1920's Flashcards
(40 cards)
Red Scare
The Red Scare was the national fear of Communism in the U.S. (esp after WW1 and what was going in the USSR.)
Palmer Raids
The Palmer Raids were when Attorney General Palmer would conduct illegal raids in suspected immigrants and/or radicals houses to arrest and deport them.
Sedition Act
The Sedition Act of 1918 made it a crime to say anything even remotely negative about the U.S. or U.S. government.
Sacco and Vanzetti
The Sacco and Vanzetti trial was a famous trial about the robbery of a bank and murder of two men-Sacco and Vanzetti were targeted for being Italian.
KKK
The Ku Klux Klan is a white supremacist, hate group that specifically targeted African Americans and Immigrants in the 1920’s.
urban sprawl
the growth and expansion of cities and suburbs.
The Birth of a Nation
motto used to encourage Prohibition because it “remade society in god’s image” but it was also used by the KKK as a recruitment tool, arguing their “club” did the same thing.
Robert and Helen Lynd
The authors of Middletown, a study on American society (contemporary society)
installment plans
developed in the 20’s to encourage ppl to buy expensive items (cars, fridges, etc.) make a small down payment on an item and pay the rest in monthly installments.
Prohibition
an attempt to “remake society in god’s image” banned the manufacture, transport, and sale of alcohol.
18th amendment
ratified in 1919, took effect in 1920. Established the prohibition of alcoholic drinks
Volstead Act
The Volstead Act clarified the new rules of/surrounding prohibition.
speakeasies
illegalization of alcohol led to bars disguising themselves as something different on the outside.
bootleggers
someone who would illegally make, and sometimes sell, their own alcohol during the prohibition.
Al Capone
famous crime master and bootlegger of the 1920’s-got caught with tax evasion
Women’s Christian Temperance Union
The WCTU fought for prohibition, progressive reform, women’s suffrage, social gospel, prison reform.
Anti Saloon League
focused on the legal prohibition of alcohol. Printed anti-drinking brochures, lobbied businessmen and lawmakers w pro-prohibition ideals, and appealed to church members for support.
Scopes Trial
staged trial in 1925, John Scopes taught evolution in a science class, question of religion vs science in school curriculum gets brought to court.
Clarence Darrow
John Scopes’ defense lawyer, one of the most famous and successful criminal lawyers of the time. (known as the force of the modernists)
William Jennings Bryan
Prosecuter against John in the Scopes trial. Fundamentalist and believer in the bible, ran for president under the democratic party several times but never succeeded.
fundamentalism
a form of religion that believed in the strict and literal interpretation of scripture.
presidents Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
Harding(21-23) conservative president w bad moral character, didn’t do much and served a short term because he got assasinated, and replaced with Coolidge. Coolidge (23-29) known as silent Cal bc he ran a quiet government and stayed out of things. Conservatism, pro women’s suffrage, vaguely against prohibition, was a very respected pres. Hoover(29-33) conservative, held office during Great Depression.
U.S. involvement in Central and South America
There was aggressive American investment in these underdeveloped countries, US companies deemed them “unable” and took over their economy and resources. US dominance stifled democratic growth, and encouraged US military regimes in long term.
Dawes Plan
The attempt to reduce debt after WW1. America extended loans to Germany->who payed reparations to France and England->who used money to repay part of their loan to US. (lending more money to Europe to pay the US)
