Increased Social Tesions 1920s Flashcards
Why were immigrants accepted before the early 20th century
Cheap source of labour
Where did most immigrants come from traditionally
western europe
What was the largest ethnic group in the USA and what did their name stand for
WASPS - white Anglo-saxon protestants
Why did Americans have a problem with the immigrants coming from eastern and southern Europe in the 10 years before WW1
- Many were Catholic or Jewish so brought new beliefs
- They were often poor, illiterate and couldn’t speak English
- There were fears that they disliked democracy and promoted radicalism
- American workers thought that they would take their jobs because they would accept lower wages
What 2 laws were passed in the 1920s to restrict immigration
- The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 - only 357k allowed from eastern world per year and each country could send 3% of their population in USA
- National Origins Act of 1924 - 357k became 164k and 3% became 2%.
What % did immigration fall from 1914 to 1929
75%
What year was USA boarder patrol created
1925
What ideology did middle and upper class Americans fear
Communism
When was the first communist government formed in Russia
1917
What ideologies were brought by immigrants from russia and east Europe
Communist and anarchist
How many strikes were there in 1919 in USA
3,600
Why were mail bombs and strikes held in 1919
Because workers feared ideologies brought by immigrants
How many mail bombs were sent to politicians and industrialists in April 1919
40
Who was the head of the FBI
John Edgar Hoover
What were the palmer raids
Offices of Russian workers were searched and arrests were made
What effects did the palmer raids have
- Increased support for immigration restrictions because a sense that many immigrants supported radical ideas was created
- The trade union movement was weakened because many members were communist
Why did the first Red Scare die down and when
Mid 1920 - Palmer tried to stir up more fear to become president, claiming that there would be more communist protests on May Day 1920 but it didn’t happen, so his reputation was destroyed, so no one listened to his rumours.
Why did the first Red Scare die down and when
Mid 1920 - Palmer tried to stir up more fear to become president, claiming that there would be more communist protests on May 1st 1920 but it didn’t happen, so his reputation was destroyed, so no one listened to his rumours.
What were Sacco and Vanzetti accused of
Armed robbery in Braintree, Massachusetts
How much were Sacco and Vanzetti accused of stealing
$15,776.51
What ideologies did Sacco and Vanzetti believe
Anarchism
Why might the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti not have been fair
They were linked to the anarchist movement; many Americans were anti immigrant and anti anarchist, so the jury would likely be prejudiced against them
What evidence pointed to the innocence of Sacco and Vanzetti
- The evidence was tampered with
- They had a good reputation
- They both had eyewitness alibis from many people
What evidence pointed to Sacco and Vanzetti being guilty
- The bullet matched Sacco’s gun
- Vanzetti had a record of armed robbery
- They both lied when arrested (to cover their anarchist roots)
- Many eyewitnesses claimed it was them
Were Sacco and Vanzetti found guilty or not guilty
Guilty
What was the sentence of Sacco and Vanzetti
Death
What happened due to the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti
- Protests all over the world, especially in Italy
- Immigrants united in USA to raise $300k to help defend Sacco and Vanzetti
Were Sacco and Vanzetti actually guilty
Unknown and still debated
What were the Jim Crow Laws
A set of laws to segregate society
What percent of black peoples attended high school in the 1920s
1%
What sometimes happened to black southerners who were accused of a crime
They were lynched (hanged) by a white mob without a trial
How many black people were lynched in 1919
76
How many black people served in WW1 for USA
400k
What was the great migration
1.5 million black people moving from the south to the north in search of employment in factories and to escape racism
By how much did the black population of Harlem (NYC) increase from 1919 to 1930
115k
Why did black people who migrated north face problems from industrial white workers
The black workers were competing for the jobs of the white workers
How many places experienced race riots in 1919
24
How did racism affect black people
- Worse education - less job opportunities
- Less job security
- Worse living conditions and worse facilities
- White people tried to stop black people from voting
What did the KKK believe in
White supremacy
Which 1915 film catalysed the revival of the KKK
Birth of a Nation
Which 1915 film catalysed the revival of the KKK
Birth of a Nation
Who revived the KKK in 1915
William Simmons
What did Simmons lay down as his core KKK values
- WASPS were the superior race and they needed to fight to survive
- Immigration should stop because it threatened the power of WASPS
- WASPS should have strong Christian Values
How many members of the KKK were there in 1923
5 million
What was the main demographic of the KKK in 1923
WASPS from the middle class
What were the methods of the KKK (4)
- Violence (e.g. lynching)
- Controlling education (e.g. not teaching evolution)
- Protesting
- Boycotting businesses who’s owners did not agree with them
When did the KKK decline start
1925
How many KKK members were there in 1929
200k
Why were the KKK so powerful
They had members who were politicians, policemen and judges
What was the main religion in America
Protestant
What was the Bible Belt
Southern and mid-western US states that have many people who believed fundamental Christian beliefs
What were fundamentalists
People who believed everything in the bible was true e.g. Eve was created from Adam’s rib
What were modernists
People who believed that bible stories needed to be reinterpreted because of modern discoveries e.g. evolution
What was the Butler Act
It prohibited the teaching of evolution in schools
Who broke the Butler Act
John Scopes
Why was the monkey trial given its name
The trial became a debate between fundamentalist ideas like creation and modernist ideas like the theory of evolution
Was Scopes found guilty and if so what was his punishment
Yes - $100 fine
What were the effects of the monkey trial
- The butler act was not lifted until 1967 (limited impact)
- The trial helped the religious debate to get national attention
- The cause of fundamentalism was damaged and mocked by many
Which amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol
Eighteenth
What was the Volstead Act
A system set up to enforce the ban on alcohol
What were some of the arguments used by those who were pro-prohibition
- Alcohol damaged society - led to unemployment and wasted wages as well as domestic violence
- It led to sinful behaviour
- It weakened the economy - drunk workers aren’t as productive as sober ones
- Problems were created for a country at war - grain was needed for food but was being used to make alcohol instead
How did liver disease fall from 1911 to 1929
1911 - 29.5 per 100k
1929 - 10.7 per 100k
What percent of the American population was pro-prohibition
40%
How many bottles of alcohol were seized by 2 women in the 1920s and what were their names
5 million - Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith
What were some of the problems with prohibition
- Breweries, farmers and saloon owners and workers suffered
- The government lost money from alcohol tax
- Alcohol was smuggled in from abroad
- People tried to make their own moonshine - homemade alcohol
- People tried to make medicinal or industrial alcohol drinkable
- Speakeasies were hidden places where you could get alcohol, hidden in the backs of shops, barbers etc
How many people died from alcohol poisoning due to poor quality moonshine in 4 days in NYC
34
How much did anti-prohibitionists claim that the government lost in alcohol tax from 1919-31
$11 billion
Why was the prohibition law poorly enforced
- The budget was initially only $2 million
- Five states refused to comply
- American juries refused to convict law breakers
What was a bootlegger
Someone who made or distributed alcohol illegaly
Why did prohibition promote a rise in gangs and organised crime
Gangs operated to produce, smuggle and sell alcohol to ordinary people
How much did Al Capone make per year at the height of his power
$105m
Who was Al Capone
One of the most successful gang bosses during the prohibition era
How was Al Capone brought down and when
He was found to have not paid $200k in taxes so he was arrested on charges of tax avoidance in 1931
Why did the rise in gangs have a big effect on US cities (3, 2 with stats)
- They were extremely violent - 200 gang related murders by November 1924
- They controlled local politicians - the politicians relied on gangsters’ votes
- They turned ordinary citizens into criminals - residents in the South of Chicago produced 200 gallons of alcohol per day
How did many gangs interact with prohibition officers
They bribed them - they were lowly paid so many accepted the bribes
What was the alcohol consumption level in 1929 compared to 1914
70%
How many speakeasies were there in NYC in 1929
32,000
When did prohibition end
1933
Why was prohibition lifted (6)
- Tax - government needed money due to depression
- Public opinion
- Policies of FDR
- Domestic industry
- Enforcement challenges
- Organised crime
Summarise the first Red Scare
- Many Americans preferred immigrants from northern and Western Europe
- A number of laws were introduced in the 1920s to restrict immigration
- Some Americans feared communism and anarchism which led to the Palmer raids on suspected radicals
- Sacco and Vanzetti were tried (1921) and executed (1927) showing anti immigration attitudes in the US legal system
Summarise the black experience in America in the 1920s
- Black Americans feared racist attitudes from some white Americans
- Segregation, violence and restrictions were all put on black people
- The KKK (persecutors of black people) rose in power
Summarise the monkey trial
- American Protestants were divided between fundamentalists and modernists
- John Scopes was tried and fined for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in 1925 (modernist theory)
Summarise prohibition
- Introduced in 1919
- Improved the health and productivity of Americans
- Many people did not comply
- It was enforced poorly
- Gangsters rose in power, making, transporting and selling alcohol illegally
- It was lifted in 1933
