AMSCO AP US History Chapter 23

The Modern Era of the 1920s

After WWI both men and women could vote. The 1920 election between Cox and Harding marked the end of prewar idealism and the start of a conservative, business-oriented era.

Return to Normalcy

Harding’s campaign promised a “return to normalcy,” reflecting Americans’ desire for stability after war and reform. It symbolized retreat from progressivism and foreign involvement.

Republican Control

Three Republican presidents—Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover—dominated the 1920s. They favored business interests, creating prosperity for industry but hardship for farmers.

Business Doctrine

Republicans revived laissez-faire ideals, limiting government interference in business. It promoted profit and deregulation, setting the stage for inequality and future instability.

Warren G Harding

A likeable but unskilled president who balanced his flaws with capable advisors. His presidency restored business confidence but was marred by scandals.

Harding’s Economic Policies

He reduced taxes, raised tariffs (Fordney-McCumber Act), and established the Bureau of Budget. These strengthened business but widened wealth gaps.

Harding’s Scandals

Cabinet members like Albert Fall took bribes, most notably in the Teapot Dome scandal. The corruption weakened public trust in government.

Calvin Coolidge

“Silent Cal” believed government should interfere little in business. His calm leadership represented stability but ignored rural struggles.

Coolidge’s Vetoes

He blocked spending bills, including farmer aid and veteran bonuses. This fiscal restraint balanced budgets but neglected social needs.

Election of 1924

Coolidge easily won as Democrats were split. His victory confirmed public approval of Republican prosperity and limited government.

Herbert Hoover

An experienced administrator who promised to continue “Coolidge Prosperity.” He won in 1928, symbolizing faith in capitalism before the Great Depression.

Alfred E Smith

A Catholic Democrat who lost to Hoover due to anti-Catholic prejudice. His defeat showed strong Protestant, nativist sentiment in 1920s politics.

Economic Boom and Bust

The 1920s saw major growth followed by the 1929 crash. Prosperity masked inequality, with urban and middle classes thriving while farmers and workers lagged.

Increased Productivity

Mass production and scientific management boosted output and profits. It made goods cheaper but reduced need for labor, contributing to unemployment later.

Energy Technologies

Oil and electricity revolutionized industry. New power sources modernized life and fueled automobile growth, transforming daily living.

Government Policy on Business

Low taxes, weak antitrust enforcement, and loose monetary policy fueled short-term prosperity but encouraged risky speculation and inequality.

Consumer Economy

Electric appliances, cars, and credit expanded consumption. This culture of buying on credit helped cause the 1929 crash.

Automobile Boom

Car ownership exploded, reshaping cities, jobs, and industries. It symbolized freedom but also deepened dependence on oil and credit.

Farm Problems

Postwar demand collapse left farmers in debt. Overproduction and falling prices devastated rural America, widening the urban-rural divide.

Labor Problems

Unions declined as open shops and welfare capitalism spread. Worker benefits rose slightly, but power shifted to employers.

Welfare Capitalism

Companies offered benefits to avoid unions. It improved morale but suppressed labor rights and masked inequality.

The Jazz Age

Jazz music symbolized youth rebellion and cultural change. It united races through art but alarmed conservatives.

Radio and Movies

Radio and film became dominant entertainment. They created shared national culture and celebrity obsession.

Popular Heroes

Sports and film stars replaced politicians as icons. Figures like Babe Ruth and Lindbergh embodied ambition and individualism.

Women’s Roles

Women gained suffrage but remained tied to domestic life. Their limited job options and pay inequality persisted.

Flappers

Young women defied tradition with fashion, independence, and sexuality. They symbolized modern freedom and changing gender norms.

Divorce Reform

Rising divorces reflected growing female independence and rejection of unhappy marriages. It signaled social liberalization.

Education Expansion

High school enrollment doubled due to prosperity. It showed commitment to literacy and modernization.

Lost Generation

Writers disillusioned by war and materialism criticized American values. They influenced culture through works on alienation and excess.

Art Deco

A sleek modern style blending art and technology. It represented industrial progress and optimism despite inequality.

Edward Hopper

Painter who depicted urban isolation. His art captured loneliness in the modern industrial world.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement celebrating Black art and identity. It reshaped American culture and inspired racial pride.

Langston Hughes

A poet who voiced Black experience and equality. His work symbolized the strength of African-American culture.

Marcus Garvey

Led the UNIA promoting Black nationalism and pride. His ideas influenced future civil rights movements despite controversy.

Modernism

A belief that science and religion could coexist. It reflected adaptation to new social and intellectual realities.

Fundamentalism

Rejected modernism and upheld literal biblical belief. It symbolized fear of social change and science.

Scopes Trial

A teacher tried for teaching evolution in Tennessee. It exposed tension between religion and science in American life.

Prohibition

The 18th Amendment banned alcohol to improve morals and efficiency. It failed, increasing crime and disrespect for law.

Speakeasies

Illegal bars that thrived under Prohibition. They reflected defiance and hypocrisy in enforcing moral laws.

Al Capone

A Chicago gangster who profited from bootlegging. His rise symbolized organized crime’s growth from bad policy.

21st Amendment

Repealed Prohibition in 1933. It ended a failed experiment and restored government credibility.

Nativism

Anti-immigrant sentiment grew postwar, targeting Catholics, Jews, and Eastern Europeans. It shaped restrictive immigration laws and deepened division.

Quota Acts

Laws of 1921 and 1924 limited immigrants to small percentages of existing national populations. They institutionalized racism and reduced diversity.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Two Italian immigrants executed for murder amid biased trials. Their case showed fear of radicals and anti-immigrant prejudice.

Ku Klux Klan

Revived hate group targeting Blacks, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants. Its power reflected widespread intolerance and fear of change.

Birth of a Nation

A film glorifying the KKK. It spread racist propaganda and normalized white supremacy.

KKK Decline

Corruption and violence within the Klan caused its collapse. It revealed hypocrisy in “moral” movements.

Isolationism Myth

America claimed isolationism but stayed active in diplomacy and trade. This selective engagement shaped future foreign policy.

Washington Conference

1921 meeting to limit naval arms. It promoted temporary peace but couldn’t prevent future conflicts.

Five Power Treaty

Set ship ratios among top navies. It slowed arms race but favored Western powers.

Four Power Treaty

US, UK, Japan, and France agreed to respect Pacific territories. It reduced tensions but lacked enforcement.

Nine Power Treaty

Reaffirmed the Open Door in China. It aimed for equality but failed as Japan expanded.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

Outlawed war as national policy. It was idealistic but unenforceable, showing America’s naïve hope for peace.

Latin American Policy

US reduced military presence and encouraged investment. It improved diplomacy but reinforced economic dominance.

Middle East Oil Rights

US secured oil access in British zones. It showed growing energy dependence and global reach.

Fordney-McCumber Tariff

Raised tariffs by 25%. It protected US business but hurt trade and global recovery.

War Debts

Allies owed $10 billion to the US but couldn’t repay. This strained relations and fueled economic resentment.

Dawes Plan

US lent money to Germany to stabilize its economy and enable reparations. It briefly worked but collapsed after 1929.

Great Depression Roots

Unequal wealth, overproduction, and risky credit built instability. These 1920s flaws caused the 1930s collapse.