Chapter 24: The 1920's

Chapter 24: The 1920's

1. What were the achievements and limitations of 'people's of capitalism'?

After the World war had settled the people began to think differently. Under the administration of President Harding things sought a modern route and there came the beginning of the modernist era. People relied on science more than the justifications of the bible or religion and due to Americas heightening economy the people could finally enjoy amenities and pleasures of the wealthy. It appeared the gap between the wealthy and poor was slowly started to cease existence. Rather, the quantity of impoverished populous dropped exponentially in numbers and the people could afford a house, car, nice clothes and stock. Or rather live the American dream. However most of these individuals had to sacrifice one amenity or luxury for the other, for example one family could not afford nice clothes but enjoyed having a luxurious car. This issue was resolved later when financing plans came into play allowing consumers to put a down payment and promise to pay the difference in installments.

2. Why is the 1920s sometimes described as the 'age of celebrity', and what caused this culture to arise?

People’s capitalism and the dawn of a new America had sent people into the pursuit of happiness. They sought pleasure, the view on sexuality had changed from strictly birth to pleasure, and citizens could afford luxurious amenities. However as technology advanced so did the market and media. I see this era as the marketing boom because the media utilized celebrities in ways that would have been deemed in precedent to the era to maximize profits. Simple professional athletes achievement would be announce to an audience of millions through the radio, newspapers, word of mouth, and promoters. Marketing and celebrities were the new bubble.

3. What were the key similarities and differences in the policies of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover?

All were conservationists who did not believe in the centralization of government or interference in people’s lives and the economy. Harding desired to bring society back to "normalcy" and immediately decrease the power of the central government. Coolidge sought after big businesses and desire to lessen governmental control over the economy. He implemented the Revenue act that slashed the high income and estate taxes established by progressives and were know for his laissez fair attitude. Hoover believed in associating and cooperating industries. His policy was associationalism and sough to convince corporation to negotiate, cooperate, and be of public service.

4. Who were the traditionalists of the 1920s, and what did they believe?

The traditionalists consisted of white Protestants, racially inferior foreigners were overrunning most of which resided in rural areas and small towns that believed the country. Although the 1920s benefited prosperity for many the traditionalists encountered overproduction that was impoverishing a substantial number of farmers.

5. How were the experiences of ethnic and racial communities in 1920s America similar to each other and how were they different?

Despite benefitting from the prosperity of the 1920s much of the immigrants still faced severed discrimination and prejudice. European Americans populated the Northeast and Midwest, and were mostly skilled and unskilled laborers but still faced harsh treatment. Italian was outraged by the case of Sacco and Vanzetti and Jews were frustrated with the prohibition from schools like Harvard. African Americans generally populated the South and benefitted from a great cultural bloom with jazz. However, they were still racially discriminated and even prohibited from a jazz bar and nightclub in Harlem. Mexican Americans were mostly farms and also populated the south; the immigration restriction act and newly found border patrol greatly restricted the flow of migrants. They were severely underpaid and seen as racially inferior.

Terms:

'Peoples Capitalism':

After the World war, America industries and economy was greatly strengthened and therefore close the gap between the impoverished and wealthy. America became the land of opportunity where a poor man could come to riches. The middle class had become majority and could finally afford similar luxuries and amenities the rich embellished themselves with.

Flappers:

During this era many women had lucidly began to change their ideals. They began to think unconventionally and asserted their individuality. They were very fashionable and sought out to break the informal rules governing the lives of young women. They created a new saucy, outspoken female personality with a new appreciation for the pleasures in life.

Spirit of St. Louis:

During the age of celebrity a young pilot, Charles Lindbergh piloted his monoplane 34 hours without sleep to be the first individual to cross the Atlantic. When he landed in Paris, 4 million Parisian and fans waited for him. He essentially exemplified that a simple man could make a difference in an increasingly industrialized and bureaucratized world.

Sultan of Swat:

George "babe" Ruth achieved greater fame in the age of the celebrity than ever imagined possible. Not only that, but he slugged more home runs than though humanly possible. He was know from overcoming the hardships of a poor and orphaned youth and yet became the most well recognized Slugging star.

NWP:

The National Women's party's president, Alice Paul prevailed to pass the Equal Rights amendment through congress granting men and women equal rights throughout the US and every place subject to it's jurisdiction.

LWV:

Previously known as the National Women's Suffrage Association, the League of Women Voters encouraged women to run for the elective office, educated voters on the issues at stake, and aided the impoverished, mentally ill, and female and child laborers. The LWV fought against the NWP in equality, the LWV saw women as different and requiring governmental protection in the workplace.

Teapot Dome Scandal:

Under Harding’s presidency, the K street house became infamous as a place of business profiting the Ohio gang for selling government appointments, judicial pardons, and police protection to bootleggers. Secretary of interior Albert Fall convinced president Harding to transfer control of large government oil reserves at Teapot Dome. Fall then leased them secretly to two oil tycoons, Harry Sinclair and Edward Doheny, for $400,000.

Associationism:

President Hoover sought to convince participants to cooperate rather than compete, to negotiate rather than engage in conflict, and be of public service rather than being selfish. Hoover didn't want industries to be controlled by the government, but rather to convince private corporations to abandon their selfish ways and alternate for cooperation and public service. Hoover saw the economy built on the principle of association or as historian Ellis Hawley called it "Associationalism".

Washington Conference:

President Hoover, although not an attending negotiator, helped to design the Washington conference on the Limitation of Armaments. His role played a great influence on the outcome of the conference, he also helped Secretary of State Charles Hughes utilize the economic information he had given him to effectively present lucid proposals of disarmament. Fortunately they won stunning accord, the Five-Power treaty: Britain, Italy, Japan, France, and the US agreed to scrap over 2 millions tons of warships.

Dawes Plan:

During one of the conferences, Chicago banks and Chief negotiator, Charles Dawes, produced the Dawes plan. This reduced Germany's reparations from $542 million to $250 million annually and called on US and foreign banks to stimulate the German economy with $200 million in loans. J.P. Morgan raised $1 billion from American investors and the German economy appeared to stabilize.

McNary-Haugen Bill:

To protect agricultural interests from failure, congress proposed the McNary-Haugen bill, which called on the government to erect high tariffs on foreign produce and to purchase surplus U.S. crops on the world market for whatever prices they fetched.

Johnson-Reed Act:

After the World war the conditions of European nations, specifically Germans, were in a horrid economic, political, and societal condition. As a result, much of them left their lives to pursue a new life in the land of opportunity. However, the vast influx of immigrants imbalanced and crowded America's diversity. In order to preserve its diversity the government regulated the inflow of immigrants by allowing only 2% of the already settled European/Asian race to migrate. As a result annual immigration from transoceanic nations dropped by 80%.

Scopes Act:

The Scopes trial sought widespread attention on the issue of education. The ACLU to challenge the Tennessee constitutional law of teaching evolution in class utilized a 24-year-old biology teacher in Tennessee, John Scopes. He was immediately arrested and taken into trial, William Bryan; the secretary of state quickly sought his prosecution. However the trial dragged on as John incriminated himself and asked for Bryan's case on the bible and truth just to ridicule him. Bryan was ridiculed and convinced that not the entire bible was the "truth" and written by god.

Harlem Renaissance:

After the war racial discrimination and equality only got worse. As a result the blacks realized that they were the last advancing race and that they were being racially held back. They took stand and a movement led by Marcus Garvey swept the blacks, they became assertive and celebrate their rich culture. However even the cultural advances did not cease the racial prejudice, blacks were seen as inferior and even prohibited from the Harlem nightclubs.