UIL Social Studies 22-23 - Important Terms

100% Americans

100% Americans

philosophy pushed by patriotic organizations such as the American Legion during and after WWI and also adopted by the KKK to focus on white protestant beliefs and norms. The idea was also supported by beliefs in eugenics and pseudoscience about cultures that claimed immigrants had lower intelligence levels and were more prone to disease and crime

16th Amendment

added to the Constitution in 1913, the amendment allows Congress to lay and collect taxes on incomes. Was a key step for wealth distribution, but also cleared the way for the 18th Amendment by relieving the country's dependence on the excise tax

18th Amendment

added to the Constitution in 1919, banned the sale, manufacturing, or transportation of alcohol nationwide. Supported by the decades-old temperance movement, and the ban lasted until 1933 when the 21st Amendment repealed it

19th Amendment

added to the Constitution in 1920, prohibits the federal or state governments from denying the right to vote to citizens of the US on the basis of sex. Granted universal women's suffrage after several organizations such as the National Women's Studies Association had agitated for it for decades

21st Amendment

added to the Constitution in 1933, repealed the 18th Amendment or allowed the sale, manufacturing, and transportation of alcohol. States could pass laws to prohibit or limit alcohol. This amendment is the only one to have been ratified by state ratifying conventions

1920 census

conducted by the ____________ Bureau to get a population count, it revealed that the population grew 15% from 1910 to 1920 with an estimated population of 106 million. New York state recorded a population of over 10 million for the first time, and the __________ marked over 50% of the population as urban (which was defined as living in an area with over 2500 residents)

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin to protect constitutional rights and freedoms. Uses litigation and lobbying to protect civil liberties. Was originally started to defend those who were persecuted for speaking out about the government during WWI. If fought for Union recognition and labor rights but during the 1920s made a pivot to focus on freedom of expression

American Breeders Association

founded in 1903 to study genetics and genomics through the breeding of plants and animals. It established a eugenics section to study selective breeding in an effort to make what they saw as improvements to society through such means

anarchists

person who believes in anarchy or a movement to end all government authority or control

Anti-Evolution League

national organization founded in 1924 under the leadership of Dr. J. W. Porter and T. T. Martin; used their publication "The Conflict" to promote biblical creationism and oppose evolution through state legislation

Anti-Saloon League

originally founded in 1893 in Ohio but spread nationally by 1895, it supported legislation to prohibit manufacturing and selling of alcohol; were successful with the passage of the 18th Amendment. Unlike other temperance organizations, it focused solely on the abolition of the saloon by means of Prohibition. It was extremely politically powerful in many states and would endorse or attack candidates purely on their position on alcohol. In the 1950s, it merged with other organizations that supported prohibition and temperance to create the National Temperance League

Art Deco Movement

movement of art, architecture, and design that encompassed a variety of modern styles and became popular in the 1920s and 1930s in Western Europe and the US. The stylistic features include geometric or clean shapes and symmetry

Atlantic City Conference

conference held in mid May 1929 between organized crime leaders. They discussed bootlegging wars that caused lost profit and planned ahead for the possible repeal of the 18th Amendment. It was the first major conference of crime syndicates in the US and helped regional bosses further control their territories by mutual agreements

Babbitt (novel and term)

satirical novel written in 1922 by Sinclair Lewis about conforming to American culture and society. In the novel, the main character grows tired of the idea of the American dream. The novel helped Lewis win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1930. The term "______________" is a person or entity that conforms unknowingly to prevailing middle-class standards and defines their existence by the pursuit to achieve what is often purely material success

"Black Sox" scandal

The 1919 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds had a major scandal in which eight White Sox players were said to be bribed by criminal gamblers to lose the series. An investigation led to a grand jury trial in 1921, but all players were acquitted in a controversial trial where evidence went missing. The accused baseball players were banned from playing in the MLB for life

Bolshevik Revolution

Russian Revolution in October 1918 that saw the provisional government (which previously ousted and replaced the Romanov monarchy, led by Nicholas II, in February 1917) ousted and replaced with a communist Bolshevik government. Vladimir Lenin became the main leader in the new government and instilled a communist government based on the teachings of Karl Marx. The destruction of the ruling class in the largest country in Europe sent shockwaves across the globe and a fear of Communism spreading began to influence politics

Bonus Army

over 400,000 protestors, including WWI veterans and their wives and children, marched on Washington, D.C. in 1932 to demand an immediate payment of bonuses for their services. They were wanted an early payment on a bonus that wasn't due until 1945. The ______________________________ set up tents and shanties to coordinate the protest but were disbanded by police and military when the US Army under Douglas MacArthur was called out, and George Patton's tank division helped break up and set fire to the camp

bootlegger

person who makes, distributes, or sells goods illegally, mostly associated with alcohol during Prohibition from 1919 to 1933. The term comes from the hiding of illicit alcohol in a flask in one's boot

Boston Police Strike

In 1919, 80% of _______________'s police force protested after they were denied the right to unionize by the police commissioner. The strike lasted from September 9-13 and the city quickly fell into unrest and lawlessness. The governor of Massachusetts, Calvin Coolidge, called in the militia to act as police. He ended the strike by saying there is no right to strike against public safety. Coolidge was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate for Warren G. Harding in the presidential election of 1920, largely due to his fame gained by the resolution to the police strike

Butler Act

Tennessee law passed in 1925; prohibited the teaching of evolution or anything that denied creationism as supported by the Bible. This law led to the famous Scopes "Monkey" Trial, and was eventually repealed in 1967. The Scopes Trial was the only enforcement of the law which was a misdemeanor charge carrying a fine between $100 and $500.

buying on margin

buying an asset by borrowing a portion of the balance from a bank or broker, the margin is the initial payment made for the asset such as 15% as down payment and 85% as financed or loaned to later be paid back with interest with the profit gained from selling the asset. If the asset decreases in value, then the loan has to be repaid with other funds.

California Alien Land Law of 1920

law from ____________________ that made it illegal for aliens ineligible for citizenship to own land or leases up to three years. The law's intent was to stop Japanese immigrants from owning land; was originally passed in 1913 then expanded in 1920 and 1923

Centralia Massacre

bloody event that killed six people on November 11, 1919 in _________________, WA. The conflict was between members of the American Legion and Industrial Workers of the World. The incident led to a gruesome lynching that went unpunished and stoked fears adding to the atmosphere of the Red Scare

Chicago Beer Wars

Between 1920 and 1933, rival gangs in Chicago fought to control the illegal distribution of alcohol - series of gang wars including the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929 that resulted in hundreds murdered, and for a time, killings on a daily basis

Chicago Race Riot (1919)

Two-week long race riot in the summer of 1919 in ________________; ended with 38 people dead and state militia taking control of the city. Fighting broke out after a Black youth drowned when stones were thrown at him after floating a raft near a segregated section of a beach. The racial tensions in the city had increased during the Great Migration of Blacks during WWI

Chrysler Building

skyscraper in Manhattan (NYC) that was built in the 1920s to act as the headquarters for the ________________ Company. Was the first man-made structure over 1000 feet and the tallest building in the world from May 1930 to May 1931. The art deco style architecture includes geometric shapes and symmetry through the building. Is registered today as a National Historic Landmark and is still an iconic part of the New York skyline

Columbine Mine Massacre

fight between striking coal miners and state militia occurred on November 21, 1927 in Serene, CO. Over five hundred coal miners were on strike for over five weeks when they were fired on by the militia, leaving six strikers dead

Communist Labor Party

Established in August 1919 after the division of the Socialist Party, the political party went underground after the Palmer Raids. In 1921, the party united with other communist groups and changed their party name to the United Communist Party of America, the Workers Party of America, and lastly the Communist Party USA.

Coney Island

amusement park and residential area in Brooklyn, NY; developed into an amusement park with a boardwalk and aquarium. Was originally called Rabbit Island by the Dutch settlers. Acted as a model for the growing industry of recreational parks and amusement rides

Cotton Club

nightclub in Harlem, NYC, that opened in 1922 by owner and mobster Owen Madden. The club had famous Black performers and jazz acts such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Cab Calloway perform in front of white audiences. The Club decline in 1935 after the Harlem riots and closed its doors in 1940

Dadaism

art movement in Europe and the US following WWI; included all forms of media and was stylized to reject logic and capitalist societies. The movement was against violence, war, and political sympathies

Dawes Plan (1924)

Following WWI, this plan was based on the ___________ Report on how Germany could successfully pay reparations through a reduction of the debt and massive loans guaranteed largely by US sources. It was accepted on August 16, 1924. The plan also created plans for the running of the overall Germany economy. In 1929, the controls on German banks were removed, and the Young Plan would eventually take its place, but the Depression led to its failure

debunk

expose a falseness of an idea or belief or to reduce the reputation of someone. A movement became popular at the close of WWI as people sought to question ideas and institutions the had previously been taken at face value

disposable income

amount of money an individual or household has to utilize after income taxes have been deducted. It's used to determine financial stability. There was a noticeable increase in this for many in the middle class of the US economy during the 1920s

Dust Bowl

drought-stricken area of the Great Plains experienced severe dust storms in the 1930s. The area includes parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The main causes were drought and over cultivation of the land; led to massive migration of people away from the plains in search of jobs and survival

Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill

bill introduced by Congressman Leonida Dyer (R, MO) in 1918 in an attempt to establish lynching as a federal crime. Bill was passed in the House but stalled in the Senate after Southern Democrats blocked the bill, claiming lynchings should be left up to the states. Similar bills have been introduced, and the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act was finally passed by both houses in 2022

Elaine Massacre

Massacre in ______________, Arkansas, occurred between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 1919. Between 50 and 150 Black sharecroppers were killed by a white mob that was aided by federal troops sent by the Arkansas governor. After the massacre, an investigation and coverup claimed the Black sharecroppers were planning an insurrection which led to over 100 indictments of Blacks in the area

Election of 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932

Elections of _, _________, and _ were won by the Republican Party candidate. In _, Warren G. Harding ran on the "return to normalcy" campaign following the end of WWI and the Senate's rejection of the Treaty of Paris and membership in the League of Nations. In _, Calvin Coolidge won his reelection after succeeding Harding when he died in 1923. In _, Herbert Hoover won under his idea of "rugged individualism" and the continuation of Coolidge prosperity. Shortly into Hoover's presidential term, the stock market crashed and helped usher in the beginning of the Great Depression. In __, the Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt won the election on his New Deal philosophy to combat the Great Depression. All four elections were notable for their lopsided margins.

escapism

tendency to see relief or distraction from unpleasant realities. Movies, radio programs, books, and other pop culture creations were used more and more by the US public for these purposes during the 1920s

eugenics

the pseudoscience and study of improving the human race by arranging reproduction according to what a particular group defines as desirable or superior traits. It was quickly discredited as it was racially biased but not before several governments, including multiple states in the U.S., passed laws forcing sterilization based on these beliefs.

Federal Highway Act of 1921

federal program that began developing and building a national highway system; was enacted on Nov. 9, _________, and it granted funds for construction in several states; first overall attempt at management and coordination of transportation avenues to connect the various areas of the U.S.

flagpole sitting

practice started by Alvin Kelley in 1924 of sitting on the top of a __________________ for an extended period of time; it became popular in the mid-1920s as a pastime, contest, and way to seek publicity

flapper

a small population of women in the 1920s popularized in many novels and short stories of the time; were focused on youthfulness, wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, wore obvious makeup, and went against societal norms by smoking and drinking in public, driving cars, and dancing to jazz music

Florida Land Boom

During the 1920s, ________________ experienced a real estate boom fueled by increased travel, roads, cars, and vacation destinations that led to land speculation and quick yet questionable construction of homes. The boom created new cities such as Coral Gables across the state and caused a massive explosion of Miami's population, but also led to a financial collapse after back-to-back years of devastating and deadly hurricanes in 1926 and 1927

forced sterilization

government program served to involuntarily sterilize certain groups of people through surgery; affected groups based on IQ levels, race, ethnicity, and religion - in the U.S., several states had legislation to create these programs

Ford Motor Company

founded in June 1903 in Dearborn, Michigan - automobile company that would become one of the most profitable multinational car companies in the world; expanded after the introduction of the assembly line in 1913, which vastly improved production efficiency

Fordlandia

Henry _________'s attempt to build an industrial town in the Amazon Rainforest in the 1928 in order to cultivate rubber for the company; the town faced revolts, inadequate management of plantations, and eventually the company abandoned the location by 1934 by moving to a nearby town named Belterra. Synthetic rubber was invented in 1945, and the ________ Motor Company sold both towns back to the Brazilian government

fundamentalist

conservative Christian movement based on strict conformity to religious texts, including the Bible and their literal reading that limits or excludes interpretation

General Motors

multinational car company based out of Detroit, Michigan and founded in 1908 by William Durant; largest seller of horse-drawn vehicles prior to joining the automobile industry. Today, it includes Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC cars. It became one of the largest companies in the world under the management of Alfred Sloan and created a stratified approach to sales that sought to provide different vehicles for different income levels

Great Depression

began in approximately 1929 and lasted through the 1930s; U.S. economy experienced a severe depression after stock prices dropped, farmers experienced drought and extremely low crop prices, credit and purchases of products from overseas halted, and other slowdowns in consumption led to overextended credit being recalled, causing a torrent of bank closures; resulting unemployment increased to approximately 25% of the workforce

"The Great Gatsby"

written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925; about Jazz Age society, the abandonment of faith in society's institutions, social classes, and the struggle between old versus new money. Considered a work of the Lost Generation literary movement and mocks the idea of the American dream

Great Migration

major migration of over six million Black Americans from the southern U.S. to mainly northern cities between 1910 and 1930; factors of the migration that pushed Blacks to migrate include escaping racism, violence, and segregation in hopes of finding areas with more economic and educational opportunities

Great Mississippi Flood

(1927) destructive flood that occurred in the beginning half of 1927 from rainfall around the ________________________ River, it affected all the states along the river from Illinois to Mississippi, flooding 23,000 square miles of land. Largest disaster in US history, inundating hundreds of thousands of homes, and at one point, covering nearly half of Arkansas. Many of the people affected by the flooding relocated further north rather than rebuild. Levees and floodways were built to prevent future floods, and Herbert Hoover gained political capital from overseeing the relief effort

Harlem Renaissance

cultural movement was based around Black music, art, and literature between 1918 and 1937. Movement was largely centered in Harlem, NYC, and challenged the stereotypes associated with Black culture while celebrating their heritage. Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen were some of its leading voices

Hays Office

Organization that created a moral code called the Motion Picture Production Code for films and the industry originally known as the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. It was formed in 1922 by Will H. __________, and the codes were included in actors' contracts. Was created to get ahead of state and federal efforts to pass legislation that would legally censor movie content and was largely voluntary until Hollywood scandals led to stricter enforcement

Holland Tunnel

built under the Hudson River connecting the Manhattan Island portion of NYC to New Jersey. The plans for it began in 1906 and construction began in 1920. Opened officially for vehicles on November 13, 1927. The original name was the Hudson River Vehicular _____________ but was changed to current name after the chief engineer, Clifford Milburn _________________.

Hollywood

Neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA that is a leader in the film industry and includes several studios. Many filmmakers migrated there to produce their films to avoid patent lawsuits from Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company. Located approximately 10 miles from Los Angeles and connected by what is today _____________________ Boulevard. Year-round sunshine and diverse surroundings made for ideal filming conditions.

Hooverville

terms refers to a shanty town built during the Great Depression by the homeless, named after the president during the beginning of the Great Depression

hyphenated American

American citizen with ancestry associated with another part of the world such as Chinese American or Irish American; term was used in a derogatory manner by nativists and other wanted to limit immigration and questioning the loyalty of immigrants

Immigration Act of 1924

legislation passed in __________ to limit immigration through national quotas set to 2% the amount from that nation in the 1890 census. Also forced visas to be approved overseas

Increased Penalties Act of 1929

also known as the Jones-Stalker Act, increased the penalties for violating Prohibition. The original penalty was defined by the Volstead Act of 1919. It was enacted on March 2, 1929, and increased penalties to five and 10 years, leading to it being referred to as the "5 and 10" act. It was meant to punish mobsters but was taken by the public as an unrealistic attempt to enforce a law becoming more and more unpopular

Indian Citizenship Act

enacted on June 2, 1924; act granted U.S. citizenship to indigenous peoples as defined by the 14th Amendment

installment credit

loan for a fixed amount of money, the borrower agrees to a set number of monthly payments at a specific amount. Allowed consumers to purchase appliances, cars, and make other major purchases with only a down payment instead of delaying the purchase until they had saved the full sale price. This helped boost sales of innovations available during the Twenties and also increased debt and led to consumers being overextended

International Workers of the World (IWW)

founded in Chicago in 1905, the __________ (or “Wobblies”) was a labor organization that opposed capitalism and other major union organizations. They were more radical and involved in many violent strikes. Their activities were watched closely by the government, and members faced harassment by authorities and citizens on a regular basis

issei

term referring to a Japanese immigrant to the U.S., also known as a first-generation Japanese immigrant

Jazz Age

period in which _________ music and dancing was popular in the U.S., particularly in the 1920s and 1930s. Music was a genre that originated in New Orleans and is influenced by blues, ragtime, and Creole music. Term was coined by F. Scott Fitzgerald and encompassed the idea of tossing off the societal constraints of the past

Jim Crow laws

racial segregation laws that were enacted throughout the South from 1877 to the 1960s. The term ________ ________ is a derogatory name from a minstrel routine Jump ______ ________; the laws were upheld by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. Oppressive nature of the ordinances kept Blacks from taking part in electoral processes and inspired many to move to the relative freedom of other areas

KDKA

radio station channel based out of Pittsburgh, PA, first aired on election day, November 2, 1920; known as the first commercially licensed radio station

Ku Klux Klan (second)

white supremacist organization built on terrorizing many groups in the US including Blacks, Latinos, Catholics, immigrants, and Jews. Originally started during the Reconstruction era but was revived in Stone Mountain, GA by William Simmons in 1915. Grew popular in the 1920s by supporting white supremacy, Prohibition, and the Protestant faith. It controlled aspects of state governments in many places, including dominant control in Oregon and Indiana. The fraternal organization lost support after many of the leaders were convicted and corruption within its ranks was exposed

League of Nations

international organization formed to increase cooperation established on January 10, 1920. Was an idea of President Wilson’s to stop war after WWI. Its membership quickly dwindled and was ineffective. It was officially disbanded in 1946 and replaced by the UN

Leopold and Loeb Trial

Two wealthy students at the University of Chicago kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in Chicago, Illinois, in May 1924. Characterized as the time as "the crime of the century," they committed the murder as a demonstration of their ostensible intellectual genius, which they believed enabled and entitled them to carry out a "perfect crime" without consequences.

After the two were arrested, the families retained famed attorney Clarence Darrow as lead counsel. Darrow's 12-hour summation at their sentencing hearing is noted for its influential criticism of capital punishment as retributive rather than transformative justice.

Both young men were sentenced to life imprisonment plus 99 years. One was murdered by a felllow prisoner in 1936 and the other was released on parole in 1958 and died in 1971.

Lost Generation

The social generational cohort that was in early adulthood during World War I. Refers to the "disoriented, wandering, directionless" spirit of many of the war's survivors in the early postwar period. It also refers to a group of American expatriate writers living in Paris during the 1920s. Gertrude Stein is credited with coining the term, and it was subsequently popularized by Ernest Hemingway who used it in the epigraph for his 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises: "You are all a lost generation." The last known living person known to have been born in the 19th century died in 2018.

mah-jongg

A tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is commonly played by four players. It is a game of skill, strategy, and luck. It is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Each players begins with 13 tiles. The game was imported to the US in the 1920s. The first sets sold in the US were sold by Abercrombie & Fitch. It became a central part of cultural bonding for Chinese-Americans in the 1920s and 30s in Chinatown, Manhattan.

mass consumption

The purchase of standardized products or services by large numbers of customers. Traditionally, it has been associated with mass production and Henry Ford.

mass culture

Also known as pop culture, generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a society at a given point in time. Was a by product of mass media such as newspapers, radio, cinema, recorded music, and television in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

mass media/communication

Refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. Different forms include broadcast media (films, radio, recorded music, or television), digital media (the Internet and mobile mass communication), outdoor media (billboards, blimps, flying billboards, placards, kiosks), and print media (books, comics, magazines, newspapers, or pamphlets).

Model T

An automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relatively low price was partly the result of Ford's efficient fabrication, including the assembly line production instead of individual handcrafting. It was nicknamed the "Tin Lizzie," "Leaping Lena" and "flivver." With 15 million sold, it was the most sold car in history before being surpassed by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972.

motels

Also known as a motor hotel, motor inn, or motor lodge, this is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for cars rather than through a central lobby. As large highway systems began to be developed in the 1920s, long-distance road journeys became more common, and the need for inexpensive, easily accessible overnight accomodation sites close to the main routes led to the growth of the business concept. They peaked in popularity in the 1960s only to decline in response to competition from the newer chain hotels that became commonplace on the interstate.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

A civil rights organization in the US formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, and Ida B. Wells. It formed in reaction to the rise of lynchings against Black people during the Jim Crow era in the South.

National Broadcasting Company

An American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. It is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network" in reference to its stylized peacock loo introduced in 1956. It was founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), then owned by General Electric (GE). It is the oldest major broadcast network in the US.

nativism

\n An intense dislike and fear of any and all immigrants to the United States. It became a potent political force starting in the 1840s and 1850s during the wave of Irish immigration. From the 1890s to 1920s, it campaign for immigration restrictions following waves of workers and families from Southern and Eastern Europe. In response to the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, Congress would pass the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924.

"New Woman"

A feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century and had a profound influence well into the 20th century. In 1894, Irish writer Sarah Grand used the term in an influential article, to refer to independent women seeking radical change and was used to describe the number of feminist, educated, independent career women in Europe and the US. It pushed the limits set by a male-dominated society.

nisei

A Japanese language term used in countries in North and South America to specify the ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants (issei). They are considered the second generation.

Ohio Gang

A gang of politicians and industry leaders closely surrounding Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States. Many of these individuals came from Harding's personal orbit during his tenure as a state-level politician in Ohio. Several members of the gang became involved in financial scandals including the Teapot Dome scandal. Following Harding's sudden death of a heart attack in 1923, many members were effectively removed from the corridors of power by Harding's successor, Calvin Coolidge.

Palmer Raids

\n A series of raids conducted in November 1919 and January 1920 by the US Department of Justice under the administration of Woodrow Wilson to capture and arrest suspected socialists, especially anarchists and communists, and deport them from the US. The raids particularly targeted Italian immigrants and Eastern European Jewish immigrants with alleged leftist ties. They occurred under the leadership of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, with 3,000 arrested. Though 556 foreign citizens were deported, including a number of prominent leftist leaders, its efforts were largely frustrated by officials at the US Department of Labor, which had authority for deportations. This occurred during the larger context of the First Red Scare.

Pershing Map

The first blueprint for a national highway system in the US, with many of the proposed roads later forming a substantial portion of the Interstate Highway System. In 1921, Thomas H. MacDonald, the newly appointed head of the Bureau of Public Roads, requested the Army provide it with a list of roads of "prime importance in the event of war." MacDonald had the Geological Survey and later his own staff painstakingly draft out the details of the roads. General of the Armies John J Pershing himself reported the results to Congress in 1922.

petting parties

Social gatherings during the 1920s and associated with Flapper/Jazz Age youth culture, in which couples engaged in amorous kissing, caressing, and fondling.

picture palace

Any large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s. The late 1920s saw the peak of this style of theater, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930. With the advent of television, movie attendance dropped, while the rising popularity of large multiplex chains signaled the obsolescence of single-screen theaters.

Piggly Wiggly

\n An American supermarket chain operating in the American Southern and Midwestern regions. Its first outlet opened in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, and is notable for having been the first true self-service grocery store, and the originator of various familiar supermarket features such as checkout stands, individual item price marking, and shopping carts. There ara a total of 499 stores across 18 states today.

Progressive Movement

A period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States of America that spanned from 1896 to 1916. The main objectives of the period were addressing problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption. Social reformers were primarily middle-class citizens who targeted political machines and their bosses. By taking down these corrupt representatives in office, a further means of direct democracy would be established. They also advocated for antitrust laws, government regulation of business, prohibition of alcohol, women's suffrage, and progress in human science.

prohibition

A nationwide constitutional ban on the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933. A movement started by pietistic Protestants, they aimed to heal what they saw as an ill society beset by alcohol-related problems such as alcoholism, family violence, and saloon-based political corruption.

Radio Corporation of America (RCA)

A major American electronics company that was founded in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T, and United Fruit Company. It was the dominant electronics and communications firm in the US for over 50 years. It was at the forefront of the mushrooming radio industry in the early 1920s, as a major manufacturer of radio receivers, and the exlusive manufacturer of the first superheterodyne sets. It also created the first nationwide American radio network, NBC.

Reader's Digest

An American general-interest family magazine, published 10 times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, NY, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wife Lila Bell Wallace. For many years, it was the best-selling consumer magazine in the US. It lost the distinction in 2009 to Better Homes and Gardens.

Red Scare

\n A period during the early 20th century history of the US marked by a widespread fear of far-left movements, including Bolshevism and anarchism, due to real and imagined events; real events included the Russian 1917 October Revolution and anarchist bombings. At its height in 1919-1920, concerns over the effects of radical political agitation in American society and the alleged spread of communism and anarchism in the American labor movement fueled a general sense of concern.

The period has its origins in the hyper-nationalism of World War I as well as the Russian Revolution. Palmer Raids were the most oppressive example of state-sponsored oppression.

The Rising Tide of Color: The Threat Against White World Supremacy by Lothrop Stoddard (1920)

A 1920 book about racialism and geopolitics, which describes the collapse of white supremacy and colonialism because of the population growth among "people of color," rising nationalism in colonized nations, and industrialization in China and Japan. To counter the perceived threat, the author advocated restricting non-white immigration into white-majority countires, by restricting Asian migration to Africa, and slowly giving independence to European colonies in Asia (including the Middle East). A noted eugenicist, he supported a separation of the "primary races" of the world and warned against miscegenation.

Route 66

One of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. Established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the US, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before terminating in Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles.

It was recognized in pop culture with a 1946 hit song, and it was also featured in the Pixar feature film franchise Cars. Other nicknames include the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America, and the Mother Road.

Sacco-Vanzetti Trial

Italian immigrant anarchists who were controversially accused of murdering a guard and a paymaster during the April 15, 1920, armed robbery of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts. Seven years later, they were executed in the electric chair at Charlestown State Prison.

Anti-Italianism, anti-immigrant, and anti-Anarchist bias were suspected as having heavily influenced the verdict. As details of the trial and the men's suspected innocence became known, it became the center of one of the largest causes célèbres in modern history. In 1927, protests on their behalf were held in every major city in North America and Europe, as well as in Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, Sau Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Montevideo, Johannesburg, and Auckland.

In 1977 - the 50th anniversary of the executions - Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis issued a proclamation that the duo had been unfairly tried and convicted and that "any disgrace should be forever removed from their names."

saloon

A name for any place of popular entertainment and a known seller and distributer of alcohol and usually owned by the brewery. Offered and sold salty food and snacks to increase customers' thirst.

Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

The murder of 7 Irish members and associates of Chicago's North Side Gang that occurred on Feb. 14, 1929. The men were gathered at a Lincoln Park, Chicago garage that morning. They were lined up against a wall and shot by four unknown assailants, two dressed as police officers. The incident resulted from the struggle to control organized crime in the city during Prohibition between the Irish North Siders, headed by George "Bugs" Moran, and their Italian Chicago Outfit rivals led by Al Capone.

Scientific Temperance Instruction

The educational arm of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), and an important part of the temperance movement and played a significant role in generating suport for prohibition of alcohol in the US. Mary Hanchett Hunt was elected the founding national superintendent. By the early 1900s, the educational arm of the WCTU convinced virtually every state, the District of Columbia, and all US possessions had literature and textbooks sponsored by the group.