ASUSH 2 Unit 6- The Jazz Age

Red Summer

Summer and fall of 1919, series of race riots and lynchings over 25 American cities

• Connected to Great Migration (changing demographics across the country) and war demobilization

• Sparked by false criminal accusations, perceived competition over jobs, sensationalist reporting

Red Scare

1917-1920

triggered by bolshevik revolution in russia and rise of labor strikes (in us), fear of communism

Palmer Raids

1919, 1920

series of government actions aimed at arresting and deporting radical leftists, especially anarchists and communists

Document A: written by mitchell palmer, published 2/1920, after palmer raids; conducted raids to arrest and deport immigrants

Document E: those who supported bolshevism in america offered equality at a time when many were deprived of self determination, author thinks consideration and rights should be given to underprivledged groups so their violent approaches don’t become solutions

ACLU

American Civil Liberties Union

formed 1920 in response to widespread violations of civil liberties during ww1 and red scare

advocates for free speech, religious freedom, right to privacy, other civil rights and liberties

involved in landmark supreme court cases

Sacco & Vanzetti

italian immigrants, controversially tried and executed for robbery and murder

controversial ruling bc insfficient evidence, convicted for political beliefs as anarchists and for being immigrants rather than actual guilt

W.A.S.P.

White Anglo-Saxon Protestant

describes individuals from British ethnic background

KKK

reborn in 1915, inspired by Birth of a Nation

presented as fraternal organization drawing on small town culture

focused on nativism/anti-immigration and social purity

mainstream- sponsoring fairs and pageants, charities, etc

politically powerful at state level

largest presence in midwest (oregon), “invisible empire claimed nearly 4 million members

diminished bc corruption and criminality

Madison Grant

eugenics movement in america, advocate for scientific racism

1920s immigration inquiry

Timeline & Document A, Document G

• A: 1918 census used to limit those coming from southern and eastern europe who would hurt the idea of only desirable individuals being part of the country

• G: Senator Smith defends Grant’s theories, likely biased to get people to like and elect him; says anyone outside of wasp should be shut out of country, typical american is part of nordic breed, corroborates idea that immigrants dont belong

used 1918 census to create immigration quotas biased against eastern europeans, wasp

Significance of household radio

10 million+ household radios by 1929

1920s popular culture

Hollywood motion pictures: women became icons of liberation and sexuality

National Celebrities: became increasingly popular and role models

Professional Sports: associated with hollywood and motion picture industry

Car Culture: american companies produced 85% of world automobiles in 1920s, americans expressed personalities through vehicles, GM for every purpose, cadillacos for wealthy, chevrolet for modest

Consumption (Innovations)

Installment buying (credit): consumer debt increased 250% to $7 billion in 1920s

Advertising: used principles of psychology to sell products that satisfied consumer desires

Household debt increases 250%

Edward Bernays

invented modern advertising

Bootlegging & Organized Crime

pre prohibition criminal gangs were known for small-time extortion

mobsters organized bc of bootlegging and illegal alcohol distribution

groups started cooperating across territories to maintain steady supply of illegal alcohol and avoid turf wars

Al Capone’s rise to power associated with St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

post prohibition gangs shifted toward drugs, gambling, prostitution

Margaret Sanger

nurse, birth control + womens reproductive rights activist, sex educator

founded American Birth Control League/Planned Parentood

Tulsa Race Massacre/ burning of “Black Wall Street”

June 1921, racial attack in Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma African American community

18 hours, white residents attacked community, widespread destruction, numerous deaths, displacement

fueled by racial tensions and false accusations against Black man

Marcus Garvey

founder of Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) to achieve Black nationalism through celebration of African history and culture

created Black Star line as Black owned passenger line to carry patrons to and from Africa

Black nationalist, believed in racial separatism, controversial, challenged WEB Du Bois

Harlem Renaissance

1925-1939

Black thought and art flourished, emphasis on racial pride and cultural self expression

Alain Locke

created New Negro that initiated Harlem Renaissance

organized travelling artists, mentored writers and poets, privately gay, African American and queer activist

Lost Generation

coming of age influenced by ww1

modernism meant to save civilization from dictatorship of tradition

Hays Code

In response to pressure from religious groups, Hollywood adopted Motion Picture Production Code (Hays code) in 1934

self-imposed set of censorship guidelines

Fundamentalism

literal interpretation of Bible and recognition of divine authorship

modernist intellectual trends emphasized relativity of morals and rejected religious texts as a source of truth, presented christianity crisis in US

Scopes Trial & Significance in 1920s culture war

1925 biology teacher John Scopes arrested for violating TN state law Butler Act against teaching evolution

Prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, defense Clarence Darrow

Scopes found guilty but overturned later on technicality

sparked debate about who should have authority over public teachings

democracy vs. expertise

different ideas about authority

Fordism

system of mass production and consumption characterized by assembly lines, standardized goods, and wages that allow workers to afford the goods they make

Coolidge Conservatism (+ characteristcs)

wave of corporate mergers, oligopolies flourished in steel/meatpacking/cigaettes

Industrial consolidation, income tax reform, associationalism

The American Plan

intended to diminish power of independent labor unions, welfare capitalism and company unions yellow-dog contracts (workers have to forfeit union membership) and union busting

Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover advocated for government-business coordination through voluntary trade associations

Margin loans

flexible interest-bearing loan, uses brockerage as collateral, good for short term financial goals