1920s Vocab

Red Scare

An anti-communist idea that spread through the United States (for both world wars), leading to governmental raids, deportations of radicals, nativism, and suppression of rights.

Palmer raids

A series of raids that peaked in Jan. 1920, when federal agents arrested 6000 immigrants who were taught to be associated with communism/anarchism and denied them access to lawyers. Caused by the Red Scare, shows anti-immigrant sentiment to “protect” country

Great Migration

The migration of African-Americans from the South to the North between 1916 and 1970 to find jobs. Bettered their conditions but increased racism towards them

Red Summer

Antiblack riots in 1919 by white Americans that led to hundreds of Death, worst one in Chicago. Example of racism + violence caused by Great Migration

American Plan

1920s American business strategy to keep the workplace free of unions, including no union negotiations and contracts taking away union involvement. Shows post-Progressive decline due to desire to get back to “normal” through conserative governments

welfare capitalism

A system of labor that stressed management responsibility to care for employee’s well-being. Strategy to give certain benefits to employees in order to prevent unionizing.

dollar diplomacy

The use of American foreign policy to stabilize the economy of foreign countries and benefit American commercial interests. President Taft strategy weakened relationships with especially Latin America, who were the most impacted, but led to internal economic benefits

Teapot Dome

Scandal through with Albert Fall received $300K in bribes for leasing oil reserves on public land. Part of larger conspiracy that overshadowed President Hardings time in office

consumer credit

Forms of borrowing (installment plans + auto loans) that flourished in the 1920s, but led to the Great Depression. Consumer innovation that was ultimately mishandled in the long term

Hollywood

A location in Southern California that became the central point for the American movie industry

flapper

A young women that defied conventional standards by wearing knee-length skirts and bold makeup, and spending money on latest fashions. Shows effect on city life

soft power

The cultural power that the United States had abroad through American radio and movies. Shows spread of United States culture and its influence abroad

Sheppard-Towner Federal Maternity and Infancy Act

The first federally funded health-care legislation that provided federal funds for medical clinics, visiting nurses, and parental educational programs. Improved health care for the poor and lowered infant mortality rates.

Eighteenth Amendment

Ban of the manufacture and sale of alcohol, known as prohibition. Did not really work in the long term as people kept drinking, and even led to gang violence over liquor smuggling control

Volstead Act

An act passed by Congress that enforced the provisions of the Eighteenth Amendment, banning alcohol. Did not really work in the long term as people kept drinking, and even led to gang violence over liquor smuggling control.

American Civil Liberties Union

An organization formed during the Red Scare to protect free speech rights.

Scopes trial

A 1925 trial on a biology teacher who broke Tennessee state laws for teaching evolution. Prime example of a clash between urban and rural values, leading to rural ideals prevailing in this case

National Origins Act

A federal law limiting annual immigration from each foreign country to less than 2% of that nationality’s percentage of the US population. Nativist idea that severely limited immigration, with emphasis on Southern and Eastern Europe.

Ku Klux Klan

Secret society that was reborn to fight the perceived threats of African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and other immigrants. Ultimately influenced the passage of the National Origins Act through its actions.

Harlem Renaissance

African American community in a section of New York City that housed talented actors, artists, musicians and writers. Example of flourishing African American culture (despite racism) and led to the Universal Negro Improvement Union

jazz

Music of African American origins that became a symbol of new, modern culture in the city. Spread caused by Harlem Renaissance and example of flourishing African American culture

Universal Negro Improvement Association

An organization that was established by Jamaican immigrant Marcus Garvey that pushed for Black racial pride. Also established the idea of black separatism through its back-to-Africa movement. Back-to-Africa failed, but the idea of black separatism stuck to inspire pan-African, united identity.

pan-Africanism

The idea that people of African descent have a common heritage, and should politically collaborate to achieve goals. Effect of Harlem Renaissance and Universal Negro Improvement Union

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti

Two Italian immigrants who convicted and sentenced to death. Their death was directly caused by the Red Scare, and this was a prime example of foreign birth and radical ties that led to death.

Marcus Garvey

Founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association that spread the idea of a united, but unique African-American cultural identity

Henry Ford

Automaker who implemented strategies of welfare capitalism to better relationship between employees and employers

Adolph Zukor

A European-American and Jewish immigrant who was best known for founding Paramount Pictures (a movie studio) and finding successful actor. Successful immigrant

Zora Neale Hurston

A African-American women who traveled through the American south to document folklore, songs and religious beliefs in order to write literature that celebrated the strength of African American people. Direct example of the Harlem Renaissance.

Louis Armstrong

An innovative African-American trumpeter from New Orleans that refined jazz to include the improvised solo. Direct Harlem Renaissance example

Smoot-Hawley Tariff

A high tariff on imports to try to boost businesses by Herbert Hoover, but it only triggered retaliatory tariffs in other countries, leading to worse economic conditions (HH Quiz)

Farmer’s Holiday Association

Composed of midwestern farmers who protested against the falling commodity prices by cutting of supplies, barricading roads, and dumping milk, vegetables, and other food-stuffs onto the roadways. Protest due to the minimal protection for farmers.

Federal Farm Board

The board was authorized to help farmers stabilize prices by temporarily holding surplus grain and cotton in storage. The program, how­ever, was far too modest to handle the continued overproduction of farm goods, leading to the Farmer’s Holiday Assocation