The Roaring 20's: Conservatism and Cultural Diversity in the 1920's

By: Brittany Pincus, Leo Flores, and Veronica Joyce

The 1920s were dominated by conservative Republican presidents

President in 1919 and 1920 was Wilson. He failed to properly deal with postwar issues which allowed republicans into the White House. Harding won the election. Under his presidency, the United States had the strongest economy in its history. However, his cabinet stole money from the Treasury which made people dislike him. Coolidge was the next president. He kept Harding's policies. Progressives weren't happy with him Hoover was the next Republican president He created trade associations that would eliminate destructive economic competition

There was an unprecedented burst of consumer activity

New mass-produced commodities were made available The production lines changed American's lives Almost anyone could buy almost anything The economy grew stronger with this burst of buying Soon everyone could afford a car of their own Labor saving devices allowed people to have more leisure time. This allowed people to have more fun.

Tensions prevailed between rural and urban America

A serious tension in the urban cities were crimes selling illegal products which occurred during the this time period. Al Capone is infamous for this act in Chicago. In the 1920's with the end of wartime demand, the commercial agriculture of crops such as wheat and corn was soon not needed as much. There was also a loss of foreign markets and the rural areas were in depression from a great drop of need for crops because there were factories supplying people.

The decade witnessed a rise in Nativism and racism

The US government persecuted radicals in the red scare

The beginning of Communism Back in the United States, veterans were returning home. Workers who avoided striking during the war were now demanding wage increases to keep pace with spiraling inflation. A small group of radicals formed the Communist Labor Party in 1919. The Attorney general, A. Mitchell Palmer, was afraid of communism spreading to the united states as an action to prevent it, he deported over 249 Russian immigrants with no cause.

Bibliography

http://www.ushistory.org http://www.america.gov http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu http://www.youtube.com http://www.oodora.com http://litecky111.wikispaces.com http://www.dcist.com http://the-roaringtwenties.wikispaces.com