Changes in American society in the 1920s

Question 1

What was the 1921 Emergency Immigration Law

Answer 1

Law that capped the amount of immigrants from European nations to just 3% of the number of nationals 1913. Favoured Western Europe

Question 2

What was the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act

Answer 2

Banned immigration from Japan

Question 3

What were the Palmer Raids

Answer 3

Raids conducted by the police led by A.Mitchell Palmer on suspected communists. 6,000 immigrants arrested on little to no evidence

Question 4

What was the Red Scare

Answer 4

The fear of communist revolution in America. Used people’s fear to justify the lack of Trade Unions and the poor treatment of immigrants

Question 5

What is the Sacco and Vanzetti case

Answer 5

Two Italian immigrants accused of armed robbery in 1920s. Convicted and sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence

Question 6

What was membership of the KKK like in the 1920s

Answer 6

100,000 members in 1921 but due to corruption and incompetence among leaders, membership dropped to 20,000 by 1929

Question 7

What were the KKK’s beliefs

Answer 7

Feared that black americans and other ‘inferior’ races might overtake them in status

Question 8

How powerful were the KKK and how did they impact society

Answer 8

In some southern states, during the peak of their power, they could control voters and elections. This led to many black americans migrating North and support began to increase for civil rights groups and separatist votes

Question 9

What were the big changes that happened to women during the 1920s

Answer 9

19th Amendment - Gave women the right to vote
More opportunities for women
The ‘flapper’ style pushed the idea that women were more independent

Question 10

What was the truth about the changes that affected women in the 1920s

Answer 10

While they could now vote, only 2 of 435 members of the House of Representatives were women
The opportunities presented for women weren’t necessarily managerial in nature. Fewer than 300 female accountants and many women were still expected to stay at home
The Republican government was unsympathetic with only one law to assist women’s reproductive rights - the 1923 Sheppard-Towner act
Traditional views about women were still held by the majority of people