetti
61 eye witnesses said they were the killers.
Both men were carrying loaded guns when arrested with the same sized bullets as the ones used in the robbery.
both men acted guilty and told lies to the police.
Vanzetti had a previous conviction for armed robbery in December 1919.
what was the evidence for the defence
107 people said Sacco and Vanzetti were elsewhere during the robbery.
the witnesses nearly all disagreed on what the men were wearing that night.
several other men confessed to the murders.
it is not a crime to carry a loaded gun in America. Sacco and Vanzetti clained they were for protection.
what was the Sacco and Vanzetti case
in April 1920, robers stole 15,000 from a shoe factory in South Baintree, Massachusettes, and shot two of the staff dead. Two months later, two Italian born immigrants (Nicola Sacco and Bartomelo Vanzetti) were arrested and charged with the crimes. the trail began in May 1921 and lasted 45 days. In July, the Jury found them guilty and the judge sentenced them to death by electric chair.
who was the judge for the Sacco and Vanzetti case
Webster Thayer
what did Thayer say about Sacco and Vanzetti
he said that Vanzetti “may not actually have commited the crime but he is morally to blame because he is our enemy.” He also called the two men “dagos”, “wops” and “those anarchist bastards”.
what did their layers argue
that the men didnt understand what was going on because of their bad english.
what did the men plea
not guilty
in what ways did people protest against the verdict
The US embassy in Paris was bombed and one of the main coal-producing areas in Colorado went on strike
what did protesters argue
the two men were found guilty as much for their race and their extreme ideas as for their actions.
when were Sacco and Vanzetti executed
23 August 1927
when were the men finally given a formal pard and it was accepted that an unfair trial took place
1977-50 years later.
