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Topic 9: The Roaring 20s

 Topic 9: The Roaring 20s

  1. 1918- early 1920s: social upheaval and decline of Progressivism
  2. Roaring 20s: tradition vs modernity
  3. Tradition: 1924 Immigration Act; Scopes Trial; Prohibition
  4. Modernity: Fordism and the modern economy; affluence and leisure; literary trends; women’s liberation; African American culture as mainstream


  • 1918 - Early 1920's
    • Labor unrest continues (Though public weariness with labor agitation grows)
    • "Red Scare" after Russian Revolution 1917
      • ex. Palmer Raids - 1919 - 1920 targeting immigrants 
        • widespread raids on immigrants and thousands were arrested & accused of causing anarchy
        • personal liberties were denied
      • Sacco & Vancetti Trial
      • general hostility towards foreigners
    • Racial Strife
      • segregation in the south, lynching
    • The Great Migration: diaspora of southern blacks to northern states (@ 2 million migrants)
      • changes the political map of the north
    • Push vs Pull factors in Great Migration
      • Push - racial violence, sharecroppers losing work, boll weevil
      • Pull - more work available, labor shortage will give jobs to them

  • Decline of Progressive reform
  • President Coolidge "The business of America is business"
  • Crossroads between 'tradition' and 'modernity'
  • "Traditional America" during the 20s:
    1. Immigration
      • Immigration: 1924 Immigration Act (Johnson-Reed Act)
      • drastically reduced immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe
      • complete halt to Asian immigration
      • national quotas established (expect for northern European areas) Nations Origin Act
      • purpose: to maintain racial homogeneity
    2. Religious Fundamentalism (ex. evangelism)
      • Scopes Trial ("Monkey Trial") 1925 - Evolution
        • forbidden by law to teach evolution in the classroom
        • found guilty & eventually overturned
    3. Prohibition (18th Amendment)
      • Started as a progressive issue, but lacked support as it was a form of moral judgement
      • Temperance Movement - drunkinism as the source of depravity
      • easy to pass hard to enforce
      • rise of crime, speakeasy, corruption all around
      • appealed under the 21st amendment

  • "Modern America during the 20s"
    1. Economic life
      • Modern commodity & consumerism (example: Fordism)
      • things that make life easy and comfortable
      • Henry Ford
        • Assembly line & innovations
        • breakdown things into affordable parts & jobs
        • bring automobiles to the masses
        • started to pay his workers a lot more
          • if he increases his workers wages they will be able to afford his products
        • "Welfare Capitalism" - provides for employees
      • Modern Advertising
        • focused on leisure - was not around before this time
        • new area in life, & 5 day work week
        • psychological advertising
    2. Artistic Expression
      • "The Lost Generation" novelist:
        • Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Dreiser, etc.
        • writing after WWI
          • moral bankruptcy
    3. Culture
      • Jazz, "Race music", Modern Dances
        • dances were sexual in ways
        • becomes more acceptable and standard
    4. Gender roles & identity









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