The 1920's Flashcards
Red Scare
Fear of communism. 1919-1921. February 6-11. The Seattle General Strike shuts down the city and leads to arrests among socialists and others deemed subversive. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer declares that a “Red Menace” exists, and authorities begin to raid private homes and labor headquarters. Anarchist Bombings in April & June 1919.
Immigration Act of 1921
Act of 1921 also known as Emergency Quota Act. Placed numerical limits (3% of the number of residents from that same country living in the United States) on immigration from Europe and the use of a quota system for establishing those limits.
19th Amendment
Prohibits any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920. Drafted by Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1878.
Eugenics
The theory and practice of improving the genetic quality of the human population. Various forms of birth control, genocide and mariage restrictions are main methods.
Three main ways eugenics can be applied:
Mandatory (or authoritarian) - government mandates a eugenics program.
Promotional voluntary - voluntarily practiced and promoted to the general population, but not officially mandated. This is a form of non-state enforced eugenics, using a liberal or democratic approach.
Private - practiced voluntarily by individuals and groups, but not promoted to the general population.
Alberta Eugenics Board sterilized thousands from 1928-1972. Hitler was a Eugenicist.
KKK
Second wave lasted from 1915-1944. Reflecting the social tensions of urban industrialization and vastly increased immigration, its membership grew most rapidly in cities, and spread out of the South to the Midwest and West. The second KKK preached “One Hundred Percent Americanism” and demanded the purification of politics, calling for strict morality and better enforcement of prohibition. Directed at White Protestants. The Birth of a nation was a Clansman film (first shown in the White House under W Wilson).
1924 Election
Beginning of Republican dominance. Won by Calvin Coolidge (R) (2nd term) in impressive fashion (54% popular vote 72% Electoral vote [382 total]). Main competition was John W. Davis (D) (28% pop vote, 25.6% Electoral). 2nd strongest presidential win in history. “Keep cool with Coolidge”. Both major candidates campaigned for limited government, reduced taxes, and less regulation. The third place candidate, Robert La Follette, however, campaigned on a contrary platform. Democratic National convention was the longest-running political convention in American history (103 ballot rounds). This was due to Al Smith and William McAdoo running platforms separated by Klan support (McAdoo was clan supported). Both Smith and McAdoo withdrew on ballot 100. All confederate states voted for Davis. All Union (except Wisconsin) voted for Coolidge. 1st election where all Native Americans could vote.
Scopes Trial
The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, and commonly referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial. Decided July 21, 1925. Violated Tennessee’s Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. Clarence Darrow defended Scopes. Scopes was found guilty after 9 minutes. $100 fine overturned on a technicality (judge set fine when jury should have done it). Loss by Scopes and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) inspired 12 more states to develop anti-evolution laws.
Democratic Disarray
See 1924 election
Republican Ascendency
See 1924 Election
Leopold and Loeb Case
Nathan Leopold (19) & Richard Loeb (18) killed Bobby Franks (14). Richard had the idea to pursue the “perfect crime.” Called the “Trial of the Century”. Represented by Clarence Darrow. Boys both got life + 99 years. Leopold was later released on parole after 33 years. Loeb was killed in a knife attack in prison after 12 years. Case was aimed at avoiding death penalty.
18th Amendment
Ratified January 16, 1919 and into effect, January 17, 1920, established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring the production, transport and sale of (though not the consumption or private possession of) alcohol illegal. The amendment was repealed in 1933 by ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, the only instance in United States history that a constitutional amendment was repealed. Vetoed by W Wilson, but veto was overridden. Violated rights guaranteed under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Direct result of the temperence movement.
Roaring Twenties
“Normalcy” returned to politics in the wake of hyper-emotional patriotism during World War I, jazz music blossomed, the flapper redefined modern womanhood, and Art Deco peaked. Great and rapid economic growth. Harlem Reniassance, F Scott Fitzgerald novels (Gatsby), Frank Lloyd Wright. Langston Hughes.
Immigration Act of 1924
Reduced the admit % from the Emergency Quota Act from 3% to 2%. Purpose of the act was “to preserve the ideal of American homogeneity”. Proposed by Henry Cabot Lodge.
