The Roaring Twenties
By: Myles Jones and Julian Coaxum
Nativism
Nativism is ultimately the process of protecting the interests of native inhabitants against those who are immigrants. In the 1920's, it was highly restricted for Southern and Eastern Europeans over to the United States. Immigrants were not only viewed as undesirable to native-born American, but were also seen as stealing American jobs and threatening their "peaceful way of living." There were 3 laws passed due to nativism. The Emergency Quota Act of 1921limited the amount of immigrants coming into the United States; The Immigration Act 1924 limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to only 2% of the people living in the United States; and The National Origins Act of 1924 which penalized Japanese as well as other Asians, and also greatly restricted the flow of Southern and Eastern Europeans more than the other immigration restriction legislature had. Also, the spread of nativism led to the uprising of the Ku Klux Klan also known as the KKK. The KKK had already been established years prior to the 1920's, but expanded due to nativism. The KKK originally targeted African Americans, but due to the the increasing popularity of nativism, the KKK made it clear that it's divisions was towards all things "un-American."
Politics
One of main political figures during the decade was Warren G. Harding. He was the 29th president of the United States, serving in office from 1921-1923. He was born and raised in Blooming Grove, Ohio, and served in office as a Republican. One of the most significant things about Hardings presidency is that he promised a return to normality after World War I. He also used efforts to make no enemies during his presidency. He later died from a heart attack more that half-way into to his presidency.
During Hardings presidency, there were many scandals involved. One of the many infamous scandals was the Teapot Dome Scandal. The Teapot Dome Scandal was the scandal surrounding the secret leasing of federal oil-reserves by the secretary of the interior, Albert Bacon Fall. After Harding transferred supervision of the naval oil-reserves from the navy to the Department of the Interior, Fall secretly granted to Harry F. Sinclair of the Mammoth Oil Company exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome located in Wyoming. This scandal showed that corruption as well as illegal business practices were still present in the United States.
Another very significant political event of the decade was the Kellogg-Briand Pact. The Kellogg-Briand Pact was a 1928 agreement in which signatory states promised not to use war to resolve "disputes of conflict of whatever nature or whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them." It was one of the many international efforts to prevent another World War.
Court Cases
Another effort made by The U.S. in order to stop the influence and spread of communism where the Palmer Raids. The Palmer Raids were a series of raids by the Department of Justice intended to capture, and deport radical leftists, especially anarchists, from the United States. The raids and arrests occurred in November 1919- January 1920 under the leadership of General A. Mitchell Palmer.
One of the most controversial court cases of the decade was the case of Sacco and Vanzetti. Nicola Sacco and Bartomoleo Vanzetti were two Italian-born anarchist who were convicted of murdering a guard and a paymaster during an armed robbery the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in 1920. Both Sacco and Vanzetti were apart of the anarchist movement that advocated the relentless warfare against a violent and oppressive government. The court case was nationally publicized and grew popularity throughout the 1920's. Both Sacco and Vanzetti were executed by the electric chair almost 7 years after the crime had been committed.
Another very controversial court case would be the case of Schenck vs. the United States. This case involved a prominent socialist, Charles Schenck, whop attempted to distribute thousands of flyers to American servicemen recently drafted to fight in World War I. Schenck's flyers asserted that the draft into the war amounted to "involuntary servitude" which was against the thirteenth amendment (outlawing slavery). He also asserted that the war itself was composed of capitalist greed, and urged draftees to petition for repeal of the draft. Schenck was charged for violating the recently enacted Espionage Act. The government alleged that Schenck violated the act by conspiring "to cause insubordination in the military and naval forces of the United States." Schenck responded that the Espionage Act violated the First Amendment of the Constitution, which forbids Congress from making any law abridging the freedom of speech. Schenck was found guilty on all charges and was sent to jail, but released after six months.
Scopes Monkey Trial
Henry Ford
Marcus Garvey
The Jazz Age
Letter to the Editor
Table of Contents
- Nativism
- Politics
- Court Cases
- Scopes Monkey Trial
- Henry Ford
- Marcus Garvey
- Jazz Age
- Letter to the Editor
- Table of Contents