20th Century History Terms & Definitions: Roaring 20's Study

Red Scare

communism scares in America. William Foster was the American communist party leader. There were labor strikes, bombs mailed to the Whitehouse, and over 200 illegal Russians in America, leading the communist movements. This scared Americans, and people were turning against each other

Sacco and Vanzetti

two Italian immigrants and anarchists accused of murder during a robbery in Massachusetts. There was no solid evidence proving that they were guilty, but because they were immigrants and anarchists, the court saw them as guilty before the trial even began. When they were found guilty and sentenced to death, there was outrage across the entire world. 50 years later Massachusetts recognized their mistake and cleared the names of Sacco and Vanzetti

Al Capone

a gangster in the 1920's. He was in charge of many speakeasies and illegal alcohol as well as brothels. He was involved in a lot of organized crime at the time. However, for all his crimes, he was arrested for tax fraud and died in prison from an STD

Jon Scopes

he was arrested for teaching the theory of evolution. He went to court, was proven guilty, and fined 100$. His case was the first trial to be broadcast on the radio. The whole country was watching anxiously to see what side of the debate would win- Christians or atheists

Flappers

free-spirited women who dressed in revealing dresses and smoked and drank in public. and were named that because of the flaps on their shoes

Speak Easy

a bar during prohibition where illegal alcohol could be purchased. They were named this way because people had to be quiet about them and "speak easy".

Kul Klux Klan (KKK)

a racist group against colored people, immigrants, communists, and Catholics. It had a revival in the 1920s due to increased immigration and the communism scare

Booker T. Washington

believed that African-Americans can achieve economic prosperity and respect from white individuals through education and hard work. Started Tuskegee Institute- Alabama

Great Migration

African American people in the South were struggling with extremely low wages, racially motivated violence, and discrimination. This caused many to head north to big cities in search of a better life

Calvin Coolidge

· Harding's vice president was sworn in by his father after Harding's death. He was a man of few words but a good president. He was re-elected for his four-year term afterward.

Warren G. Harding

won the election of 1920. He was a Republican whose goal was to return America to the way it was before the war. He tragically died of a heart attack two years into his presidency, and after his death, his name was drug through many scandals

Secular Humanism

the shift towards secular ideas and teachings in the 20's. The media and schools shifted towards secular ideas