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USA History > THEME 1: c & d - changes in society & cultural changes > Flashcards

THEME 1: c & d - changes in society & cultural changes Flashcards

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1
Q

How & why did the population grow in the early 20th c?

A

1900: 76 mil
1920: 106.5 mil
1030: 123 mil

  • firstly due to the birth rate - but also immigration
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2
Q

What were American attitudes towards immigration?

A
  • Many believed white Americans were superior despite the country being built by slavery - often anti-immigration * welcomed immigration from northern Europe but not from ‘undesirable’ areas (east Europe & Asia)
  • worried it would destroy white American traditions, culture & beliefs
  • these ideas were tied up with eugenics
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3
Q

How did the federal government address the concerns on immigration?

A
  • 1921 The Emergency Immigration law

* 1924 The Johnson-Reed Immigration act

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4
Q

What did the (1921) Emergency Immigration law do?

A
  • placed an annual ceiling on immigration from any European country
  • only 3% of the number of nationals from that country living in the US allowed in
  • favoured white protestants - their descendants were more likely to have moved to the US
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5
Q

What did the (1924) Johnson-Reed Immigration act do?

A
  • banned any immigration from Japan (other Asian countries were banned earlier)
  • set an absolute ceiling on immigration at 150,000 per year
  • ceiling did not apply to Mexicans (provided cheap labour for Californian farmers at harvest)
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6
Q

What was the Red Scare?

A
  • high inflation led to industrial unrest (1919, 4 mil strikes)
  • people believed that these were led by communists who desire a revolution
  • fears grew as a general strike brought Seattle to a halt
  • Eastern European immigrants particularly targeted
  • people feared communism was leaking into American society
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7
Q

What was a consequence of the Red Scare?

A

The Palmer Raids

  • Plamer was popular for exposing ‘communist activities’
  • arrested 6,000 in 1920 on suspicion of communism
  • made arrests with close to no hard evidence - those detained had to be released after a few days
  • Plamer claimed there was to be a huge communist demonstration in NY (1920) - when this didn’t happen he looked ridiculous & the red scare died away
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8
Q

What was the Sacco & Vanzetti case?

A
  • Italian immigrants were arrested & accused of armed robbery in Boston 1920
  • they were found to be carrying guns & despite little concrete evidence, they were found guilty and executed in 1927 after years of legal appeals
  • in cities there were widespread protests by many in rural areas supported the execution - happy to see cities as filled with ‘foreigners’ refusing to adopt American life
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9
Q

Who and how many supported the KKK?

A
  • 1921, 100,000 members - at its height 4 mil
  • gained considerable support in Mid-West & South
  • mostly farmers, artisans & shopkeepers
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10
Q

What were the KKK’s beliefs?

A
  • opposed to Jews, Catholics, Black Americans & foreigners
  • White supremacy
  • opposed borrowing from any non-‘Anglo Saxon’ culture e.g the popularity of Jazz music
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11
Q

Why was the KKK appealing to Americans?

A
  • It met their needs - gave them a sense of importance, belonging & power
  • gave the dull lives of farmers etc a purpose with its secretive language & robes
  • appealed to the bullying instincts many people had
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12
Q

What would the KKK do to its victims?

A
  • tarred & feathered
  • branded
  • killed
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13
Q

Why did the KKK collapse as an organisation?

A
  • by late 20s members realised they were being exploited for money - requirements to buy merchandise
    (robes cost $3.28 to make but sold for $6.50)
  • profits fuelled extravagantly lifestyles for leaders
  • Leader in Indiana had a sudden downfall following the suicide of a woman he raped - convicted of 2nd-degree murder. Led to considerable support being lost
  • revelations of financial mismanagement in Pennsylvania led to membership falling
  • by 1929, membership had fallen to 200,000
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14
Q

What concerns about immorality existed during the 20s?

A
  • widespread distrust in of cinema, jazz & it’s associated dances
  • ‘flapper girls’ suggests women were becoming more promiscuous/shameless (smoking, drinking, short skirts)
  • high profile scandals - ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle accused of sexual attacks & murder
  • concern with the growth of crime & fear that it will spread to rural areas
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15
Q

What legislation brought prohibition?

A

1918: 18th Amendment banned the sale, transportation and manufacture of intoxicating liquor within the USA

(but crucially not drinking)

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16
Q

What were the reasons for prohibition?

A

Support form a variety of groups

  • women’s group saw alcohol as a means for oppression
  • religious groups saw it as the work of the devil & sinful
  • big businesses saw it as leading to a lazy workforce

Impact of WW1
* grain needed for food - patriotic to go without alcohol
(1917 Lever Act)
* Many of the largest brewers were of German origin
* many saw restrained behaviour as part of the ‘brave new world’

Disorganisation of the opposition

  • forces against the measure did little to show this
  • a march & rally in NY, parade in Baltimore
  • not much more protests than this
17
Q

Why did Prohibition fail?

bullet points

A
  • geographical difficulties
  • Bootleggers
  • Industrial Alcohol
  • Problems for Treasury Agents
  • Divisions among supporters
  • Role of gov
  • Popularity of ‘speakeasies’
18
Q

Why did geographical difficulties lead to the failure of prohibition?

A
  • USA had 18,700 miles of coastline
  • allowed smuggling to be successful as it couldn’t all be regulated
  • 1925 estimated agents only intercepted 5% of illegal smuggling of alcohol
  • water’s outside of national limits known as ‘rum row’
19
Q

What were bootleggers & how did they contribute to the failure of prohibition?

A
  • ‘bootleggers’ went into business as producers & distributors of illegal alcohol
  • manufactured medicinal alcohol
  • George Remus was the ‘king of bootleggers’ and made $5 mil selling medicinal alcohol
  • a way for people to continue buying alcohol
20
Q

What was moonshine & how did it contribute to the failure of prohibition?

A
  • illegal alcohol often known as ‘moonshine’ - often made from industrial alcohol in remote areas at night
  • no quality control meant it was dangerous - poisoning from wood alcohol common
  • many would make exotic cocktails to get rid of the horrible taste
21
Q

What issues did the Treasury agents experience which led to the failure of prohibition?

A
  • only 3,000 agents employed to enforce prohibition
  • paid an average salary of $2,500 to shut down illegal industry which made $2 mil
  • many were corrupt and would accept bribes to turn a blind eye on illegal operations
  • one federal agent made $7 mil selling illegal licences & pardons to bootleggers
22
Q

Why did the government fail to uphold prohibition?

A
  • Congress didn’t want to enforce it in fear of alienating rich & influential voters who enjoyed drinking
  • Prohibition took place during a period of little gov intervention meaning enforcement was minimal
  • no one in gov wanted to admit it was impossible to enforce because Americans liked to drink
23
Q

How did prohibition affect crime & gangsterism?

A
  • Many began organised crime to sell alcohol
  • Al Capone was a notorious gangster who made huge profits ($70 mil) from speakeasies/ selling alcohol
  • Gangs led to increased crime/violence as ‘turf wars’ would take place
24
Q

What was the ‘St Valentine’s Day Massacre’?

A
  • 1929, 14th Feb
  • Capone had 5 of his men dress as policemen
  • They arrested 7 of the rival gang
  • Shot over 100 bullets in them

An example of the violence that took place

25
Q

What was the role & status of women during the 1920s?

A
  • contraception mostly not available
    • Sanger created the American birth control league
    • arrested in 1916 for opening first contraception clinic
  • Women either had lots of children or backstreet abortions - responsible for 50,000 deaths per year
  • Sheppard-Towner Act 1921: funded healthcare for pregnancy & have women some control over the clinics it set up
  • Despite the existence of flappers, attitudes remained traditional: a survey found 89% of girls said they’d like a job but would give it up after marriage
    women never voted as a block & movements remained fragmented throughout 20s - progress limited
  • legislation banning women from nightshift increased unemployment
26
Q

What were the main areas which experienced cultural change?

A
  • The age of the ‘fads’
  • Literature in the 1920s
  • The Media & Sport
  • The Harlem Renaissance
27
Q

What was the age of the ‘fads’?

A
  • the 20s was an age of optimism symbolised by the massive growth in entertainment/’fads’
  • ‘fads’ = fun activities people would do in leisure time
  • Flagpole sitting: craze started by a failed boxer who spent 145 days atop various flagpoles
  • Dance marathons: very popular, Chicago marathon lasted 119 days
  • Crossword puzzles: competitions became a spectator sport
  • Jazz = biggest music craze which had associated dances (Charleston, Black bottom)
28
Q

What literature was popular in the 1920s & how was it different to previous era’s?

A

Hemingway: ‘the sun also rises’

  • symbolised the emptiness of society
  • conveys a sense of unhappiness as ex-soldiers live fruitless lives in Paris
  • contradicted the optimistic feel of the time

Sinclar: ‘babbitt’

  • the concept of finding life unfulfilling & monotonous returned to
  • character looks for more opportunity for fulfilment but is only concerned w/ social status/materialism

Both criticise the consumer boom & materialist age/culture & contradict the optimistic & happy feel many felt

29
Q

How did radio change during the 1920s?

A
  • first commercial radio station set up in 1920, KDKA, by 1922 there were 500 across the USA (due to popularity)
  • some believed invisible energy flying through the air was dangerous & cited dead birds as evidence
  • led more people to tune into sporting events: 50 mil listen to Tunny Vs Dempsy in 1927 (boxing)
  • created opportunities for advertising & sponsorship
  • wide range of programmes: comedies, westerns, detective programmes etc
30
Q

How did the sales of radio’s change from 1923 - 1929?

A

1923: $60 mil worth of sales
GREW
1929: $842 mil

31
Q

Why was cinema so significant across the 1920s?

A
  • contributed to world culture
  • Hollywood was the 4th largest in terms of capital investment
  • employed more than either Ford or General Motors
  • More than escapism - shown in elaborate picture places
    E.G The Roxy in NY cost $7-10 mil to build, had 3 organs, a huge chandelier, 118 piece orchestra
32
Q

What was sport like during the 1920s?

A
  • sport had a huge following - participation & spectating - esp baseball & boxing
  • growth radio brought matches into peoples homes & helped foster a sense of national community
  • sporting celebs earned lots from sponsorship deals & advertising - Demspy $10 over his career
33
Q

Why was baseball so popular during the 20s?

A
  • lots of successful - partly due to gifted players e.g Babe Ruth on NY Yankee
  • many say Babe Ruth’s charisma transformed the game
  • always popular because it was easy to play of wastelands, took off in 20s when huge stadia were built e.g West Side Grounds in Chicago
  • intro of the cork-centred ball moved emphasis to hitters
  • 1920 saw the formation of the Negro National Baseball League - toured and played games to mixed crowds
  • could attract games of 30,000 at peak of the season
34
Q

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A

A resurgence of Black American culture, pride in black life & achievement

  • high concentration of Black Americans in Harlem led to a flow of culture
  • Alain Locke believe their history of suffering gave them a unique susceptibility to respond to the arts
35
Q

What are some products of the Harlem Renaissance?

A
  • ‘The Weary Blues’ poem (Alain Locke) captures the voices of the residents of Harlem & their small but sg everyday achievements
  • Jazz, Blues & Spirituals music - depth & intensity white Americans couldn’t replicate
36
Q

How did White American interest in black culture impact the Harlem Renaissance?

A
  • their interest led to a sanitised version of music - swing
    • white jazz musicians emerged: Benny Goodman
  • White tourism: Harlem because a place for white people to come and explore black culture for the night, through Jazz clubs like ‘the cotton club’ - had high prices
  • made Black Americans feel like animals in a zoo
  • saw many black Americans because less tolerant of whites
37
Q

What was ‘the New Negro’?

A

The exponents of the Harlem Renaissance collectively condensed into an anthology - ‘the New Negro’ - worked & edited by Alain Locke

USA History (10 decks)

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