Intolerance Flashcards
What was life like for women before WW1 and 1920s rural women?
- They were expected to lead restricted lives
- They had to behave politely
- They wore plain clothes
- They didn’t wear makeup
- They had their relationships controlled
- They had chaperones
- There was no sport
- There was no public smoking
- They didn’t have the vote
- They were mainly housewives (there were few paid jobs for women e.g. Cleaning, dress making and secretaries.
How did the church’s attitude affect women?
The church’s attitude restricted women and told them how to behave in a Christian way.
What industries were some women taken into in 1917?
What did women gain from being in these industries?
War industries
They gained skilled experience
When did women gain the vote?
In 1920
Why did women gain the vote?
Due to their war contribution
What increased the freedom of younger urban women?
The car
How did electric goods benefit women?
It meant that less time as needed for housework - giving women more spare time.
What was life like for younger urban women?
- They wore more daring clothes
- They drank and smoked in public
- They wore makeup
- They went out without chaperones
What was a chaperone?
A woman’s family member who went with them everywhere to check that they were not up to no good.
How many female workers were there by 1929?
10 million
What percentage increase was there of female workers from 1920 to 1929?
A 24% increase (24% more female workers in 1929 than there was in 1920)
How were a Model T Fords changed to attract women buyers?
They were made in different colours (blue, green, burgundy etc.)
Why were Model T Fords made in different colours?
To attract women buyers
Why did women have more spare time in the 1920s?
Electric goods meant that they spent less time doing housework - giving them more spare time
What did women gain due to their war contribution?
The vote
In what year were women taken into war industries?
1917
How did the divorce are change from 1914 to 1929?
By 1929 the divorce rate was double that of the divorce rate in 1914
What did films and morals expose women to?
New role models
Who is an example of an actress who played a daring heroine in films?
Theda Bara
What did sex sell well in?
Newspapers, magazines and films
What was the 1920s meaning of sex?
Talking about relationships
In the 1920s women could see themselves in roles other than housewives. Who was an actress who inspired women?
Gloria Swanson
What were some limitations for women in the 1920s?
Women were still paid less did they same jobs as men.
- Employment levels only rose because women were cheaper to employ than men. In 1927 United Textile Workers Union went on strike in Elizabeth Town, Tennessee as the girls had to work 56 hour weeks for only 18 cents an hour. In 1928 there was a strike in North Carolina because male workers were only paid $18 and women $9 for a 70 hour week.
- Women achieved the vote but were not given access to power.
- Women were considered unelectable and there were few female politicians.
- Immigrant families especially Italians particularly believed in traditional roles.
Why did employment levels rise in women?
They were cheaper to employ than men (they were paid less for doing the same jobs as men.)
How did many women feel about the Sexual Revolution in films?
Many felt outraged and although they did watch films they did not always copy what they saw.
Which women did the church influence more than others?
The church influenced rural women more than urban ones.
Where did the majority of immigrants come from?
Europe (they were mostly white)
What did the future hold for immigrants?
The American Dream
Why did/do people suffer prejudice and intolerance?
- Jobs
- Background
- Religion (beliefs)
- Criminals
- Race
- Gender
- Disability
- Divorce
- Connections
- Class (upper, middle, working, lower)
- Sexuality
Why were immigrants fleeing to the USA?
- To escape poverty in Italy
- To escape persecution in Eastern Europe (e.g. Jews)
- To start a new life and to find hope and prosperity
What was the melting pot theory?
That all immigrants would forget their culture, customs and religious beliefs and become Americans. They would symbolically all be lit in a pot, melted down and reformed as Americans.
What happened in reality about the Melting Pot theory?
Most immigrants were proud of their cultures and customs and did not want to forget them. This sometimes caused tension with white Americans and more established immigrants who didn’t want immigrants coming to the USA.
Was racism just between whites and non-white people?
No
How was racism not just between whites and non-white people?
- Blacks from the Caribbean looked down on blacks from Africa.
- White peoples looked down on black people.
- Immigrants from Northern Europe looked down on Southern and Eastern European immigrants.
- Mexicans looked down on black people.
Why were many Americans concerned by immigrants?
They thought that immigrants were bringing radical political views with them such as Communism from Russia and Anarchism from Italy which would threaten America.
How many immigrants came from Great Britain to America?
5 million
How many immigrants came from Germany to America?
4.4 million
How many immigrants came from Russia to America?
2.7 million
How many immigrants came from Italy to America?
3.2 million
How many immigrants came from Ireland to America?
2 million
What was the red scare?
When many Americans were scared that recent immigrants to America were bringing radical beliefs with them such as Communism/Bolshevism or Anarchism.
What is Anarchism/Anarchy?
When there is not one government, no-one is in charge.
What is Bolshevism?
The party that supported communism (Bolshevics).
When did the Red Scare happen?
In 1919
What did Americans at the time consider as evidence of Communism/Bolshevism or Anarchism (the Red Scare)?
- 400,000 workers went on strike even the police in Boston. Looters and thieves roamed the streets.
- There was a wave of disturbances. There were race riots in 25 towns.
In 1919 how many towns had race riots in them?
25
How many workers went on strike in 1919 in Boston?
400,000
What do modern historians think about the Red Scare?
That the strikes were due to economic hardship and not Communism. Wartime production levels had fallen and less demand meant that workers were sacked. Some workers were immigrants and were complaining of low pay and long hours combined with terrible working conditions.
What did contemporary Americans think about the Red Scare?
They thought that it was Communist interference which meant that the workers might take control of industry and agriculture from owners. Republicans and big business friends were scared.
Why were the fears of contemporary Americans about the Red Scare justified?
- Many immigrants had radical political views.
- Anarchists published pamphlets and posters calling for the overthrow of the Government.
- In April 1919 a bomb killed 10 people in a Milwaukee church.
- In May 1919 bombs were posted to 36 prominent Americans.
- In June 1919 Mitchell Palmer the US Attorney General was nearly killed.
What did Anarchists publish about their beliefs?
Pamphlets and posters calling for the overthrow of the Government.
What happened in April 1919?
A bomb killed 10 people in a Milwaukee church.
How many people were killed by the bomb in a Milwaukee church in April 1919?
10
Where were 10 people killed by a bomb in April 1919?
A Milwaukee church
What happened in May 1919?
Bombs were posted to 36 prominent Americans.
How many prominent Americans were bombs posted to in May 1919?
36
Who were bombs posted to in May 1919?
36 prominent Americans
What happened in June 1919?
Mitchell Palmer the US Attorney General was nearly killed.
Who was Mitchell Palmer?
The US Attorney General in 1919.
What happened to the people who had radical political beliefs in the Red Scare?
- Flimsy evidence was used to round them up.
* They were nearly always immigrants.
Who was responsible for rounding up the people with radical political beliefs in the Red Scare?
J Edgar Hoover
Who was J Edgar Hoover?
A young clerk appointed by Mitchell Palmer. He was responsible for rounding up people with radical political beliefs.
What did J Edgar Hoover do to round up people with radical political beliefs?
- Hoover built up files on 60,000 suspects.
* In 1919 there were 10,000 people told they were going to be deported from the USA.
How many files did J Edgar Hoover build up on suspects of having radical political beliefs?
Files on 60,000 people
In 1919 how many people were told that they were going to be deported from the USA?
10,000
What happened to Mitchell Palmer after the Red Scare?
- He tried to use fear to build up his own support to run for president.
- He predicted a Red Revolution would begin in May 1920. When it didn’t he looked stupid and papers and politicians began to undermine him.
- Louis Post examined the files and found that only 556 of the 60,000 files had any basis of truth.
- Mitchell Palmer was discredited (respect for him and his reputation was damaged.)
What did Mitchell Palmer use to get support to run for president?
Fear of Communism and Anarchism.
What did Mitchell Palmer predict would begin in May 1920?
A Red Revolution
When did Mitchell Palmer predict that a Red Revolution would begin?
May 1920
Who examined the files J Edgar Hoover had built up on suspects on the Red Scare?
Louis Post
What was found out when the files J Edgar Hoover had built up were examined?
That only 556 of the 60,000 has any basis of truth
How many files of the 60,000 built up by J Edgar Hoover during the Red Scare had any basis of truth?
556
Who were two high-profile victims of the Red Scare?
Italian Americans Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.
Who nationality were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti?
Italian American
Who were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti?
Two high-profile victims of the Red Scare and self-confessed Anarchists.
When were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti arrested?
In 1920
Why were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti arrested?
On suspicion of armed robbery and murder.
What did the persecution against Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti heavily rely on?
Racist slurs about their Italian origins and on stirring up fears about their radical beliefs.
What did the judge at the trial of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti say?
That although Vanzetti “may not actually have committed the crime attributed to him he is nevertheless morally culpable [to blame] because he is the enemy of our existing institutions”.
After the trial of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti what did the judge refer to them as?
“Those anarchist bastards”.
Explaining the verdict of the trial of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti what did a leading lawyer of the time say?
“Judge Thayer is narrow minded… unintelligent… full of prejudice. He has been carried away by fear of Reds which has captured about 90% of the American people.”
When were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti executed?
In July 1927 after six years of legal appeals.
How many years of legal appeals happened before the execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti?
Six years