The "Roaring Twenties"

The US Economy

• There was a large boom in technological advancements, leading to a surge in consumerism.

• The overall GNP (Gross National Product) rose by 40%.

• Developers and companies implemented mass production techniques, making more products available at a time.

• Many American citizens also invested heavily in stocks with a rise in popularity.

• Technological advancements heavily included automobiles, which indirectly helped the oil, steel, and road construction industries flow as well.

• US urbanization was incredibly popular as people wished to live closer to their workplace.

Republican Policies and Ideology

• There was a certain laissez-faire approach to the Roaring Twenties that stems from republican ideologies.

• Republicans believed that minimal government involvement and intervention would lead to business growth.

• One notable decision was tax cuts made to the wealthy people of the US, with the belief that saving would eventually become reinvested.

• They used high tariffs to protect American businesses from foreign issues.

• Republican policies also were known to favor urban development and neglect rural communities to an extent.

• As a result, the agriculture industry struggled heavily during this time.

Prosperity Experiences

• During this time the automobile industry, particularly Ford, experienced a great boom in popularity following a new model of vehicle coming out.

• The production of consumer goods became more widespread following the invention of the assembly line and mass production.

• During this time, electronics such as radios became a household item and a home for communication like news and other broadcasting.

• With urbanization came a great surge in the construction industry and all that worked in it.

• Other industries experiencing prosperity include aviation, retail, and textiles.

Women's Rights

• In 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified which granted women the right to vote. This was a direct result of years of activism and protests.

• Women also saw an increase in job opportunities and participation with a variety of jobs.

• Although, with higher jobs such as professional opportunities, women still faced much discrimination.

• During this time, women were also allowed to seek higher education which set them up for a more successful future.

• This decade also saw great strides to improve women's reproductive rights and advocating for access to things like birth control.

Sheppard-Towner Act

• This act specifically aimed to protect and reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, which were concerningly high.

• This also represented the first federal health program in the US.

• This act provided states with the funds to establish programs to help reduce these mortality rates by creating health clinics.

• This act helped provide a higher standard of care for all US children and mothers, ultimately reducing mortality rates by a large margin.

Prohibition, Prejudice, and Discrimination

• The Jim Crow Laws were a set of laws in the south that placed additional requirements on voting that made it nearly impossible for African Americans to vote. These requirements included a literacy test, poll taxes, and more.

• The aims of prohibition were to reduce crime rates, improve overall health, increase productivity, and strengthen family values.

• The KKK (Klu Klux Klan), was a group that heavily believed in white supremacy and would use intimidation and physical abuse to originally oppose Reconstruction. However, they fell apart during the Civil Rights Movement.

• The Red Scare was a time after World War 2 of increased fear and opposition of communist ideals entering the American government and society.

• The Palmer Raids were a series of government operations that aimed at deporting radical leftists, specifically anarchists and communists, from the United States. These raids are a great example and result of the Red Scare.

• Sacco and Vanzetti were both committed anarchists that believed in the overthrow of capitalism and implementation of a stateless society.

Immigration Restrictions

• There were several immigration restrictions placed during this time that were a result of the scarcity of losing American ideals and cultural identity.

• The Immigration Act of 1917 required immigrants over 16 to complete a literacy test and did not allow anarchists, polygamists, and people with certain disabilities to enter the United States.

• The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 placed numerical restrictions on immigration for the first time. This act set quotas based on nationality and origin.

• This was made to particularly limit immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe.

• Over time, they placed further restrictions on these quotas and even favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe.

Combating Prejudice

• The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) has been crucial to the development of the fight against racial prejudice.

• They have been responsible for court cases Brown vs Board of Education and Smith vs Allwright.

• They have also been in support and lobbied for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which both aimed to eliminate or lessen racial segregation.

• The NAACP also worked with the youth of America to mobilize them and help them have a say in the fight.

• The UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914 was also a very critical piece to the fight against racial discrimination and prejudice.

• UNIA particularly worked with African Americans to embrace their heritage and cultural identity and work towards economic independence.

• UNIA also faced legal challenges and opposition from United States authorities specifically due to their posed threat to the status quo.

The 1930s and The New Deal

Economic Effects of the Great Depression

• One large economic toll of the Great Depression was the massive wave of unemployment due to layoffs and people losing their jobs.

• On the other hand, many businesses failed due to a drop in consumer rates and the inability of upkeep.

• As people withdrew their savings, many banks across the nation failed leading to a loss of savings.

• For those who remained employed, their wages dropped to below a liveable lifestyle and reduced their purchasing power.

• Due to a drop in consumer rates, industrial production dropped dramatically because there was no demand for products.

Social Effects of the Great Depression

• As unemployment rose, so did poverty rates and overall homelessness. Many families faced extreme hardships because they could not afford to live in society and have basic needs met.

• Many citizens also ended up with major health conditions because they could not pay for healthcare.

• Education was put on a massive hold and children were not in school learning, which affected them for the rest of their lives.

• Overall, citizens took a massive psychological hit and struggled mentally like never seen before.

The Government's Response

• The government acted quickly and came up with the "New Deal" that was going to help rebuild the American economy.

• They first created numerous jobs that people took up and had liveable wages to pull them out of poverty.

• The government also put in reform and regulation to ensure there would not be another economic event of this nature.

• The Social Security Act of 1935 created pensions for those who are retired, aided children and citizens who are disabled, and provided unemployment insurance.

Election Campaigns of 1932

• The candidates for the 1932 election were Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat), and Herbert Hoover (Republican).

• These two candidates both presented their plan to alleviate the Great Depression results and move forward to a better America.

• Specifically, Roosevelt used his speeches to connect with the people and reassure them that things would be okay.

• In the end, Roosevelt won 57% of the popular vote and had 472 electoral votes as opposed to Hoover's 59 votes.

Roosevelt's First New Deal

• His first New Deal was aimed to provide immediate assistance to those suffering from unemployment and poverty.

• He used FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) to offer state and local relief programs across the US.

• He also advocated for workers rights and created new jobs for young men to get the economy stimulated again.

• He also put money towards infrastructure for better schools for children to get caught up on what they missed.

The Second New Deal

• The Social Security Act of 1935 established many things such as retirement pensions, unemployment insurance, and aid to the disabled.

• The Works Progress Administration was made to create jobs through public works projects. These included things like building roads, bridges, and public buildings.

• With this also came support for artists and writers.

• He also focused on rural infrastructure and aided farmers and the agriculture industries to flourish again.

New Deal Reactions and Impacts

• Many citizens welcomed the New Deal because they were at such a low mental state and were willing to try anything.

• Labor unions and their workers were generally welcoming to the new labor rights and regulations. These helped them gain better wages and conditions.

• While some business leaders opposed this plan, most were very accepting of the new change.

• The New Deal strengthened the working class, rights for citizens, public education, social safety, and labor unions. Overall, this was a very positive change for a struggling society.

The Impact of World War 2 on US Society

Mobilisation of the People

• During World War 2, many propaganda posters and radio announcements had encouraged patriotic support for the military.

• This propaganda also encouraged enlistment.

• Campaigns were mainly aimed to encourage citizens to purchase war bonds that would help support the troops financially.

• While in war, the public had to learn how to ration their food, water, and overall energy.

• Since men were away fighting in the war, women took their spot in the workplace, ultimately leading to the iconic "Rosie the Riveter" campaign.

The End of the Depression

• With the Great Depression coming to an end and the New Deal surging in popularity, American citizens were looking forward to a new light.

• The war effort had revitalized the economy even more so than before.

• The entrance into the war in 1941 had also made industrial production grow exponentially, leading to more job opportunities.

• With the ramp-up in industrial production, businesses also saw extreme growth.

Government Powers Increase

• The New Deal program expanded the federal government's involvement in the economic side of US society. The government also took on more responsibility for social welfare

• Government spending for the war had also consequently grown the economy in efforts to combat this negative cash flow. People were working in industries to keep the economy in the positive.

• The War Production Board was created to manage civilian industries to wartime production.

• The Office of Price Administration was made to help ration food and wages to the society not involved in war.

Wage and Price Control

• This specific control was made to combat inflation and ensure the fair distribution of goods to society.

• The OPA established price ceilings on essential goods that made things easier and more fair for citizens to obtain these goods.

• In harmony with price control, the government also had to make sure essential goods were rationed out equally to all the people.

• Those who did not follow these price controls or the rationing were subject to penalty and this was kept under close monitoring.

• These two things overall helped manage inflation during the years of the war and managed economic stability.

War Impacts

• Citizens had very mixed responses to the war involvement by the US government. Some were very patriotic and supportive, while some saw extreme doubt and downsides to the situation.

• People who were supportive mostly chose to enlist or purchase war bonds if they were unable to enlist.

• Women supported the troops at war by filling it at their regular industrial jobs. Other women volunteered in positions to help in any way they could.

• Others who were concerned had very valid reasons for this reserve. Issues included rationing, housing shortages, and other difficulties they had to face in day-to-day life.

Japanese Internment (Executive Order 9066)

• Signed in 1942, Roosevelt removed Japanese Americans from their homes and sent them all to internment camps in the Western United States.

• These internment camps were crowded with poor and inadequate conditions. People living here had little to no privacy.

• Roosevelt's justification was that he was afraid of spying and espionage after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

• This event caused severe hardships and is now seen as a massive civil rights violation.

The Detroit Race Riots

• Tensions were high in Detroit due to the exponential increase of urban migration of African Americans for wartime jobs that resulted in housing competition and economic disparities.

• The riot was triggered on June 20th, 1943 when a fight broke out between Black and White residents at a beach, which escalated into widespread violence.

• Over three days, the riot included arson, looting, and many clashes between Black and White residents.

• The federal government intervened by sending troops to the city to suppress the violence.

• This riot highlighted severe racial tensions and led to more extensive efforts in the fight for civil rights.

Military Segregation

• During World War 2, African American troops were segregated and placed in different units from White troops.

• Black soldiers were also given less opportunities for advancement through ranks compared to White soldiers.

• This segregation included public areas like barracks, mess halls, and recreational areas.

• After the war, the experience of Black soldiers and increased fight for civil rights had led to the end of segregation.

Executive Order 8802

• President Roosevelt signed this order in 1941 which began the desegregation of the workplace for all citizens.

• This specifically aimed at removing discrimination in government positions and defense industries.

• This Executive Order was a significant step in the civil rights movement and marked early strides in the movement. However, full desegregation was still a long way away.

• This order set a perfect example for future desegregation and other civil rights activism.