Untitled Flashcards Set

Chapter 30: America Turns Inward (The Roaring Twenties)

Key Themes:

• Isolationism & Nativism – U.S. withdraws from foreign affairs, seen in rejection of the League of Nations.

• Rise of Nativism – Anti-immigrant sentiments grow, leading to restrictive immigration policies.

• Economic Expansion & Consumer Culture – Prosperity driven by mass production, credit, and advertising.

• Prohibition & Crime – The 18th Amendment and Volstead Act fuel organized crime.

• Cultural Shifts & Harlem Renaissance – Growth of African American cultural expression and activism.

Key Events & Policies:

• Red Scare (1919-1920): Fear of communism leads to mass arrests and deportations under A. Mitchell Palmer.

• Sacco & Vanzetti Trial (1921): Two Italian anarchists executed despite weak evidence, exemplifying anti-immigrant bias.

• Ku Klux Klan Resurgence: Peaked in the 1920s, targeting immigrants, Catholics, Jews, and African Americans.

• Emergency Quota Act (1921): Limited immigration to 3% of a nationality's U.S. population in 1910.

• Immigration Act of 1924: Further reduced quotas to 2% and changed the base year to 1890, favoring Northern and Western Europeans.

• Prohibition (1920-1933):

  • Volstead Act (1919): Enforced the 18th Amendment but failed due to weak enforcement and opposition.

  • Rise of speakeasies, bootlegging, and organized crime (e.g., Al Capone).

• Scopes Trial (1925): Debated evolution vs. religious teachings in schools; highlighted tensions between modernists and fundamentalists.

• Mass Consumption Economy:

  • Growth of advertising and consumer credit.

  • Henry Ford & Assembly Line Production: Made cars affordable and revolutionized manufacturing.

  • Stock market speculation and buying on margin fueled false prosperity.

• Harlem Renaissance:

  • Celebrated Black culture, literature, and music.

  • Key Figures: Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith.

• The Jazz Age: Emergence of jazz as a dominant cultural force, breaking racial barriers.

• Women’s Changing Roles:

  • Flappers: Symbolized new social freedoms.

  • Gertrude Ederle: First woman to swim the English Channel.

  • Amelia Earhart: First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

Impact on Society:

• Urbanization surpasses rural population for the first time.

• More access to education; higher literacy rates.

• Rise of pop culture, radio, and Hollywood entertainment.

• Conflicts between modernists and traditionalists on social issues.

Chapter 31: The Politics of Boom and Bust

Key Themes:

• Republican Dominance & Pro-Business Policies: Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover favored laissez-faire economics.

• Corruption in Government: Scandals, such as Teapot Dome, eroded public trust.

• Economic Speculation & Market Crash: Overconfidence in the stock market led to the Great Depression.

• Farmers’ Struggles: Overproduction and falling prices led to debt and protests.

• Rising Isolationism: High tariffs and reluctance to engage in foreign affairs.

Presidencies & Policies:

Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)

• "Return to Normalcy" – Focused on business growth and limited government.

• Teapot Dome Scandal: Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall accepted bribes for oil reserves.

• Died in office (1923), succeeded by Coolidge.

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)

• "Silent Cal" – Believed in minimal government intervention.

• Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923): Reversed Muller v. Oregon, ending special workplace protections for women.

• Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928): Nations pledged to renounce war but lacked enforcement.

• Opposed aid to struggling farmers.

Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)

• Advocated "Rugged Individualism" – Believed people should help themselves rather than rely on government.

• Hawley-Smoot Tariff (1930): Raised tariffs to 60%, worsening the global depression.

• Stock Market Crash (Black Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1929): Led to bank failures, unemployment, and economic collapse.

• Hoovervilles: Shantytowns symbolizing economic despair.

• Bonus Army (1932): WWI veterans demanded early payment of bonuses; Hoover sent troops to disperse them, damaging his reputation.

Economic Issues Leading to the Great Depression:

• Overproduction in industry and agriculture.

• Stock market speculation and overuse of credit.

• Unequal wealth distribution.

• High tariffs reducing international trade.

Foreign Affairs & Isolationism:

• Dawes Plan (1924): U.S. loans to Germany to pay reparations to Britain and France, who then repaid the U.S.

• Washington Naval Conference (1921-1922): Limited naval arms but failed to prevent future conflicts.

• Japanese Expansion: Japan invaded Manchuria (1931), violating the League of Nations, but the U.S. remained isolationist.

Timeline of Events (1919-1932):

• 1919-1920 – Red Scare & Palmer Raids.

• 1920 – Harding elected president.

• 1921 – Emergency Quota Act & Washington Naval Conference.

• 1923 – Harding dies; Coolidge becomes president.

• 1924 – Immigration Act & Dawes Plan.

• 1925 – Scopes Trial.

• 1927 – Lindbergh's transatlantic flight.

• 1928 – Kellogg-Briand Pact signed; Hoover elected.

• 1929 – Stock market crashes (Black Tuesday, Oct. 29).

• 1930 – Hawley-Smoot Tariff.

• 1932 – Bonus Army March; Hoover orders their removal.

Practice Questions:

1. Multiple Choice: What was the primary goal of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921?

   • (A) Increase immigration from Asia.

   • (B) Limit immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe.

   • (C) Provide citizenship to all immigrants.

   • (D) Eliminate immigration restrictions. Answer: (B)

2. Short Answer: How did the Harlem Renaissance impact American society? Sample Response: The Harlem Renaissance showcased African American cultural achievements in music, literature, and art, bringing racial issues to national attention. Figures like Langston Hughes and Louis Armstrong influenced both Black and white audiences.

3. Long Essay: Evaluate the economic policies of the 1920s. To what extent did they contribute to the Great Depression? Key Points:

   • Pro-business policies and lack of regulation.

   • Overuse of credit and stock market speculation.

   • Unequal wealth distribution and agricultural overproduction.

   • The impact of the 1929 stock market crash.