The

1
The Roaring Twenties
Rirghhh Heerrre
A a result of the rise of mass production and
mass consumption in the early Twentieth Century,
the United States became the richest society the
world had ever seen!
2
Government Economic Policy
Republicans held the Presidency from 1921 to 1933
and during that time, they enacted pro-business
policies.
Andrew Mellon member of the Republican Party,
served as Secretary of the Treasury under
presidents, Harding, Coolidge and Hoover. During
his period in office (1921-32), Mellon followed
policies that involved cutting income tax rates
and reducing public spending.
These policies favored rapid expansion of capital
investment, leading to as increase in the buying
of stocks by more people and business growth but
in the process, reduced the amount of taxes that
rich people had to pay, thus thrusting the burden
onto the middle class.
Why would a reduction in income taxes encourage
capital investment?
Are there any possible dangers to the rapid
growth in stock purchasing and business growth?
3
Mass Production the manufacturing of large
quantities of a standardized product the phrase
first came into common use to describe the
production methods of Henry Ford.
If only I had listened to my Humanities teachers
and done better in school. Now Im stuck in this
repetitive, boring, dangerous and thankless job
for the rest of my life.
What product did Ford mass produce? What
production method did he use?
Why are mass production methods such as the
Assembly Line so efficient?
Benefits of mass production
1. Lowered wages led to reduced cost for
consumers
2. Increased job opportunities to those that did
not possess highly specialized skills (farmers,
immigrants, women, minorities)
3. Interchangeable parts allowed consumers to
have broken products fixed at a lower cost.
Are there any downsides to mass production?
4
The Automobile
The increasing popularity of the automobile
provided Americans with more freedoms, luxuries
and privacy.
Slow Down!... Youre too close to the car in
front of you!...The light is red!...Watch out for
those kids!
How did the automobile provide new
freedoms?...luxuries?...privacy?
When Mr. Jones became the first one in the
neighborhood with his very own car, he didnt
realize that hed also be the first one in the
neighborhood with his very own back-seat driver!!
By 1929, 26 million motor vehicles were
registered in the U.S. (1 car per 4.9 Americans)
Automobile Industry provided over 6 million new
jobs!
What types of new jobs developed as a result of
the automobile?
I wish my model didnt come standard with an
airbag!
5
The Airplane
Between 1903 and 1918, airplanes were slow to
get off the ground as an invention for practical
use. However, after WWI, they really took off.
In 1920, the first transcontinental air route was
established between New York and San Francisco.
By 1927, airplane technology had improved enough
to allow Charles Lindbergh to fly solo across the
Atlantic Ocean.
What types of industries would you expect to
benefit from reliable airplanes?
Besides pilot, what types of new jobs would the
airplane industry produce?
6
The Radio
The first voice-carrying radio station (KDKA)
began broadcasting in Pittsburgh, PA.
Just as the automobile lured Americans away from
their homes, the radio pulled them back.
How does this 1924 ad try to convince you to buy
a radio?
Families gathered around the radio to listen much
like families gather around televisions today.
During the show Amos n Andy, cities were said
to come to a standstill and crime was almost
non-existent.
What industries might benefit from radio?
7
Advertisement
As the number of new products increased, the
industry of advertising found new methods to sell
merchandise.
Advertisers used persuasion, ploy, seduction and
sex appeal to lure buyers.
How do advertisements like these signal a shift
in the culture of the United States?
Have advertisers pushed the boundaries further
today?
8
Advertisement
In 1925, Bruce Bartons bestseller The Man Nobody
Knows, claimed that Jesus Christ was the perfect
salesman and that advertisers should study his
techniques.
Why would this be offensive to many people?
Can you think of any challenges to traditional
religious ideals during the decade?
Heres a hint, but well be covering this soon
anyway.
9
Sports
With the advent of radio and an increase in
leisure time, sports such as baseball, boxing and
football gained in popularity.
Go ahead, I dare ya! Make fun of my tights.
How could radios help sports gain in popularity?
Aug. 5, 1921 First Radio Broadcast of a Baseball
Game-Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Philadelphia Phillies
on KDKA
I hit 714 career homeruns WITHOUT steroids!
What about you Barry?
Sept. 6, 1920 First Radio Broadcast of a
Prizefight -Jack Dempsey vs. Billy Miske
Nov. 25, 1920 First Radio Broadcast of a
Collegiate Football Game - Texas University vs.
Mechanical College of Texas - WTAW
Aug. 6, 1921 First Radio Broadcast of a Tennis
Match - Australia vs. Great Britian, Davis Cup -
Harold Arlin on KDKA
How did media such as radio help athletes attain
much higher salaries?
Baseball took advantage of the popularity of
Herman Babe Ruth and went through a Golden Age.
Jack Dempsey became a household name, partly due
to the coverage his fights received on the radio.
A Tyson-Holyfield fight in 1997 paid 75 million
between the two fighters.
In 1921, Dempsey fought for a 500,000 pursue,
considered a staggering amount for a fight at
that time.
In 1927, when Ruth was in his prime, he was paid
70,000/year!
Alex Rodriguez is being paid 26.2 million a year
today.
10
Social Norms
With the passage of the 18th Amendment, alcohol
became illegal in the U.S.
Mr. McHale, after reading the class writing
assignments.
Although many people violated this law, it did
have some positive impacts on society.
Personal savings accounts increased.
Worker absenteeism decreased.
Why would savings accounts increase as a result
of prohibition?
Why would absenteeism decrease as a result of
prohibition?
What improvements might we see in todays society
if alcohol was illegal?
11
Im sensing that many of you find me boring.
Education
John Dewey professor at Columbia University
believed that education should be based on
learning by doing and the education for life
should be primary goal of schools.
How do schools of today teach education for
life?
Few people were aware of Deweys psychic
abilities.
Evolutionists versus Creationists
Darwins Theory of Evolution made many
creationists upset, as it challenged their
religious beliefs.
Creationists werent the only ones offended by
the idea that man came from monkeys!!
What was Darwins Theory of Evolution?
A Tennessee school challenged a law forbidding
the teaching of evolution and a court case
ensued. The case became a media event as William
Jennings Bryant assisted the prosecution and
Clarence Darrow, a famous attorney, represented
the defense.
12
Foreign Policy
Middle East Secretary of State Charles Evans
Hughes secured rights for American oil companies
to share in the exploitation of the region.
July, 1921 the U.S. passed a joint resolution in
Congress officially ending the war against
Germany.
Why was with this action by Congress necessary?
Four Power Treaty (1921) Japan, Britain, France
and the U.S. agreed to maintain status quo in
Pacific.
Five Power Naval Treaty (1922) limited the
numbers and tonnage of battleships and aircraft
carriers that could be built by the five
superpowers (U.S. Britain Japan France Italy)
Why would the U.S. consider this action vital to
national security?
13
Foreign Policy
Nine Power Treaty (1922) preserved the
sovereignty of China
Kellogg-Briand Pact (Pact of Paris) Secretary
of State Frank Kellogg won the Nobel Peace Prize
for his role in establishing this treaty that
said all nations signing would no longer use war
for offensive purposes.
Why would this treaty be important to the United
States?
(3) To use their influence for the purpose of
effectually establishing and maintaining the
principle of equal opportunity for the commerce
and industry of all nations throughout the
territory of China
How effective do you think this treaty will be?
Why would this treaty, with little chance of
succeeding, be signed?
14
The Bad Side of the Roaring Twenties
Despite the countrys economic growth and
cultural explosion, many Americans found the
decade to be a struggle. From fears of communist
plots to continued struggles between workers and
employers, the problems of the decade were many.
One, Two, ThreeTen. Ready or not, here I come!
Thanks to my camouflage, hell never find me
behind this tree!
15
I was wrong!!!
16
If you cant afford to lose it, dont gamble it!
The rapid expansion of capital investment, and
the increase in the buying of stocks by more
people that spurred business growth eventually
backfired on the economy.
The economic system was built on fragile credit
through over-speculation and buying on margin.
Buying on margin allows an investor to purchase
stock using the money of the brokers instead of
his/her own money. When the stock goes up, they
sell it off, paying back the broker and keeping
the profits.
Are there any dangers to this type of investing?
How did Andrew Mellons policies encourage this
type of investing?
17
Mass Production Deskilling
Deskilling term used by labor supporters to
describe mass production techniques knowledge of
how to run a factory and the production process
is taken out of the hands of skilled craftsmen
and put into the hands of the managers and
machine makers
Jobs become more repetitive and boring while
alienating workers.
Why would workers become more alienated?
Wages dropped.
Why would wages drop?
18
The Automobile
Although the positive implications of the
automobile are many, there were also some
negative.
By 1951, 1,000,000 had died as a result of the
automobile. More than the total number of
Americans killed in all previous wars combined.
Early safety measures were ineffective or
non-existent, leading to many serious injuries or
death as a result of accidents.
What are some other potential negative
consequences of the automobile?
19
A push towards Isolationism
Several factors led many in the U.S. to favor
policies that decreased the role of the country
in world affairs.
Wartime Casualties The high number of casualties
and the total devastation of the war made many
question whether or not the U.S. should be
willing to get involved in European affairs.
All in all, its just another brick in the wall.
Economic Recession A short, but severe recession
hit the country as the economy adjusted to
returning vets, a shifting from wartime goods to
peacetime goods, and a higher standard of living.
Communism The red scare of 1919-1920 swept
across America as a small communist party formed
and strikes became common across America. (More
on this to follow)
How would isolationism help address these issues?
What are some of the possible negative
consequences of isolationism?
20
The Red Scare

• Fighting Quaker Attorney Gen. Palmer led
  crusade against leftists with suspect allegiance,
  6000 suspects held.
• Dec. 1919 249 alien radicals deported to Russia
  on the ship Buford.
• Sept. 1920 Hysteria heightened by bomb on Wall
  Street.

21
The Red Scare
Several states passed criminal syndicalism laws
mere advocacy of violence for social change was
criminalized.
1920 5 NY legislators denied seats because they
were Socialists.
Conservative business owners used scare against
labor open shop was American plan.
What is an open shop?
1921 Many regarded the conviction of Sacco
Vanzetti as a judicial lynching because they
were Italians, atheists, anarchists, and draft
dodgers.
22
During the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan, which had
been all but wiped out during Reconstruction,
underwent a large-scale revivial.

• KKK revival was more nativist than just
  antiblack.
• What does that mean?
• At peak in mid-20s it had 5 Million members with
  large political influence, especially in the
  Midwest and South.
• KKK used secrecy, parades, lynchings, burning of
  crosses, rally songs, and other events to advance
  their agenda.

23
KKK collapsed suddenly in late 20s

• Terror tactics eventually turned off most
  Americans.
• Embezzlement became widespread throughout the
  organization.
• A Congressional investigation showed that the
  organization was basically a membership fee
  racket. (Similar to a Pyramid Scheme)

Most historians credit the fraud within the
organization for the downfall, not the reaction
to the violence.
Why would it take corruption to decrease
membership?
24
Immigration
After the war, new immigration pattern resumed,
but based more on isolationist ideas.
Emergency Quota Act of 1921 restricted
immigration to 3 of nationality living in U.S.
as of 1910 relatively favorable to new
immigrant groups such as Mexicans and Germans.
Whoa Elmer! What did you eat?
How does this Act reflect isolationist views?
Would the KKK support this Act? Why or why not?
Is this Act morally acceptable to you? Why or
why not?
25
Immigration
In 1921, the Act was replaced by Immigration Act
of 1924 cut quota to 2, and based it on 1890
population.
Why would this change be made?
Keep the number of immigrants low but maintain a
U.S. culture dominated by Western/Northern
Europeans.
The Act also barred any Japanese immigration, but
exempted Canadians Latin Americans for work
purposes.
Why bar Japanese from entering the country?
By 1931, more foreigners left U.S. than arrived.
What other factors besides the Immigration Acts
may account for this reversal in
immigration/emigration.
26
Immigration
The immigrant tide was now cut off, but those
that were in America struggled to adapt.
Immigrants continued to make up a large portion
of the work force.
What impact would you expect this to have on
labor unions?
Differences in race, culture, and nationality
made it difficult for unions to organize, hurting
membership.
27
Prohibition
18th Amendment the manufacture, sale and
transportation of alcohol was prohibited in the
U.S.
Prohibitionists overlooked the strong U.S.
traditions for alcohol and exposed the fact that
laws must be based on moral consensus.
Problems with enforcement
1. After sacrifices made during WWI, many
Americans were unwilling to make more sacrifices
such as giving up alcohol.
2. There were widespread reports that Congressmen
were still consuming alcohol.
3. Soldiers returning from war disapproved.
28
Prohibition
4. Lower class citizens became angry that they
lost their ability to drink beer while the upper
classes could afford to buy illicit alcohol.
5. The challenge to break the law became popular
itself.
6. Law enforcement was understaffed, susceptible
to bribery, and often used violent tactics.
29
Prohibition
Other Impacts
Hard Liquor gained in popularity because it was
easier to smuggle.
Diplomatic relations were strained with Canada as
U.S. border agents were often overzealous.
Profits from illegal alcohol led to rise of
criminal gangs who competed for alcohol market
used violence and bribery of police.
By 1930, Organized Crime was making 12 to 18
billion/year, several times more a year than the
federal government!
Gang wars of Chicago in 1920s saw over 500
murders with very few arrests or convictions.