What positive and negative impact did the 1920's have on the US?
1. Red Scare-scared that we would become a communist country. Lots of strikes. Us was afraid of a communist revolution. Government had to take measures to prevent communists from taking over government. Red Scare hysteria drove Sacco and Vanzetti case.
Anti-immigration-US wanted to keep immigrates out of the country. Passed the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, an act limiting immigration to three percent of the number of immigrants of any particular country that had been living in the US in 1910. Three years after this act was passed Congress passed another act, the Immigration Act of 1924. This law restricted new arrivals to just two percent of foreign-born residents according to the Census of 1890. This law almost eliminated all immigration from southern and eastern Europe and also immigration from Asia.
2. Planes-use to transport mail and cargo. made it easier to receive mail so you didn't have to wait very long. Stated carrying people short distances, 6 at a time, helped with travel time. Used for entertainment.
automobiles-Henry Ford invented assembly line, made building faster and easier. The Ford Model T. Affordable for most people. Changed the way people moved from place to place. Buying on credit, HUGE impact on our society.
inventions- Cities were electrified-electricity was made accessible. 3D movies-Power of Love. Hairdryer-handheld. Bandaid-created for man's wife, started manufacturing them, later sold company. Kool aid. Lie Detector-1921, designed it to read blood pressure, pulse, and breathing pace. 4 way traffic light-invented by police officer, electric street lights. water skiing.
3. Gangs due to prohibition-Al Capone-Born in New York, parents were Italian immigrants. Was expelled after hitting teacher and never returned to school. Took over gang. Went to Chicago. Murdered several people, but little evidence so he was never convicted. Sold alcohol and had gambling and prostitution. Was eventually arrested for tax evasion. St. Valentines Day Massacre.
4. Harding presidency- Took the US back to normalcy, isolationism not joining the league of nations. Had lots of corrupt cabinet members. Tea-pot dome scandal occurred during his presidency. Veteran's Bureau-helped them get connected back to everyday life. supported anti-immigration. Lowered taxes, helped lower depression after World War I.
5. Coolidge Presidency-
6. Hoover Presidency- Helped in Prosecution of Al Capone, expanded civil right, made star spangled banner the national anthem. Lots of dams are built. Reconstruction Finance Corp.-created jobs for people, didn't give direct hand-outs.
7. Women in the 20's- More free to work outside the home after WWI. Flappers. got more politically active, received the right to vote.
8. African-Americans in the 20's- Great Migration. Black is Beautiful, don't be ashamed of who you are. Harlem Renaissance-Harlem, NY. Cultural center emphasized art, literature, and music (jazz) for African Americans.
9. The stock market crash-What happened and why did it happen? Overproduction of goods, under-consumption. The Great Depression. No one was paying back loans. Lots of suicides during Depression, lost all money wanted to commit suicide.
Entertainment-music (jazz, Broadway, & rag time), dancing (Charleston, took classes, fox trot), radio shows (had to have headphones in beginnings, later 1920's had radios everyone could listen to. Major Radio show was NBC
Fashion-Women: no corsets, more accessories, shorter dresses, short hair. Men: 3 piece suits, neck/bow ties, fair-isle sweaters, hats.
Buying on credit. Helpful with expensive items, could pay off over time. Banks lost money. Businesses had to close.
Types of stores- drug stores (drugs/medicine, fruits/vegetables, school supplies), Macy's started spreading around the country in the 20's, had the first escalators. Piggly Wiggly-first grocery store (modern shopping)
Advertising-paper and print adds, later 1920's radio advertising, paintings on buildings.
Sports-boxing(Dempsey, new and improve gloves), basketball(not huge sport in the 1920's)(short shorts, converse shoes, Nat Holman:part of Original Celtics), Baseball(Babe Ruth, first major league), Football(leather hats) Big 5 of sports, top people of all sports, Babe Ruth, Jim Thorp, Bill Tilling, Jack Dempsey)
Fads-Jazz music(Big in 20's, Louis Armstrong), eating goldfish(everyone thought it was cool), Pez(first cool little candy, still around today), Pogo-sticking(contests to see who could Pogo the longest or do coolest tricks), yo-yo's(different competitions), competitions/marathons (kissing marathon, dancing marathon, flag pole sitting), Advertisement(people were really into them), vacuum cleaners(new and popular), dictionary(first every book with all words in world, book that could teach them everything), First Miss America Beauty Pageant, First ever Time magazine(no radio, magazine was cheaper), cameras(first hand-held, meant for home), physiology and Sociology. Flapper, short skirts, short hair, accessories.
Games-street games(jump rope, hopscotch, basketball, cricket, baseball/tee-ball), board games(Sorry and Monopoly), dolls, card games. Boys Games-planes, trucks, tractors, power boats, trains, steam engines, Lincoln Logs.
Slang-
Prohibition-14 year period where liquor was illegal.
Speakeasies-for lower class people, raided by cops, illegal/secret bar, sell liquor illegally.
Temperance Movement-organized more societies, blames alcohol for a lot of societies problems, pushed for the prohibition.
18th Amendment-the amendment banned transportation, and sale of alcohol, later repealed by the 21 amendment.
Film Companies-Metro Goldwyn Meyer, Warner Brothers, William Fox(20th century fox), Paramount
Top Movies-Phantom of the Opera, Wizard of Oz, Scarlet Letter, The Jazz Letter
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