The Scopes Trial:
- John Scopes was put on trial in Tennessee for teaching evolution
- At the time, only creationism could be taught in schools
- The law banning evolution was overturned in years following the trial
Prohibition:
- Pushed by old Americans, Women’s groups, and Henry Ford
- Sought to end domestic violence and child abuse
- In the long run, more drinking was done during than prior.
- 18th amendment
- Enforced by IRS
- Did not ban possession, consumption, or transportation
Flappers:
- The “new women” of the 1920s
- Had new found sense of freedom
- Wore shorter hair, and less modest clothing
Economic Issues:
- Credit led to debt
- Low interest rates led to debt
- Stock market speculation and buying on margin led to debt
- People now had many more choices of what to buy with discretionary income
Dust Bowl:
- Caused by the over farming of land, drought, and mechanization (the use of machines)
- Huge clouds of dust would sweep hundreds of miles across country
- Cities in the Midwest, and west were buried under the dust
Agricultural issues:
- Though many people were moving off of farms and into cities, agriculture increases
- Due in great part to many technological advances
- However, overproduction occurred which led to huge decline in prices, and thus farmers making very little money
- Seen as time of agricultural depression
Immigration Policies:
- Quotas
- Ethnic groups limited to 2% of population (from 1890 census)
- Asians and few other countries were ban from entering completely
Nativism:
- Part of the immigration restrictions
- Saw that many ethnic groups (such as Asians) were ban entirely
Significant Literary Works:
- The Great Gatsby; F.Scott Fitzgerald
- How the Other Half Lives; Jacob Riis
- Jungle; Upton Sinclair
- Ulysses; James Joyce
- The Way of White Folk; Langston Hughes
- Etc.
The Great Migration:
- Saw major migration of African Americans from south to north
- Brought new found racial tensions to the north (cities)
- Brought with it the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance:
- Huge African American cultural movement
- African Americans finally coming out, and showing pride
- Major African American movement of literature, music, and the arts
- Langston Hughes
Sacco & Vanzetti:
- Italian anarchists
- Criminals
- Charged with murder (supposedly committed during armed robbery)
- Found guilty, though evidence was very inconclusive
- To this day their innocence or guilt is still unknown
- Many believe this to have been a prime example of racism
Labor Issues:
- Increase unemployment rate
- Suppression of unions
- Lack of unity among labor groups
- Welfare capitalism
The Red Scare:
- Lenin comes to power in the newly formed USSR
- Red = bad
- Fear of anything foreign
- Palmer Raids
- Espionage and Sedition acts
- Schneck vs. USA
Schneck vs. USA
- Court case the upheld the Espionage act
- Wrote and mailed pamphlets speaking out against involuntary servitude
- He was arrested on charges of violating the Espionage act; claimed the it violated his first amendment rights
- The supreme court ruled against him; thus making the Espionage act constitutional.
