USA 20’s Flashcards
(16 cards)
what were the economic benefits of world war 1
- europe needed to import goods from the usa because they were busy fighting ( industry increased )
- usa gave allies in europe loans which were paid back with interest
- american brands became increasingly popular in europe
- prices of agricultural goods including wheat and cotton rose 25%
- more demand for manufactured goods meant a decrease in unemployment
reasons for the economic boom in 20s
- henry ford created the assembly line which meant mass production could begin and prices dropped. also helped industries including steel, rubber, glass and petroleum
- hire purchase meant that people could pay for goods in instalments and encouraged people to keep buying
- advertising became a big business with the introduction of billboards, catalogues and radio. it created a consumer society and encouraged buying. it also employed 600,000 people as an industry
- consumerism meant that shopping became a leisure activity
- americans started buying shares in companies and borrowed money from banks
what was the social impact of the economic boom
- the leisure industry expended as americans now had more money and free time than ever before
- cinema became very popular with the introduction of coloured films and sound in films
- jazz and dancing increased in popularity as certain individuals rose to fame
- sports became a popular leisure activity as going to and watching sports games increased
- radios became a regular household item, influencing how people spent their free time
- car ownership increased and driving became a leisure activity
improvements for women in 1920s
- more women and married women worked
- wider range of jobs available
- 1920 women gained the right to vote
- divorce rate rose
flappers
- rejected typical values and social norms
- died their hair, wore revealing and colourful outfits, wore lots of makeup
- drove to dancehalls and clubs where they danced and smoked
- only for women who could afford it
problems in older industries
- over production after the war ended led to rapid decrease in prices
- new man made materials reduced the need for cotton.
- prohibition reduced demand for wheat
- mechanisation involved replacing horses with tractors
what other industries faced a decline in the 20s?
- coal mining
- textiles
what was the effect of the decline in older industries in the 20’s
- strikes became more violent
- jobs were lost
-wages were cut - employment became unstable
what were attitudes towards immigration in 20s
- attitudes changed during ww1
- many immigrants were catholics or jews which upset americans
- they were often poor and illiterate or couldn’t speak english
- fear that they would bring communist ideologies to america after russian revolution
what was the red scare
put simply, the red scare was the fear of communism that originated in america in the 20s. middle and upper class americans feared communism because it threatened to take away their wealth and power.
- russian revolution (1917)
- immigrants brought anarchist views with them
there was particular spike in fear of communism after ww1 when there were many workers strikes happening as this is how the russian revolution started.
- bomb attacks started
what were the palmer raids
the FBI spyed on and raided offices of the union of russian workers and any other radical groups, arresting key members.
- thousands were deported
- increased support for immigration restrictions
- weakened the trade union movement
sacco and vanzetti
- 2 italian immigrants committed armed robbery of a shoe factory in Massachusetts and shot the guard
- they were found at a car shop a month later and arrested
- they were both anarchists so lied to the police about where they were and who they knew
- due to their beliefs and nationality, their trial was likely unfair
- they were both sentenced to death even though there was no conclusive evidence
- led to international protest
what was the attitude towards black americans in the 1920s
- slavery had ended but they were still heavily discriminated against
- Jim Crow laws segregated society including buses, schools etc.
- they were constantly at risk if racially motivated violence as the government didn’t protect them
- lynchings took place publicly and weren’t stopped by the police
what was the great migration to the north
a mass migration of black americans from the south and deep south to northern cities such as new york. they wanted to escape racist violence and find employment but they didn’t find equality.
- lived in ghettos in poor quality housing
- had low wages
- given unskilled and sometimes dangerous jobs
the KKK
- formed after the civil war to defend white supremacy
- attacked and intimidated black people
- membership rose quickly to over 5 million followers
- had some very powerful members including senators, governors and mayors of southern states
in 1925, an influential leader was found guilty of the rape and murder of a 28-year old woman and membership declined quickly
monkey trial
