1.1.4

  • Immigrants faced suspicion and discrimination in America, especially after the Russian Revolution.

  • Many immigrants brought radical ideas like Socialism, Communism, and anarchism, which scared established Americans.

  • The first Red Scare in 1919 led to calls for immigration restrictions due to bombings linked to radicals.

  • The Immigration Act of 1918 aimed to prevent anarchists from entering the U.S.

  • The Sedition Act made it illegal to criticize the American government.

  • The American Legion formed after World War I to protect against foreign influences.

  • The Boston Police Strike in 1919 raised fears of Bolshevik-inspired unrest.

  • The Palmer Raids, led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, targeted suspected radicals, showing growing xenophobia.

  • The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti highlighted unfair treatment of immigrants in the legal system.

  • New immigration laws in the 1920s limited entry based on nationality, with the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 banning Japanese immigrants.

  • The FBI was established during the Progressive Era to monitor anti-American groups.

  • Fundamentalism surged, opposing modern science and the theory of evolution, culminating in the Scopes Trial of 1925.

  • The Ku Klux Klan gained power, promoting hatred against immigrants, minorities, and various religious groups.