Isolationism & The Roaring Twenties

216a.“the lost generation”-

The generation of artists who experienced WWI and felt like the consumerism/materialism of the 20’s was not what the war was fought for. The same people as the existentialists.

216b. The Jazz Singer-

The 1927 film that was the first feature length “talkie” and signalled the end of the silent film era

216c. flappers-

Women in the 20’s who wore short hair and clothes, lots of makeup, and danced and drank proactively in defiance of the Victorian era norms for women.

216d. Harlem Renaissance-

Collective expression of art and writing which detailed what it meant to be African-American, as well as ethnic and cultural pride.

216e. Gitlow v. New York-

Expanded free speech by declaring that the 1st amendment was applicable to state courts through the due process clause of the 14th amendment

216f. bull market-

an aggressive, growing, risky market. People took risks when investing in bull markets because it seemed that everyone was making money through it. Many people in the 20’s took out loans to invest in the bull market, which aided in the devastation of the Great Depression

216g. margin buying-

Companies would sell stock for 10-20% of the actual value, but didn’t change the labeled value. This meant that companies were worth less than what they claimed, since people had not paid the full price of stocks. The stocks then actually become worth less than before, and those who noticed began to sell, which alarmed Wall Street

217a. H.L. Mencken-

Satirist in the 1920s. He was a grumpy columnist who criticized the pretentiousness of American life in the 20’s

217b. F. Scott Fitzgerald-

Part of the “lost generation.” He used escapism to sway people against materialism. Wrote The Great Gatsby.

217c. Sinclair Lewis-

A satirist who criticized materialism through wit. He was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature

217d. Ernest Hemingway-

Existentialist writer who used realism to criticize the Roaring 20’s. Wrote the semi-autobiographical A Farewell to Arms based on his service in WWI

217e. T.S. Eliot-

Poet and playwright who led the modernist movement.

217f. Langston Hughes-

Very famous poet of the Harlem Renaissance. His many publications spoke about the African-American experience and his views on how America should change and promote civil rights

217g. Marcus Garvey-

Promoted black nationalism/black separatism. He wanted people to celebrate and embrace their identities

217h. Charles Lindbergh-

First solo flight across the Atlantic. Lindbergh baby. He took off in New York, disappeared over Ireland, then landed in France.

217i. Babe Ruth-

Extremely famous baseball player. His home run record and charming charisma united the country as sports fans.

218. Examine the Harding presidency and the twenties as the end of Progressivism.

Harding’s administration brought back the pro-business “Grand Ole Party,” where regulations were loosened, taxes were cut, and the government shrank

219. Consider the twenties as an age of nonconformity for black Americans, feminists, and literary criticism.

Black Americans expressed their identities through the Harlem Renaissance and more support for the Civil Rights Movement. Feminists decided not to conform to Victorian Era standards and thus began flappers. Literary criticism had a resurgence with the “lost generation” of Fitzgerald, Eliot, and Hemingway, as well as satire and agrarianism, and critics of racism during the Harlem Renaissance

220. Explain the resurgence of the KKK and nativist sentiment in the 20s.  Include the impact of D.W. Griffiths, The Birth of a Nation, the Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924, Sacco and Vanzetti case.

D.W. Griffiths created the first feature film, The Birth of a Nation, which depicted the history of the US from a “redeemer” standpoint, and portrayed the KKK as the heroes. This led to the resurgence of the KKK. Both the Immigrations Act of 1921 and 1924 restricted immigration from any country, enacting a quota system which prevented more than a certain number of immigrants from each country coming to the US each year. The Sacco and Vanzetti case was an example of how bias disrupted the justice system, since Sacco and Vanzetti were clearly denied a fair trial on the basis of their ethnicity (and anarchism).

221. Discuss the failure of prohibition as a public policy.  Include discussion of the rise of organized crime.

Prohibition failed because it was too hard to enforce on the local level in large cities like NYC, and because organized crime organizations made lots and lots of money on moonshining and running speakeasies. Al Capone made billions of dollars by illegally distilling and selling alcohol in Chicago.

222. Discuss alienation as a literary theme in the twenties.

Many people were alienated in the 20’s, like farmers who were not feeling the roar of the decade. Women were experiencing newfound freedoms, while black Americans were still fighting for equal rights. Debates raged on between fundamentalists and those who believed in science/evolution

223. Was the twenties a “return to normalcy” or the dawning of a “new era”?

Both. Nativism increased, farmers went back to increasing economic troubles while the cities boomed, imperialism was over while economic investment in other countries continued. The science vs. faith debates raged on, Prohibition was in effect, while liquor sales increased, the KKK was brought back, but the Harlem Renaissance actually turned people in favor of civil rights. 

224. Discuss the circumstances surrounding the Harding scandals:  Harry Daugherty, Secretary of the Interior Fall, Teapot Dome, Harry Sinclair.

Harry Daugherty was the Attorney General and put prices on pardons. He was the leader of the “Ohio gang”. Secretary of the Interior Fall moved the land in Teapot Dome, WY and Elk Hills, CA into his domain so that he could accept bribes from Harry Sinclair for making contracts with oil companies to use the land for resources.

225. Explain the circumstances surrounding the Scopes “monkey” trial.  Include Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan.

Scopes was a teacher who taught evolution after it was banned in Tennessee. He was arrested and Darrow took on the case while WJB prosecuted. Darrow called Bryan to the stand and questioned him about his beliefs in Biblical miracles. Bryan answered confidently about what he believed but was unable to explain how those beliefs could be true. This sparked the major debates over science vs. faith.

226. Describe the impact of the car on the social climate of the twenties.

The car was a great new invention, and the standardization of the Model T allowed average Americans to own a car. Then, people had a greater ability to travel. They also bought cars on loans, which led partly to the Great Depression. Cars were used by moonshiners to transport liquor (NASCAR) which increased the violations of Prohibition.