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The Great Migration
Thousands of African Americans relocate to large cities. -
Harlem Renaissance
A cultural uprising in which the African American people strived to establish their place in society. -
Income
For the upper and middle class income increased substantially during the 1920’s. -
Increased Productivity
With the adoption of the assembly line in factories, mass manufacturing became more efficient. -
Standards of Living
During the 1920’s, it became common for houses to have indoor plumbing and central heating. -
Rural and Urban areas
During the 1920’s, around 40% of families in rural and urban areas had incomes reaching into the poverty range and struggled to live on less than $1,500 a year. -
Defying the Law
In some cities it became fashionable to go against the law and drink alcohol, causing police to be paid to look the other way, as well as government officials to serve alcohol to guests. Bootlegging was also something prevalent during this time through gangs or private suppliers. -
19th Amendment
Gave women the right to vote. -
18th Amendment
Prohibited consumption, distribution, and manufacturing of alcohol. -
Modernism
Modernists took a view at changing times and believed that they could fit in Darwin’s evolution theory without any conflict of their faith. -
Fundamentalism
Protestant preachers condemned modernists and taught that every word in the Bible must be taught. Fundamentalists blamed modernist liberal views as the reason for decline in morals. -
Harlem Renaissance
African American art and intellect movement. -
Cultural Civil War
A cultural divide between city people, small town residents, protestants, catholics, blacks, and whites. -
Entertainment
Movies and fun activities became a large part of American life to the point that over half of Americans went to theatres every week. -
Prohibition opens Speakeasies
Speakeasies illegally sold alcohol. They were run by bootleggers, hacketlers, and mobs. -
American Renaissance
2nd Literary Renaissance in history; impressionism, dadaism, expressionism, symbolism, and surrealism emerge, as well as modernism and “The Lost Generation” young writers emerge. -
Lost Generation
Americans, known as expatriates, went overseas and lived in Paris as a colony. The expatriates lived in semi poverty and returned to America with a sense of awareness of their changing world. Some famous expatriates were Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Emerson. -
Imagism
The literature after WWI changed strongly influenced by Victorian poetry. There was a movement started to make poetry to make people feel emotions by the images they see when they read. -
Harlem Renaissance
Black poets, playwrights, and novelists emerge. Black literature becomes more prevalent. -
Books Reflect Time Period
Books showed elaborate parties and moral corruption (The Great Gatsby 1925). -
Jazz Age
Jazz music and the dancing that came along with it became a lasting impression on American society. -
Immigration
After the war ended over a million foreigners immigrated to America between 1919 and 1921. Many feared of job competition, isolationists wanted minimal interaction with Europeans, and were worried about revolutions. -
Quota Laws
These sets of laws limited the amount of immigration based on nationality. Mostly southern and eastern Europeans and Japanese immigrants were barred from immigrating. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
President Harding and Albert Bacon Fall leased Navy gasoline reserves to private companies for low prices without competition, found guilty of taking bribes becoming the 1st member of cabinet to go to prison. -
Cotton Club
White only club where black musicians would perform. -
Election of Republican candidate Coolidge
Coolidge was elected with a popular vote over La Follette and Davis. -
National Origins Act
Extremely restricting immigration law which excluded Eastern Europeans and Asians. -
Alain Locke
“The New Negro” is the first literature to really define the cultural revolution and purpose for African American cultural revival. -
Herbert Hoover
Hoover won by a landslide due to support of prohibition and countries’ prosperity as well as the favor of people of faith. -
Causes of the Great Depression
Not only the stock market crash was responsible for the Great Depression. Uneven distribution of income, stock market speculation, excessive use of credit, overproduction of consumer goods, weak farm economy, government policies, and global economic problems all contributed to the Great Depression. -
Electricity
By the late 1920’s, two-thirds of homes had electricity. -
The Crash
After an economic boom throughout the 1920’s, the stock market crash caused the longest economic depression the country has ever had, causing more business failures and unemployment and affecting more people from all classes. -
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
President Hoover enacted the Hawley-Smoot tariff to protect US markets from foreign competition by increasing taxes on foreign goods to almost 50%. Foreign countries therefore in retaliation increased taxes on US products, causing both countries to sink further into depression. -
“Okies”
Thousands of farmers from Oklahoma went in search of rarely found farms or factory work in California. -
Dust Bowl
Severe drought in the 1930’s mixed with poor farming practices caused the topsoil to become dust and put thousands of farmers out of work. -
Debt Moratorium
The president suggested the suspension of collecting international debts. While Germany and Britain accepted this proposal, France rejected it and there was a scramble to meet demands. -
The Three R’s
FDR pledged a New Deal to the American people serving the “three R’s.” Relief for the unemployed, Recovery for business and the economy, and Reform in American economic institutions. -
Brain Trust
FDR turned to a group of university professors for help with economic troubles. -
Administrative positions
FDR’s administrative cabinet was the most diverse in US history, with African Americans, women, Catholics, and Jews. -
Twenty-first Amendment
With the growing resentment of the public and clear growth of criminal activity due to Prohibition, the 21st amendment was passed, repealing prohibition. -
The First Hundred Days
After being sworn in FDR held a hundred day long session in Congress, passing into law his every request. Some of the laws and agencies put into place were the NRA, WPA, CCC, and AAA. -
Repeal of Prohibition
Keeping to his campaign promise, FDR worked to repeal Prohibition, while also bringing in much needed tax money from the sale of alcohol. -
Fireside Chats
FDR held a series of “fireside chats” on the radio to the American people. The first of which reassuring the American people and explaining the closing of the banks on the bank holiday. -
Financial Recovery Programs
The Emergency Banking Relief Act, The Federal Insurance Deposit Corporation, The Home Owners Loan Corporation, and The Farm Credit Administration were all programs part of the financial aspect to the New Deal. -
Programs for Relief of the Unemployed
The Federal Emergency Relief Administration, The Public Works Administration, The Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Tennessee Valley Authority were all programs related to unemployment and public works, giving many a source of jobs. -
Industrial Recovery Programs
The NRA was created to try to help solve both immediate relief and long-term problems. Essentially taking over for the suspended antitrust laws, the NRA would be able to help with codes for wages, work hours, production levels, and pricing. This program was however deemed unconstitutional after 2 years of limited success. -
Farm Production Control Program
The Agricultural Adjustment Administration, similar in concept to the NRA, suggested that farmers should produce less and charge more, as well as pay government subsidies for every acre. Another thing the AAA had similar with the NRA is that it too was deemed unconstitutional. -
Civil Works Administration
This was a program which hired laborers temporarily for construction jobs sponsored by the government. -
The Federal Housing Administration
Building new houses and repairing old ones caused for a boost in construction and jobs as well as homeowners. -
Bank Holiday
To provide the government time to reorganize the banks that had not failed during the depression, FDR established a bank holiday in which banks would be closed temporarily.
