Why did the KKK gain popularity in the 1920s? Flashcards
1
Q
Birth of a Nation
A
- The film depicted the activities of the KKK during the period after the Civil War
- It depicts black men pursuing white women and acting violently towards them.
- It made $10mil and was the highest grossing of all silent films
2
Q
Many people in the rural South felt threatened by the growth of cities and business in the North - the KKK opposed big business
A
- The population of industrial cities grew considerably: between 1910 and 1930, the population of Detroit increased by over 300%
- The KKK said they were fighting for ‘white working class people, who are unhappy with big business’
- They opposed high profits made by big business, arguing that these came at the expense of small businesses, such as those run by their members
3
Q
Economic anxieties - The KKK promised financial support for members who could not work
A
- Overproduction had reduced farm income from an average income per farm of $1,395 in 1919, to an average income per farm of $945 in 1926
- The NE had a per capita income of $921; in the SE it was only $365
- The KKK promoted ‘klannishness’ – this meant that members were meant to look after the interests and welfare of all other members
4
Q
Threat of immigration - The KKK promoted white Anglo Saxon supremacy
(the most important factor)
A
- Between 1911 and 1920, 5.7 mil immigrants arrived in America
- During the Palmer Raids of 1920, 6,000 people were arrested and accused of being associated with Communism. This suggested that there was a Communist threat in America
- The KKK proclaimed that it was the last defence of ‘one hundred percent Americanism’ and opposed racial and religious minorities.
5
Q
The KKK had members with influential political roles, and was able to use this to remove politicians who opposed its work
A
- At one point in the 1920s, both senators from Georgia were KKK members
- It used its political influence to remove the governors of Oregon and Kansas
- During the 1920s, the KKK secured control of local governments in several states, including Indiana and Colorado
- Used its influence to oppose the election of Al Smith (a Catholic) as a Democratic presidential candidate in the 1924 elections
6
Q
KKK membership levels
A
- 1921 had 100,000 followers
- 1923, 5 million members
