THE TWENTIES 1920 1929 A Booming Economy Decade

THE TWENTIES 1920 -1929

A Booming Economy Decade after war America experienced growth • Changed the way Americans lived • Rising wages, shorter work weeks • More free time more disposable income • Created modern consumer economy • Technology, leisure activities broke down barriers and helped form a common American culture • At the same time cultural issues divided Americans • Consumer Revolution- advertising, buying on credit, electricity made new products available to people • Availability of electric power – washing machines, vacuum cleaners made housekeeping easier • Advertisers- used new methods to sell more products (focused on desires and fears of consumers) • Buying on credit allowed people to buy products they would have needed to save years for, many Americans went deeply into debt • By the end of the decade economy became increasingly venerable to disruptions of the credit structure

Automobile Drives Prosperity Recession that followed war ended quickly q Factories produced more goods, wages rose q Most growth sparked by auto industry q Henry Ford pioneers changes (wages, production, working q

Automobile Drives Prosperity Scientific management techniquesreduce time, effort, cost to produce cars Idea of mass production used for automobiles Model T- only car Ford sold ($ 850) People could afford it and they had more leisure time Cars put on assembly line- inspired by meatpacking industry Located plant in Detroit on Great Lakes (access to materials) Doubled wages of workers, weekends off, 8 hour workdays

Automobile Changes America Automobile industry created new jobs, helped national prosperity Steel, glass, rubber, asphalt, gasoline, insurance, road construction industries all benefitted Service stations, motels Oil discoveries in Southwest 1926 highway system first appeared

Automobile Changes America Gave people more freedom Go where they wanted, not tied to tracks or train schedule Altered residential patterns Suburbs grew, people could live farther from jobs Communities linked by highways to cities

Stock Market 1920’s period of rising stock prices (bull market) Investors take risks, buy on margin (pay small amount up front, pay rest back over time) Stock was collateral for loan Thinking of time- boom and bust economy would end, always prosperity

City, Suburbs and Country 1920’s people move to cities Immigrants, farmers, African Americans Improved mass transportation, car led to development of suburbs Suburbs drain resources from cities, more wealth left the cities Wealth poorly distributed Industrial wages, farm incomes did not rise Farmers caught in boom-bust cycle more than industry Peace brought an end to guaranteed prices by government and overseas purchases Wartime boom encouraged them to cultivate new land Farmers produced surpluses that led to price dampening depression In 1920’s 25% of all farms were sold to repay debt These groups were left out of the “economic boom”

The Business of Government 1920 Warren G. Harding- “return to normalcy” More conservative, policies to promote growth of business Sec. of Treasury Andrew Mellon, favored low taxes on individuals and corporations US raised tariffs, European countries response was to raise tariffs, weakened world economy Herbert Hoover- Commerce Sec. used business and labor leaders to change society, not legislation

Ohio Gang and Teapot Dome Scandal Close circle of advisers called ‘Ohio Gang” Saw government service as a way to get rich at expense of others Teapot Dome Scandal- (1921) Sec. of Interior arranged sale of government oil reserves in Wyo. to private investors for “loans” ü Harding signed deal, senate investigated ü 1924 - Sec. of Interior sentenced to prison ü Harding died before he could finish his term or answer for his role in this and other scandals

“Business of American People Is Business” Replaced by VP Calvin Coolidge “Silent Cal” quiet, honest, frugal Pro- business, creation of wealth was good for all America Followed same economic policies as Harding American economy grew, general prosperity for all Americans over next six years

America and International Affairs 1920’s U. S. role in world affairs grew 1921, 1922 - Washington Naval Conferencelimit construction of navies, reduce arms race 1928 - Kellogg- Briand Pact- treaty to outlaw “war as an instrument of national policy” world leaders knew this was useless 1920’s U. S. thought best policy was to keep rest of world at arms length and return to isolationism

America and International Affairs Collecting War Debts Ø US wanted Britain, France to pay back money borrowed for war Ø They needed Germany to pay reparations Ø Financial issue threatened world economy Ø 1924 Dawes Plan arranged US loans to Germany to pay Britain and France Ø Damaged US reputation- saw US as heartless demanding payment after human costs of war

Social and Cultural Tensions Growing division between urban and rural Americans Standard of living, science, religion, immigration Traditional vs. Modern

Traditionalism and Modernism Clash 1920 Census first time more American lived in urban areas than rural areas Urban • enjoyed new consumer products • Open to social change, science, secular values important • Formal education more important Rural • more traditional view of science, religion, culture • Most new consumer products unavailable • Many people, in rural areas, felt threatened by the changing values of society • Religious fundamentalism grew during the 1920 s • One reaction to changing world • World changing in ways people don't understand can't control • Children move to cities, reject the values that the parents have lived with all their life •

Religious Fundamentalism One way this fundamentalism manifested itself came in the laws of a few southern states which mandated creationism, not evolution, be taught in classrooms Many Americans upset over growing secularism Fundamentalism grew Took Bible as literal truth Bible could answer important questions Movement strong in rural America 1925 Scopes Trial illustrated split between urban/ rural areas. (Theory of Evolution vs. Creationism)

Restricting Immigration • • • Clash over immigration Many felt that immigrants threatened religious, political, cultural traditions Immigration Act of 1924 - end of open immigration Government created a quota system to restrict immigration Geared to keep out southern and eastern Europeans, Japanese immigrants

The New KU Klux Klan • • Membership in KKK began to expand Manifestation of intolerance and prejudice from anxiety of changing times Uprising against forces of modernism and forces of diversity shaping American culture Resembled “nativist” movement of 1850’s Anti- anything except Anglo, “native” American Movement concentrated in Midwest and South At its peak had about 5 million members Collapsed in late 20’s after political

Prohibition and Crime Prohibition divisive issue War increased support for temperance movement 1919 -18 th Amendment passed, Volstead Act endorsed amendment Prohibited sale, manufacture, distribution of alcohol

Prohibition and Crime People still wanted alcohol- supplied by bootleggers, organized crime Government tried to stop flow of liquor Organized crime developed around sale of liquor and reached into other areas- prostitution, drugs, gambling Too much money to be made Criminals involved in sale of liquor, police took bribes Mid 1920’s many politicians in cities wanted repeal of 18 th Amendment Rural Americans saw liquor, crime tied together 1933 - 21 st Amendment repealed prohibition

Science, Social Thought and Modernism Rational, mechanical ideas of how world worked changed Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Heisenberg's Theory of Uncertainty showed absolute values of how things worked were not true Freud explored subconscious Subconscious regions seen as more potent than reason Art, Literature expressed how reality is created, and

Urban or Rural?

New Mass Culture Cultural issues divided Americans Technology, leisure activities broke down barriers Formed a common American culture

Americans Enjoy More Leisure Time Rising wages, shorter work weeks More free time more disposable income Movies- local theaters became cultural classroom for Americans Americas democratic art First movie stars 1927 first “talkie” Jazz Singer Movies represent fantasies, desires, of Americans

Americans Enjoy More Leisure Time Radio and Phonograph- result of technological advances, business enterprise Americans listened to same music, learned same dances- contributed to mass popular culture Radio- 1920 first commercial radio station (KDKA Pittsburg, PA)- within three years over 600 stations Brought events into millions of homes- sporting events, news Phonograph- people could listen to music whenever they wanted Regional musical styles made national (jazz, blues, country)

Golden Age of Sports Heroes Sports created nationally famous athletes Increased newspaper readers, radio audience boosted popularity Sportswriters captured excitement of events Sports feats showed people capable of great feats, idealized self Many people rooted for sports stars that shred their ethnicity, national origin

Women Assume New Roles New Woman” of 1920’s more liberated, Victorian morality rejected Dresses shorter, wore makeup, danced, drank Flapper symbolized new , modern woman Wanted same political, social, economic rights as men National Women’s party began a campaign for an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution Lived longer, had fewer children, freed time to pursue other interests Many entered professional workforce, although they went into low paying jobs (“women’s work”) Elected as governors (TX, WY)

Modernism in Art and Literature Literature, arts were changed by WWI War killed millions, left many homeless Seen as action of irrational people Artists and writers began to question ideas of progress, left people pessimistic Writers and artists expressed lack of faith in a traditional worldview

Modernism in Art and Literature Painters moved away from traditional representation Experimented with abstract styles, represented inner mood Saw artistic honesty in abstract paintings Architecture- Art Deco new style

Postwar Literature Called “Lost Generation” Most were American expatriates living in Paris and London Searched for new truths, new ways to express truths Wrestled with meaning of war and life F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway, T. S. Elliot, Sinclair Lewis, Gertrude Stein Greatest generation for American writers

Post-War Writers Earnest Hemmingway- novels feature search for real life Hard living, athletic, masculine lifestyle About doomed life after the war Wrote in a concrete, stripped down style F. Scott Fitzgerald- first novel This Side of Paradise, age 24 Wrote about excess of Jazz Age, bible for youth of the 20’s Great Gatsby about American dream and tragedy William Faulkner- stories set in Mississippi, reflected southern world Literature- dying way of life vs. modern way of life Leader of Southern Renaissance of writers

Harlem Renaissance African American migration continued through the 1920’s Many found a better life, jobs, political voice Did not escape oppression, had worst jobs, housing Harlem Renaissance was the development of a new “black consciouness” Center of it was Harlem, NY, blend of cultures, ideas Period of cultural expression in music and literature

Marcus Garvey and Racial Pride Jamaican immigrant Promoted idea of black nationalism, “Back to Africa” Movement Called for black separatismbusinesses, communities Founded Universal Negro Improvement Assn. promoted black pride Put in prison 1925 for mail fraud, deported Inspired Nation of Islam, Black Panther Movement later in century

African American Literature Explored pains and joys of being African American Jean Toomer- Cane looked at rural life in the south and sophisticated urban life in Washington, D. C. Claude Mc. Kay- militant writer, wrote about struggle for dignity Langston Hughes- literary voice of HR, captured diversity of AA life Zora Neale Hurston- collected folktales of rural Florida, called for women’s independence

Jazz Emerged in South (New Orleans) where different traditions and cultures came together Based on improvisation, blues and European traditions Spread north with Great Migration Radio, phonograph spread influence Bridged races, inspired white songwriters and musicians