Week 8 Post War Identity
Page 1: Take the "A" Train
Composer: Duke Ellington
Page 2: Post-War & the National Identity
Focus: Week 8
Page 3: Last Week On…
Key Events:
World War I: Impacts on the homefront and trenches.
Fears of radicalism during and post-war.
Racial violence and competition in the workplace.
Question of post-war peace.
Page 4: The Great War: Aftermath
Casualties:
115,000 American soldiers killed in World War I.
700,000 deaths due to the "Spanish Flu".
Social Unrest:
Labor strikes, anarchy, and radicalism surged in 1919.
Approximately 1 in 5 workers were unemployed during this period.
Page 5: “Normalcy”?
President Warren G. Harding:
Republican elected in 1920, focused on healing the nation.
Quote: "America’s present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums, but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration."
The 1920s described as:
NEW ERA: Jazz Age, Age of the Flapper, Prosperity Decade, Roaring 20s.
Page 6: Looking Ahead: Post-War 1920s
Economic Changes:
Rise of mass production in automobiles, appliances, film, and radio.
Cultural Developments:
Exploration of social life and sexual identities.
Challenges:
Revival of the KKK in response to changing social norms.
Civil rights activism through movements like the "New Woman" and "New Negro".
Page 7: 1920s: Republican Dominance
Timeframe: 1921-1933, Republicans consistently won the White House.
Key Figures:
Presidents: Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover.
Noteworthy Policies:
Emphasis on economic conservatism and business-friendly policies, along with political scandals and activism.
Page 8: Republican Party Communications
Notice from the Republican State Executive Committee, emphasizing the party's influence under Chairman Geo. H. Lark.
Page 9: Warren G. Harding
Key Policies:
Promoted “normalcy” and protective tariffs to guard against foreign competition.
Advocated ending wartime economic controls and favored a laissez-faire economy.
Page 10: Postwar Economy
Conditions:
High unemployment and inflation rates.
Heavy crackdown on unions during the Red Scare.
Increasing anxieties over immigrant influences and Bolshevism post-Russian Revolution (1917).
Significant events: Palmer Raids and "Red Summer" of riots.
Page 11: “Normalcy”: Scandals
Harding's Cabinet: Selected capable members including Herbert Hoover.
Issues:
Emergence of the "Ohio Gang" leading to corruption scandals, notably the Teapot Dome scandal involving bribes.
Result: President Harding passes away amidst these scandals.
Page 12: “Silent Cal”
Calvin Coolidge’s Leadership Style:
Known for few words yet strong convictions, promoting minimal government interference in business.
Implemented substantial tax cuts for the wealthy, totaling over 40%.
High tariffs imposed on foreign competition.
Page 13: Post-War Activism
Activism Trends:
Continued social activism, especially under Republican governance.
Women’s suffrage confirmed with the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.
Notable Activist: Alice Paul, known for the "Silent Sentinels" movement.
Page 14: Post-War Activism: Continued
Legislation:
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) proposed but not ratified.
18th Amendment enacted Prohibition, largely ignored by Coolidge administration concerning social issues.
Page 15: Herbert Hoover
Famous Declaration (1928):
Claimed America was nearing a triumph over poverty.
Economic Downturn:
1929 Stock Market Crash leads to the Great Depression, highlighting weaknesses in laissez-faire policies.
Results in a shift towards democratic leadership led by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932.
Page 16: Culture of Consumption: Consumerism
Page 17: Post-War Transformations
Industrial Expansion:
Growth in energy sources and manufacturing technology.
Mass Production:
Production of consumer goods outpacing demand, leading to advancements in marketing and advertising as solutions.
Page 18: Department Stores
Evolution of Shopping Environments:
Malls becoming entertainment centers.
Services such as babysitting introduced.
Shopping transformed into an experiential activity, not merely a transaction.
Page 19: Consumerism & Marketing
Role of Advertising:
Key driver of consumerism, with insights from Christine Frederick on buying habits, revealing women's control over household purchasing decisions.
Growth of magazines featuring products, and development of consumer psychology around slogans and aspirations.
Page 20: Credit & Cars
Growth in Installment Buying:
Concept of paying for goods through credit leads to prevalent use in auto purchases.
By 1927, 60% of cars purchased on credit.
Resulting Debt:
Skyrocketing debt levels alongside increased standard of living.
Henry Ford revolutionizes auto industry with mass production techniques, leading to 27 million cars by 1927, impacting urban and suburban living.
Page 21: Cultures of Escape
Pop Culture Developments:
Emergence of music as a form of independence.
Rise of vacation culture.
Hollywood transforms from silent films to talkies.
Page 22: Radio Revolution
Impact of Radio:
Introduces entertainment into homes; by 1930, over half of American households own a radio.
National culture spreads via music and soap operas, with major networks like NBC and CBS dominating the airwaves.
Page 23: The “New Woman”
Cultural Shifts:
Rise of the "Flapper": characterized by fashionable and independent attitudes, rejecting traditional modesty.
Iconic look includes bobbed hair, short skirts, use of makeup, and engagement in smoking, drinking, and dancing.
Cultural representation by authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis; primarily identified with white, middle-class demographics.
Page 24: The “New Negro”
Cultural Movement:
Centered in Harlem, promoting self-expression, intellectual awakening, and activism among Black Americans.
Key Figure: Marcus Garvey, advocating for a return to Africa and emphasizing black pride.
Notable Event: Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, highlighting racial tensions of the era.
Page 25: Migration & Renaissance
Migration Trends:
Increased movement of Black Americans from the South to urban centers in the North, such as New York.
Encountered both economic and social challenges, as well as opportunities for cultural expression.
Harlem Renaissance: A revolutionary period in Black artistic, literary, and musical expression.
Page 26: Black Nationalism
Marcus Garvey's Contributions:
Founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) promoting black pride and self-reliance.
Established the Black Star Line for trade between Africans and African Americans; targeted by U.S. government.
Page 27: Culture Wars & Immigration
Legislative Actions:
Emergency Immigration Act (1923) and National Origins Act limiting immigration to the U.S.
Exclusion of all Asian immigrants and widespread reduction of Mexican immigration.
Page 28: Culture Wars & Christianity
Religious Transformations:
Rise of conservative Christianity and fundamentalist movements in reaction to modernity.
Opposition to Catholicism, Judaism, women's rights, and urban entertainment.
Controversies surrounding evolution and its teaching in schools.
Page 29: The Scopes Trial
Historical Context:
1925 Dayton, Tennessee: The Butler Act prohibited teaching evolution in public schools.
ACLU challenges law with John Scopes as the defendant.
Prosecution led by William Jennings Bryan; outcome resulted in the failure of fundamentalist arguments in court.
Page 30: Rebirth of the KKK
Membership and Influence:
KKK membership peaked at 4-5 million in the 1920s;
Exhibited anti-Semitism and anti-Black violence, gaining political power such as in Texas with the election of Klan-supported Senator Earle B. Mayfield.
Emergence of women’s organizations within the KKK (WKKK).
Page 31: Beer Prohibition
Public Demand:
Lyrics or expressions of public sentiment calling for the influx of beer, indicative of wider anti-prohibition movements.