Term
|
Definition
| Many war experiments will end. For example no more ownership of factories. This was a new time for business and society. If people lose thing they want they have to fight for them. Bolsheviks were seen as dangerous and devious radicals. They created a large communist scare in the U.S. Also feared a worldwide revolution that started in Russia. There were some American communists, but no real threat to the United States. |
|
|
Term
| Protests of the Working Class |
|
Definition
| During the war inflation caused prices to double, but wages stayed the same. This lead to strikes. In 1919 4 million workers were on 4,000 strikes. Striking for higher wages, shorter hours, and more control at work. Strikes in shipping and U.S. Steel. U.S. Steel had 340,000 worker strike. Strikes were seen as un-American and communists. Often strikes were violently put down. 18 strikers were killed and unions often give up. Boston police strike was fought over public safety. Numerous bombings, including the Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer's house. Palmer wanted to stomp out radicals, he created a new division of the Justice Department and put J. Edgar Hoover in charge to rid the "red menace." In November 1919 the Palmer raids took place. Arrests and deportations in a number of cities. This was the greatest violation of civil liberties in the U.S. so far. Palmer becomes a national hero. By 1920 the raids were over, but the long term legacy was the creation of organizations that were anti-communist and anti-radical. Examples were the American Legion and Daughters of the American Revolution. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A new Klan developed in Georgia with William J. Simmons as the Imperial Wizard. The new Klan expanded to anti-foreign, anti-Semitic, and anti-catholic. "America is Protestant and so it must remain." Promoted themselves as a patriotic cause. The Klan grew slowly, but when WWI vets returned they could sign up for the American Legion and the KKK. In 1920 they had 100,000 new members. Most members were from rural areas of the South or working class neighborhoods of large cities. They reached their peak at 2 million members. After 1924 the Klan decreased again in numbers. |
|
|
Term
| Foreign People Get the Chair |
|
Definition
| Two Italian anarchists were arrested in 1920 for murdering a shoe factory guard. They were convicted and sentenced to death. Little to no evidence was found to convict them. Most felt they were punished because they were immigrants and radicals. In 1927 they both dies in the electric chair. In 1977 the Massachusetts governor cleared them. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The 1920s saw expansion and widespread prosperity. Production doubled and the Gross National Product went up to 40% wealth however was spread unequally. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| New homes will be built, telephones will double, cigarette lighters, Pyrex glass, bathroom all in one room with enamel fixtures. The 20s will also see more leisure time as work will be cut from 60 to 45 hours a week. Also more paid vacation. In 1916, 4% have it by 1926, 40% have it. Will also see better food with more variety and fresher foods. Education will also increase. In 1900, 1-10 stay in high school and 1-33 stay in college. In 1930, 6-10 stay in high school and 1-7 college. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| New structure for co-operations. Most mergers were from the 1890s. In 1929 there were 1,200 mergers. Huge co-operations were formed like GE, General Motors, Sears and Roebuck, and DuPont. These businesses were not monopolies they were oligopolies. 200 companies had half of the cooperate wealth. New management styles were started. Division of company components, new products, inventory, and advertising. Also a new workplace. There were pensions, profit sharing, recreational facilities and welfare capitalism. Often businesses worked very closely with the government. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| 1920s saw the second industrial revolution with a focus on products. Electricity became the new power source. Edison and Westinghouse created the light bulb to replace the lamp. In 1902 2% of business had light bulbs, and by 1929 there were 80%. In 1907 9% of homes had light bulbs, and by 1929 it was 66%. This enabled businesses to turn out twice as many goods. New products like washing machines, iron, vacuum, toaster, and sewing. This led to greater separation in society. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Huge boom in sales from 1900 to 1925. It went from 4,100 to 3,735,100. This also helped other industries like petroleum, steel, rubber, and roads. Also created new suburbs and new businesses like gas stations, diners, and parking lots. There were a number of environmental concerns like air pollution, and discarded vehicles. This also changed farming with trucks and tractors. It also changed schools so they could have busses. They were seen as a status symbol. Also started buying on credit, "buy now, pay later." Auto manufacturers also consolidated. From 1900 to 1929 the number of car companies went from 250 to 44. Henry Ford of the Ford Motor Company was the first to use the assembly line. This reduced time to make a car from 4 hours to 1 1/2 hours. He also created the Model-T, which was the first inexpensive family car. He also paid his workers 5 dollars a day, which was twice the average pay. He did this so he could keep his workers, so they could buy cars. Ford also reduced the cost of a car from 600 dollars in 1912 to 290 in 1924. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The 1920s saw a lot of suburban expansion. New York went from 4 million people in 1900 to 9 million in 1930. In 1920 more than half of the population lived in cities. This was the first time in history. The cities with the largest growth were LA and Detroit. Cities also grew up. In 1929 377 buildings were over 20 stories. The Empire State building had 102 floors was built during this time. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The telephone was introduced in 1876 and by 1899 there were 1 million, and by the 1920s there were 13 million. Radios also increased and started to broadcast politics, sports, commercials, and created celebrities. Movies were also on the rise and they had 40 million viewers a week in 1922, and 100 million viewers in 1929. It created celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, and Greta Garbo. Sports also became very popular and created celebrities like Babe Ruth, Bobby Jones, Jack Dempsey, and Red Grange. In 1927 the first talking movie "The Jazz Singer" and the first radio network CBS. The Holland Tunnel connected New York and New Jersey. Charles Lindbergh made the first solo flight from New York to Paris and became an instant celebrity. This showed the triumph of the individual and machine. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The U.S. saw a clash of values between industrialization and traditional values. Teachers started teaching evolution in schools. Most scientists accepted Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Most states didn't allow the teaching of evolution in school, and instead they taught the literal truth of the bible. In Dayton Tennessee, John Scopes, a young biology teacher started teaching evolution. He was arrested and the Scopes trial began. He was defended by Clarence Darrow who went against William Jennings Bryan. Scopes was found guilty, but the teaching of the literal interpretation of the Bible was also questioned. |
|
|
Term
| Migration from Immigrants |
|
Definition
| Immigration started to be resisted. In 1917 they passed a law requiring a literacy test. In 1921 they limited the number to 3% of current natives present. In 1924 they made it 2% and banned all Asian immigrants. The National Origins Act would be passed in 1927, which set the limit on 150,000. Mexican immigration was exempt and they were the largest group and lived in major cities and were recruited and their ways were often paid. Blacks went through a great migration to northern cities. Would still face a great deal of discrimination. This lead to race riots in Chicago in 1919. A black man drowned and it was claimed that he was hit by rocks. Blacks retaliate by rioting against police and many people were killed and wounded. There were a number of riots in many cities. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| He was born in Jamaica and arrived in New York City at the age of 29. Promoted that they Africans should reclaim their homeland and go back to Africa. "Blacks being proud of being black." Started the Black Starline, a steamship company. Later was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to jail and was then deported. This showed blacks that they could join together and accomplish something. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Writers, artists, and intellectuals came and went out of Harlem. They studied anthropology, art, history, and music. Alain Locke was the father of the renaissance and wrote essays about the importance of blacks. Jazz started with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington Harlem became the center for blacks an New York. White writers wrote about their disillusion with society. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "The Great Gatsby" about an extremely wealthy person who is not happy because he became rich illegally. Sinclair Lewis wrote "Main Street" and "Babbitt" which were both about the troubles of small town America. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The 1920s saw the flapper introduced to U.S. culture. A flapper was a young woman who wore a short skirt, bobbed hair, had a boyish figure, drank, smoked, and had a casual attitude about sex. Birth control became more prevalent with the introduction of the diaphragm. Family size decreased from 3.6 kids to 2.5. Housework was made easier with electricity and running water, but also lead to a higher standard of cleaning. More women worked outside the home in mostly secretarial jobs. Women received less pay than men did. Some states still had laws about women; such as not serving on juries, owning businesses, or signing contracts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Farmers are left out of the prosperity. During war farmers had heavily invested in land and machinery. Demand was high and prices were good. When demand falls prices fall. In 1921 wheat dropped 40%, corn-32%, and hogs-50%. Total farm income dropped from 10 million to 4 million. Saw an increase in per acre yield with new machines and better seeds. Farms also started to consolidate to become more profitable. This hurt small farmers. Only 1 in every 10 farms has electricity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The wealthiest 1% had 19% of all income. The standard needed income was about 2,000-2,400 dollars a year. 16 million families were below 2,000. Labor unions declined by 1.5 million from 1921-1929. Businesses competed with unions. John L. Lewis the head of the United Mine Workers, called for a strike in 1921. They were stopped by the president and forced to take wage reductions. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Business was king at this time. In 1925 "The Man That No Body Knows" was published. It was a book about Jesus being the greatest businessman, and how he took 12 people and rose them up. Government helped businesses at all turns. They reduced regulation and lower taxes. |
|
|
Term
| Harding Plays Hard, and Coolidge Keeps it Cool |
|
Definition
| In 1920 Republican Warren G. Harding and VP Calvin Coolidge ran against Democrat James Cox and VP Franklin D. Roosevelt. Harding won easily with 60.4%, but there was only a 50% voter turnout. Harding was very conservative and wanted to return to a normal life. He appointed many corrupt people. He was personally not corrupt, and was very well liked. His biggest scandal was the Tea Pot Dome Scandal. The Secretary of the Interior, Albert A. Fall, leased government owned oil reserves to private businesses. Fall took most of the punishment even though others were involved. Harding suddenly died in August of 1923. Coolidge would take over and tried to bring respect back to the office of the presidency. He ran again in 1924 and won easily. He was business friendly and lowered taxes, and felt that the government should stay out of business. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The 1920s were a time of isolation for the U.S. Businesses started doing inward expansion and still wanted to trade with Latin America. Washington Conference was held in 1921 for naval disarmament by setting a number for all ships for all countries. U.S. was still involved in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic to maintain their sphere of influence. U.S. raised its tariff, which would be hard on debt ridden European countries. Some would retaliate and do the same. Germany would be especially hard hit. U.S. would come up with the Dawes Plan to reschedule debt payment. In 1928 the U.S. signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, along with 62 other nations that outlawed war. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Wanted to expand from local and state laws to a federal law. In 1919 Congress passed the Volstead Act banning the sale of beverages containing more than one half of one percent of alcohol. In June of 1919 the 18th amendment was passed. Alcohol was seen as a source of evil in society. The laws have little success as speakeasies replaced saloons, home brewing, and also would see the development of organized crime. Al Capone alone in 1927 would make 60 million dollars. |
|
|
Term
| Election of 1928 and The Crash of the Stock Market |
|
Definition
Coolidge said he would not run. Republicans nominated Herbert Hoover and the Democrats nominated Al Smith. Al Smith was a Catholic Irish American who was against prohibition. Hoover won easily.
In 1928-1929 a lot of speculation arose in the stock market. Many bought on margin and borrowed to invest. 1.5 million Americans would invest. On October 24th 1929 Black Thursday happened, which was the drop in the stock market until 26 million dollars was lost. People needed to repay the money they borrowed. |
|
|
