Module 8.2 Flashcards
What was the American public’s mindset after WWI?
Exhausted and divided.
What issues divided post-WWI America?
League of Nations, immigration, isolationism.
Post-WWI, what was the American attitude towards immigration?
Anti-immigration, increased nativism and xenophobia.
How did post-WWI America express anti-German sentiment?
Germans changed names; German language classes stopped.
Why did anti-Semitism rise in post-WWI America?
Due to Jewish immigration from Eastern Europe.
What was a major fear in post-WWI America?
Fear of Communism.
What caused the Russian Revolution?
Food riots, mutinous soldiers, years of serfdom, WWI losses.
Who led the Russian Revolution and what was their goal?
Vladimir Lenin (Bolsheviks); aimed for government ownership of land/resources.
How did American Communists, like the IWW, respond to the revolution?
IWW members joined the Communist Party, supporting public ownership ideas.
What scared Americans about the rise of Communism?
Public property ownership concept and bombing incidents (e.g., against Rockefeller and the postmaster general).
Who created the FBI and under which president?
Attorney General Palmer under Woodrow Wilson.
What was the FBI’s initial focus?
Hunting Communists, often ignoring civil rights.
What was the outcome of Palmer’s raids?
Little evidence of a revolutionary conspiracy found.
Who were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti?
Anarchists and WWI draft dodgers, executed for murder.
What crime were Sacco and Vanzetti accused of?
Killing a factory paymaster and guard, stealing $15,000.
Why were there protests over Sacco and Vanzetti’s execution?
Little proof; they had alibis. 1961 ballistics linked Sacco to the gun.
What effect did the Sacco and Vanzetti incident have on public opinion?
It incited anti-Communist feelings.
What evidence emerged in 1961 regarding Sacco?
A weapon found on Sacco was proven to be the murder weapon.
How large did the Ku Klux Klan grow by 1924?
4.5 million members.
Who were the main targets of the KKK’s dislike?
African Americans, Roman Catholics, Jews, Communists, non-Protestant immigrants, alcohol users, union members.
Who was Edward Clark and what did he do?
He was involved in the Southern Publicity Association, promoting the KKK.
What was the role of Kleagles in the KKK?
They recruited members; kept $4 from the $10 initiation fee.
In which states did the KKK dominate politics in the 1920s?
Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas.
Why did nativists want to reduce immigration post-WWI?
Due to perceived links between immigrants and labor disputes.
What did the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 do?
Limited immigration to 2% of each ethnic group’s 1890 U.S. population.
Did the Emergency Quota Act include Japanese immigrants?
No, it excluded Japanese immigrants.
Were western European nations limited under the Emergency Quota Act?
No limitations for western Europeans.
What was the Indian Citizenship Act’s purpose?
Granted citizenship to 125,000 Native Americans, recognizing WWI service.
How many people participated in labor strikes in 1919?
Approximately four million.
What was the outcome of the Boston Police Strike?
Striking officers were fired by the police commissioner, supported by Governor Coolidge.
What were the working conditions like at U.S. Steel Corporation?
Miserable, with 12-hour workdays.
How many workers were involved in the U.S. Steel strike?
Approximately 350,000.
What was the outcome of the U.S. Steel strike?
18 workers killed, hundreds wounded; later, an 8-hour workday was agreed upon.
What did the United Mine Workers demand in their 1919 strike?
Shorter workdays and higher wages.
What was the result of the United Mine Workers’ strike?
A 27% pay increase, but no shorter workday.
Why did union membership decrease in the 1920s?
Limited government support, lower-wage immigrant workers, self-sufficient farmers, exclusion of blacks.
What did the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters achieve?
Helped black workers gain fair wages, led by A. Philip Randolph.
