Social changes 1912-20 Flashcards
Possible exam question: “America was bitterly divided by 1920” Give 3 overarching responses to this
Yes - Enemy within - communism
Yes - Social - Nativism
No - political - rise of progressivism
Give 3 examples of the divides between socialism and the government’s hostile environment
Legislation showed a lack of trust and fear - Wilson puts through the Espionage Act 1917 which gives new power to postmaster general Albert Burleson to monitor the public’s mail. This may have been due to paranoia after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Lenin taking charge.
This was strengthened by the Sedition Act 1918 leading to 1500 prosecutions of which 2 thirds were convicted. Socialist party leader Eugene Debs was imprisoned and radical feminist/anarchist Emma Goldman was deported on the ‘Red Ark’ with 249 Russian Subversives.
These divides increased after the 1918 economic crash culminating in the Palmer Raids in November 1919 in which 12 cities were raided and confidential documents were seized.
How could it be argued that the palmer raids didn’t sew divisions socially?
There was almost universal outcry against the raids as it was felt they were infringing on civil liberties. Also the Supreme Court decided that use of the evidence seized from the raids was illegal.
Give 2 detailed examples of divides due to nativism
Black people were still treated as second class citizens - the army was segregated and black soldiers faced hostility when returning to the South as there was a spike in lynching. This was socially acceptable as the KKK gained popularity and penetrated the upper echelons of society. Also in the North black workers fought discrimination through the riots of 1919 Red Summer in cities like St Louis and Chicago.
Attitudes towards immigrants were also divisive - the Emergency Quota Act in 1921 aimed to drastically cut down on the influx of ‘undesirable’ immigrants to 400,000 a year.
In what way was there some unity in terms of race?
After black soldiers returned from the war many of them were more politically conscious and wanted to fight segregation and aim for equality. This led to a spike in NAACP membership and more vocal support for activists like WEB DoBois.
Give 2 examples that show politics wasn’t divided?
Progressivism - policies were passed such as the 19th Amendment 1920 which granted suffrage to all women. Also by 1917 there was a 2 thirds majority of ‘drys’ in the House and Senate leading to the Volstead Act in 1919 for prohibition.
Isolationism - There was a view after the the loss of 50,000 american soldiers in the war and also the Spanish Flu epidemic that the US should remain isolationist leading to the rejection of the League of Nations in 1919 despite Wilson being one of the founding creators. Also the election of Harding in 1920 by a landslide and 60% of the popular vote showed a want for the ‘return to normalcy’ and more conservative values.
