Politics of the Roaring Twenties

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Politics of the Roaring Twenties

• Would you strike and risk your familys welfare?

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Examine the Issues

• Do city workers have a responsibility not to go
  on strike?
• Should the government intervene in disputes
  between labor and business?
• Does the success of a strike depend on you?

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PART I America Struggles with Postwar Issues

• Main idea
• A desire for normality (NORMALCY- Harding Adm)
  after the war and a fear of communism (RED SCARE)
  and foreigners led to postwar isolationism.
• Why it Matters Today
• Americans today continue to debate political
  isolationism and immigration today.

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Postwar Trends- home from WWI

• Debate over the League of Nations had deeply
  divided America. (Wilsons 14th PT)
• Returning soldiers faced unemployment.
• Cost of living had doubled.
• Nativism or prejudice against foreign-born
  people, swept America.
• Isolationism-a policy of pulling away from the
  involvement in world affairs.

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Fear of Communism

• One threat to American life was communism-a
  belief in a single-party government ruled by a
  dictatorship.

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Limiting Immigration

• Keep America for Americans
• Immigrants worked for less money.

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A Time of Labor Unrest

• Government wouldnt allow for strikes during the
  war.
• 1919- 3,000 strikes.
• Three strikes in particular grabbed public
  attention.

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Labor Movement Loses Appeal

• Union membership dropped in the 20s.
• Reasons for decline
• Immigrants worked in poor conditions
• Immigrants didnt speak English
• Farmers relied on themselves
• Unions excluded African Americans

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Americans Struggle with Postwar IssuesReview

• Explain how the Red Scare, the Sacco and Vanzetti
  case, and the rise of the KKK reflected concerns
  held by many Americans.
• All three events reflected fear of immigrants and
  radical movements.
• Describe the primary goal of the Immigration
  Quota System established in 1921.
• The goal of the quota system was to reduce
  European immigration to the U.S.

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PART II The Harding Normalcy Presidency

• Main Idea
• The Harding administration appealed to Americas
  desire for calm and peace after the war, but
  resulted in scandal.
• Why it Matters Today
• The government must guard against scandal and
  corruption to merit public trust.

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One Americans Story

• Warren G. Harding (29th) was described as a
  good-natured man who looked like a president
  ought to look.
• Ohio Gang- brought his friends from his home
  state of OHIO with him into political offices
  they were not qualified or prepared to run
  correctlytroubled waters!!!!!!

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Harding Struggles for Peace

• After WWI, problems surfaced relating to arms
  control, war debts, and the reconstruction of
  war-torn countries so...
• Harding invited several major powers to
  Washington Naval Conference.
• Sec. of State- Charles Evans Hughes- suggest that
  the five major powers disarm.
• 1928- Kellogg-Briand Pact- NO MORE WAR was an
  international policy (made WAR ILLEGAL).

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Kellogg-Briand Pact-1928
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Fordney-McCumber Tariff

• As a result of the war, Americans had two main
  concerns
• First, they wanted to ensure economic
  self-sufficiency so that no future enemy could
  manipulate the American economy.
• Second, many industries wanted to preserve the
  benefits of the increased wartime demand.

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High Tariffs and Reparations

• Britain and France looked for ways to pay back
  10 billion to the U.S. they had borrowed for
  WWI
• Two way they could pay back
• Selling goods to the U.S.
• Collecting reparations from Germany (33 BILLION
  OWED)
• 1922-Fordney-McCumber Tariff- Congress raised
  taxes on imports to 60!!!!!!!!!
• Germany defaulted on loansSO U.S. gives 2.5
  billion to Germany so they can pay Britain
  France.
• Dawes Plan- U.S. bankers would loan money to
  Germany to pay back Britain and France.
• In essence, U.S. was repaid with their own money

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Scandal Hits Hardings Administration
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Teapot Dome Scandal
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HOME
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your
thoughts. List five significant events from this
section and their effects.
Naval disarmament
Kellog-Briand Pact
Fordney McCumber Tariff
Raised tariffs to highest level
Dawes Plan
U.S. loans to Germany repay reparations
Immigration restricted
Quota Act
Government corruption
Teapot Dome scandal
continued . . .
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The Harding PresidencyReview

• What did Harding want to do to return America to
  normalcy?
• Harding wanted to get America back to the simpler
  days before the Progressive Era reforms.
• Summarize the Teapot Dome scandal.
• The scandal was about corruption in the leasing
  of government of reserves to private companies
  one cabinet member received bonds, cash, and
  ranches in exchange for oil contracts goes all
  the way up to SEC of INTERIOR ALBERT B. FALL
• Harding dies of heart attack/stroke soon after
  this breaks, summer 1923VP Coolidge becomes new
  president!

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PART IIIThe Business of America

• Main Idea
• Consumer goods fueled the business boom of the
  1920s as Americas standard of living soared.
• Why it Matters Today
• Business, technological, and social developments
  of the 1920s launched the era of modern
  consumerism.

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Calvin Coolidge

• The chief business of the American people is
  business

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American Industries Flourish

• The new president, Calvin Coolidge (30th), fit
  into pro-business spirit of the 1920s very well.
• Coolidge favored government policies that would
  keep taxes down and business profits up. Limited
  government interference LASSAIZE FAIREleave
  business ONLY!.

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Route 66

• 1916- Federal-Aid Road Act sets up highway
  program with federal govt paying half the cost
  of states highway construction
• 1921- Highway construction in 11 western states
  begins under administration of Bureau of Public
  Roads
• 1926- US Highway 66, ran 2,448 miles from Chicago
  to Los Angeles, CA, is established

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Americas Standard of Living Soars

• Between the years 1920-1929, Americans prospered.
  
• Annual income rose from 522 to 705
• People spent money, advertising changes to
  persuade people to buy their products

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A Superficial Prosperity

• During the 1920s, most Americans believed
  prosperity would go on forever.

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The Business of America Review

• How did changes in technology in the 1920s
  influence American life?
• The automobile prompted the building of new
  roads, gave people more mobility, and created
  jobs airplanes improved transportation and
  communication electrical appliances freed up
  time for other activities.
• What evidence suggests that the prosperity of the
  1920s was not on a firm foundation?
• The income gap between workers and managers was
  growing some industries were stagnant or losing
  money people were increasing their debt.

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HOME
GRAPH
1. Look at the graphic to help organize your
thoughts. List events that illustrate the
technological and business changes of the 1920s.
Use of theinstallment plan
Development of the automobile industry
Technology Business Changesof the 1920s
Expansion of theairline industry
Spread of modern advertising
Invention of newelectrical appliances
continued . . .