American Life in the Roaring Twenties: Key Themes

Red Scare

A period in the early 1920s when the American public feared that communism would infiltrate the US, fueled by societal tensions and left-winged supporters being suspected.

Anti-immigration

A sentiment that led to laws being passed to limit immigration, particularly targeting 'New Immigrants' from Italy and Poland.

Scopes Monkey Trial

A legal case that highlighted the controversy between evolution and creationism.

Consumerism in the 1920s

A period where businesses thrived and consumers purchased products extensively, often on credit or through installment plans.

Republican Presidents of the 1920s

Three presidents who supported pro-business policies, contributing to an economy that eventually led to the Stock Crash and Great Depression.

Modernists

Individuals who believed in God and accepted evolution and modern science, viewing the universe as a friendly place.

Flappers

Women in the 1920s known for their daring attire and dance styles, representing a new sexually liberated generation.

Sacco and Vanzetti Case

A controversial trial where Nicola Sacco and Bartholomew Vanzetti were convicted of murder in 1921 based on weak evidence, supported by Liberals and Radicals.

Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s

An anti-foreign group that opposed non-Protestant groups, prevalent in the Midwest and South, which lost popularity due to embezzlement scandals.

Emergency Quota Act 1921

A law that restricted immigration to 3% of each nationality present in the US in 1910.

Immigration Quota Act 1924

Legislation that reduced immigration quotas from 3% to 2% based on the number of immigrants in 1890, aimed at preserving America's racial composition.

Volstead Act

The act that implemented the 18th Amendment, establishing illegal alcohol at above 5%.

Fundamentalism

A movement opposing Darwin's teachings, asserting that they undermined faith in God and the Bible.

Sinclair Lewis

A prominent author known for chronicling Midwestern life, notably through his satirical works 'Main Street' and 'Babbitt'.

William Faulkner

A writer recognized for his impactful novels about Southern life, including the war novel 'Soldier's Pay'.

Buying on Margin

A stock purchasing method where buyers pay only part of the stock price and borrow the rest, leading to financial instability during the Great Depression.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic downturn that began after the Stock Crash, exacerbated by practices like buying on margin.

H. L. Mencken

A patron to many young writers in the 1920's who criticized subjects like the middle class, democracy, marriage, and patriotism in his monthly AMERICAN MERCURY.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

A member of the Lost Generation of Writers known for the novel 'The Great Gatsby' which explored the glamour and cruelty of an achievement-oriented society.

Ernest Hemingway

An author who fought in Italy in 1917 and wrote 'The Sun Also Rises' and 'A Farewell to Arms', expressing disillusionment with American idealism after World War I.

Margaret Sanger

Leader of an organized birth control movement that openly championed the use of contraceptives.

Sigmund Freud

A Viennese physician who believed sexual repression caused various nervous and emotional diseases, advocating for sexual gratification and liberation.

Andrew Mellon

Secretary of the Treasury during the Harding Administration who believed in trickle down economics and preferred investing in tax-exempt securities.

Bruce Barton

A founder of the advertising profession who published 'The Man Nobody Knows' in 1925, suggesting Jesus Christ was the greatest ad man of all time.

Henry Ford

An industrialist who made assembly line production efficient, producing a finished car every 10 seconds, making cars more affordable for Americans.

Frederick W. Taylor

An engineer known for scientific management and time-management studies, aiming to eliminate wasted motion.

A. Mitchell Palmer

Attorney General who rounded up suspects thought to be un-American during the Red Scare, nicknamed the 'Fighting Quaker' until a bomb destroyed his home.

John Dewey

A philosopher who advocated for 'learning by doing', emphasizing that education should prepare students for life.

John T. Scopes

Indicted in 1925 for teaching evolution in Tennessee; his trial represented the Fundamentalist vs. Modernist debate.

William Jennings Bryan

Joined the prosecution in the Scopes Trial against evolution teachings; he was portrayed as foolish during the trial.

Clarence Darrow

A famed criminal defense lawyer for Scopes who supported evolution and made Bryan appear foolish during the trial.