Roaring 20s notes

APUSH/Viscariello Unit 7B: The Roaring 20s and the Great Depression

Overview of Topics

  • 7.7: Causes and effects of innovations in communication and technology in the U.S.

  • 7.8.1: Causes and effects of international and internal migration patterns.

  • 7.8.2: Causes and effects of developments in popular culture in the U.S.

  • 7.9: Causes of the Great Depression and its effects on the economy.

  • 7.10: Impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal on American political, social, and economic life.

Required Readings

  • The Flag Book, topics 7.7-7.10.

  • The American Yawp, Chapter 22: "The New Era" and Chapter 23: "The Great Depression".

  • Framework (posted on Teams), Period 7: 1890-1945, items 701-703, 711-725.

Lecture Notes

I. Presidents of the Era

  • 28. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921, D-NJ)

  • 29. Warren G. Harding (1921-1923, R-OH)

    • Died in office.

  • 30. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929, R-MA)

  • 31. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933, R-CA)

  • 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945, D-NY)

    • Died in office.

II. Sociopolitical Tensions

A. Red Scare (1919-1920)

  • Rise of nativist sentiments: Anti-communist, anti-socialist, and anti-anarchist attitudes proliferated.

  • Wilson/Palmer Raids: Over 6,000 individuals arrested and approximately 500 deported due to fears of radicalism.

B. Nativism

  • Policies such as the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and Immigration Act of 1924 reflected nativist attitudes.

C. Racial/Ethnic Strife

  • Series of race riots, notably in East St. Louis, Chicago, and Tulsa, stemming from racial tensions and violence.

  • Racial issues manifested through lynchings and organized terror.

  • Tulsa Race Riot (1921):

    • Triggered by an alleged assault on a white woman by a black man, Dick Rowland.

    • Resulted in the destruction of “Black Wall Street” and significant loss of life and property, with official deaths reported as 36 and estimated deaths ranging from 100 to 300.

    • Approximately 10,000 black residents left homeless, and damages estimated in the millions.

D. Marcus Garvey

  • Advocated for black separatism with the slogan "Back to Africa."

    • Founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1914, promoting Pan-Africanism.

E. Prohibition

  • 18th Amendment (1919) and the Volstead Act which enforced prohibition but led to socio-economic issues:

    • The restrictive enforcement was costly and underfunded.

  • Opposition to Prohibition by immigrants and rising underground networks such as speakeasies and bootleggers, exemplified by figures like Al Capone.

  • Prohibition was ultimately repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933.

III. Cultural Changes in the Roaring 20s

A. Evolution Debate

  • The Scopes Monkey Trial:

    • Highlighted the clash between evolution (advocated by Clarence Darrow) vs. creationism (advocated by William Jennings Bryan).

  • Resulted in significant discussions about curriculum in schools.

B. Women in the 1920s

  • Enhanced freedoms, leading to:

    • Women achieving suffrage and entering the workforce.

    • The rise of the flappers, representing a new image of fashionable and independent women.

  • Notable decline in U.S. birth rates attributed to availability of birth control information and clinics, with Margaret Sanger founding the American Birth Control League in 1921.

C. Popular Entertainment and Arts

  • Introduction of the first sound movies, such as The Jazz Singer (1927), and animated films like Steamboat Willie (1928).

  • The advent of radio played a significant role in popular culture, promoting athletes and artists.

D. The Lost Generation

  • Group of disillusioned American authors who criticized conformity and materialism, many of whom moved to Europe:

    • Notable figures: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sinclair Lewis, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos.

E. The Harlem Renaissance

  • A cultural, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem, NYC:

    • Key figures included Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong.

IV. Republican Resurgence

A. President Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)

  • Advocated for a “return to normalcy.”

  • Chief Justice Taft presided over a conservative court (1921-1930).

  • Adkins case: No federal minimum wage was established.

  • Economic growth characterized by a 3.5% average expansion from 1922 to 1929 and unemployment rates under 4%.

B. Pro-Business Policies of the GOP

  • Included lower income taxes, higher tariffs (Fordney-McCumber), and reduced anti-trust enforcement, particularly affecting farms.

  • Union membership declined by 20% due to more open-shop firms, particularly in the South, with labor laws being overturned.

C. Harding Scandals

  • Veterans’ Bureau chief stole over $200 million.

  • The Attorney General faced accusations of selling pardons and liquor permits, leading to the Teapot Dome scandal.

D. President Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

  • Earned the nickname "Silent Cal."

  • Emphasized government spending cuts and the principle that business is integral to the American spirit.

  • Important events under his administration included:

    • Vetoing the Bonus Bill for veterans, though later overridden.

    • Vetoing the McNary-Haugen bill aimed at farm subsidies.

E. President Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

  • Famously stated, "A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage" symbolizing prosperity.

V. The Great Depression Begins

A. The Stock Market Crash (October 1929)

  • Severe economic consequences with notable impacts on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, employment, commercial bank failures, and birth rates.

    • Creation of Hoovervilles as makeshift communities for the unemployed.

    • Contributed to agricultural issues known as the Dust Bowl.

B. Causes of the Great Depression

  • Key factors:

    • Overspeculation in stock markets.

    • Buying on margin complexities.

    • Overproduction of goods.

    • Agricultural difficulties faced by farmers.

    • Economic issues in Europe.

    • Debt moratorium affecting international relations.

    • High tariffs, exemplified by the Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930.

    • Federal Reserve's restrictive monetary policies.

C. Hoover’s Reaction to the Depression

  • Initiated aggressive federal regulatory agencies like the Reconstruction Finance Corporation.

  • Enacted higher income taxes and tariffs to combat the economic downturn.

  • Implemented the Federal Farm Board.

D. The Bonus Army Incident

  • In 1932, over 17,000 veterans marched on Washington, D.C. demanding early payment of bonuses. They were dispersed by General MacArthur, leading to injuries among thousands of veterans.

VI. FDR’s New Deal

A. Overview of Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)

  • Notable as the only president serving more than two terms.

  • The New Deal focused on Relief, Recovery, and Reform within the financial system.

B. Key Features of the New Deal

  • Establishment of Alphabet Agencies:

    • FDIC: Insured bank deposits through the Glass-Steagall Act.

    • Public Works Administration (PWA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) were created for job provision.

    • National Industrial Recovery Act aimed at fair wages; was later ruled unconstitutional.

    • Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was also ruled unconstitutional for its regulation of farm production.

  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was created to regulate the stock market.

  • Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act) set up a National Labor Relations Board to protect labor rights.

  • Implementation of social programs, including Social Security.

C. Keynesian Economics

  • Advocated deficit spending as a means to stimulate the economy, especially during downturns like the recession of 1937-1938.

VII. Criticism of the New Deal

A. Critiques from Liberals/Progressives

  • Believed the New Deal favored Big Business without adequately addressing workers' and farmers' needs:

    • Father Charles Coughlin called for nationalizing banks.

    • Dr. Francis Townsend proposed pension schemes for the elderly which were co-opted into Social Security.

    • Senator Huey Long proposed the “Share Our Wealth” plan that included wealth redistribution.

B. Critiques from Conservatives

  • Criticized the New Deal as socialist and unconstitutional:

    • Led to a significant court-packing plan by FDR aiming to increase his influence over the judiciary after key New Deal measures were ruled unconstitutional.

VIII. Social Effects of the New Deal

A. Impact on African-Americans

  • Faced higher-than-average unemployment rates, though some found work through New Deal programs (WPA and CCC).

  • Notable figures such as Mary McLeod Bethune advocated for African-American rights.

B. Impact on Women

  • Participated increasingly in the workforce but faced lower pay rates through New Deal programs.

  • Eleanor Roosevelt emerged as a key advocate for women’s rights.

C. Labor Movements

  • Growth in union membership, exemplified by the Congress of Industrial Organizations which united skilled and unskilled workers.

  • Significant events included the GM strike and the enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act, establishing a permanent minimum wage.

D. Native American Affairs

  • The Indian Reorganization Act repealed the Dawes Act, reaffirming tribal governments and promoting Native American culture.