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Chapter 30AmericanLifeinthe"RoaringTwenties,"
1920–1929
Presented by:
Mr. Anderson, M.Ed., J.D.
I.SeeingRed• Bolshevik Revolution (1919):coming ofCommunism toRussia– EffectsonUnitedStates:
• SmallCommunistPartyemerged– Blamed for some labor strikes (Seattle, 1919)
• Bigredscare of1919-1920:– Nationwide crusade against left-wingers whose Americanismwas suspect
– Attorney General A.Mitchell Palmer “saw red” too easily– “Fighting Quaker” rounded up 6,000 suspects– Number doubled in June1919 when abomb shattered boththenerves and thehome ofPalmer
I.SeeingRed(cont.)
– Othereventshighlightedredscare:– December1919: shipload of249alleged alien radicalsdeported onBuford (the“SovietArk”) toRussia
– September 1920, still-unexplained bomb blast onWallStreetkilled 38people andwounded ahundred others
• Statelegislatures1919-1920joinedoutcry;passedcriminalsyndicalismlaws:
– Anti-red statutes madeunlawful mereadvocacy ofviolencetosecuresocial change
– Critics protested thatmerewords notcriminal deeds– Violence done tofreedom of speech as IWWmembers andother radicals vigorously prosecuted
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I.SeeingRed(cont.)– In1920 fiveNewYorkstate legislators, all lawfully elected,denied seats because theywereSocialists
• Conservativesusedredscaretobreakfledglingunions:– Unions called for“closed” orall-union shop; this wasdenounced as“Sovietism in disguise”
– Employers hailed their antiunion campaign for“open” shopasAmerican plan
• Anti-redismandantiforeignismreflectedinnotoriouscase—regardedbyliberalsas“judiciallynching”
– Nicola SaccoandBartholomeo Vanzetti convicted in 1921ofmurder ofaMass. Paymasterand hisguard
I.SeeingRed(cont.)– Juryand judge prejudiced against defenders because theywere Italians, atheists, anarchists, anddraftdodgers
– Liberals and radicals theworld over rallied to their defense– Case draggedon forover sixyearsuntil 1917whencondemned menelectrocuted
– Communists and radicals had two martyrs in “classstruggle”
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II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK
• NewKu KluxKlan:– Resembledantiforeign“nativist” movementof1850sratherthanantiblacknightridersof1860s:• Antiforeign,anti-Catholic,antiblack,anti-Jewish,antipacifists,anti-Communist,anti-internationalist,anti-evolutionist,antibootlegger,antigambling,anti-adultery,andanti-birthcontrol
• Pro-Anglo-Saxon,pro-“native” American,pro-Protestant
II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK(cont.)
– Klanbetokenedextremist,ultraconservativeuprisingagainst:• ForcesofdiversityandmodernitytransformingAmericanculture
• SpreadrapidlyinMidwestandBibleBelt SouthwhereProtestantFundamentalismthrived
• Mid-1920speakhadfivemilliondues-payingmembersandwieldedpotentpoliticalinfluence
• “KnightsoftheInvisibleEmpire” includedamongofficialsImperialWizards,GrandGoblins,KingKleagles,andotherhorrendous“kreatures”
II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK(cont.)
• ThingsofKKK:– Impressive“konclaves,” hugeflag-wavingparades– Chiefwarningwasblazingcross– Principleweaponbloodiedlash,supplementedbytarandfeathers
– Rallyingsongsandbrutalslogan
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II.HoodedHoodlums oftheKKK(cont.)
• Collapsed inlate1920sinpartbecause ofcorruption– $10initiationfee,ofwhich$4akickbacktolocalorganizationasincentivetorecruit
– KKKamanifestationofintoleranceandprejudiceagainstpaceofsocialchangein1920s
– Civilrightsactivistsfoughtinvainforlegislationmakinglynchingafederalcrime
III.StemmingtheForeignFlood
• Isolationist America(1920s), ingrown andprovincial, hadlittle useforimmigrants:
• 800,000camein1920-1921• 2/3fromsouthernandeasternEurope• Americansrecoiledatthese“NewImmigrants”• CongresspassedEmergencyQuotaAct1921
– Newcomers fromEurope restricted toaquota
• ImmigrationActof1924 replacedEmergencyAct– Quota cutfrom3%to2%
– National origins base shifted fromcensus of1910 to1890
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III.StemmingtheForeignFlood(cont.)
– Southern Europeans bitterly denounced deviceasdiscriminatory– Purpose was to freeze America's existing racial composition,which was largely northern Europeans
– Slammed doorabsolutely against Japanese immigrants» “HateAmerica” rallies erupted in Japan
– Exempt fromquota systemwere Canadian andLatin Americans—
» Easy toattractfor jobs when times good» Easy tosend homewhen times bad
• EffectedpivotaldepartureinAmericanpolicy– Claimed nation was filling up—“No Vacancy” sign– By1931more foreigners left than arrived
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III.StemmingtheForeignFlood(cont.)
– QuotascausedAmericatosacrificesomeofitstraditionoffreedomandopportunity• Aswellasitsfutureethnicdiversity(seeFigure30.1)
– ImmigrationActof1924markedendofera—– Virtually unrestricted immigration had brought some35million newcomers, mostly fromEurope
– Immigrant tide now cutoff– Lefton American shores apatchwork ofethnic communitiesseparated by language, religion, andcustoms
– “Cultural pluralists” opposed immigration restrictionbecause theycelebrated ethnic identity andcultural cross-fertilization
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Figure 30-1 p696
IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”
• Prohibition—– Lastcauseofprogressivereformmovement– EighteenthAmendment: (1919):authorizedprohibition(SeeAppendix)• ImplementedbyVolsteadActpassedbyCongressin1919
• Madeworld“safeforhypocrisy”• LegalabolitionofalcoholespeciallypopularinSouthandWest
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IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”(cont.)
• InWest,prohibitionanattackonvicesassociatedwithwesternsaloons(publicdrunkenness,prostitution,etc.)
• Strongoppositionto“dry” amendmentinlargereasterncities
– Especially for“wet” foreign-born people– Sociability built around drinking
• MostAmericansassumedprohibitionhadcometostay• Prohibitionistsnaïve:
– Overlooked tenacious American tradition of strong drink– Overlooked weakcontrol bycentralgovernment, especiallyoverprivate lives
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IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”(cont.)
– Federal government hadnever satisfactorily enforced a lawthatmajority ofpeople or strongminority rejected
– Lawmakerscould not legislate away thirst
• Peculiarconditionshamperedenforcement:– Wisdom of further self-denial afterwar– Slaking thirst becamecherished personal liberty– Wets believed way to repeal was toviolate law on largescale
– Solders complained prohibition “putover” on them while theywere“over there”
– Workers bemoaned loss ofcheap beer
IV.TheProhibition “Experiment”(cont.)
– Flaming youth thought it “smart” toswill bootleg liquor– Millions ofolder citizens found forbidden fruit fascinating astheyengaged in “barhunts”
• Mighthavebeenmoresuccessfuliftherehadbeenlargearmyofenforcementofficials
– Federal agencies understaffed– Underpaid snoopers susceptible tobribery
• Prohibitionsimplydidnotprohibit:– “Men only” corner saloons replaced by“speakeasies”– Hard liquor drunkbymenandwomen– ZealofAmerican prohibition agents strained relations withCanada
IV.TheProhibition “Experience”(cont.)
– Worst ofhomemade “rotgut” produced blindness, evendeath» Bootlegger worked inpartnership with undertaker
• Yet“nobleexperiment” notentirelyafailure:– Banksavings increased
– Absenteeism in industry decreased– Death fromalcoholism and cirrhosis declined– Lessalcohol consumed than in daysbeforeprohibition
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V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism• Prohibition spawned shocking crimes:
– Profitsofillegalalcoholledtobriberyofpolice– Violentwarsinbigcitiesbetweenrivalgangs
• Rivaltriggerman“erased” bootleggingcompetitors• Chicago(1920s):500mobstersmurdered• Arrestsfewandconvictionsfewer• Chicagomostspectacularexampleoflawlessness:
– 1925“Scarface” Al Capone begansixyearsofgangwarfare– Zoomed through streets inarmor-plated carwith bulletproofwindows
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V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism(cont.)
– “Public EnemyNumber One,” could notbeconvictedofmassacre onSt. Valentine's Day1929
» Ofsevenunarmed members of rival gang» After serving 11years for incometaxevasion, Caponereleased as syphilitic wreck
• Gangstersmovedintootherprofitableandillicitactivities:
– Prostitution, gambling, narcotics– Honest merchants forced topay“protection money”
– Racketeers invaded ranks oflocal labor unions asorganizersandpromoters
– Organized crimecametobeoneofnation's biggestbusinesses
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V.TheGoldenAgeofGangsterism(cont.)
– By1930, annual “take” ofunderworld $12 to$18 billion
• Criminalcallousnesssanktonewdepthsin1923:– Kidnapping forransom and eventual murderof infant sonofaviator-hero Charles ALindbergh
– Congress passed Lindbergh Law:making interstateabduction incertaincircumstances adeath-penalty offense
VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee• Educational strides in1920s:
– Morestatesrequiredstudentstoremaininschooluntilage16or18,oruntilgraduation
– Highschoolgraduationratesdoubledin1920s
• Changeineducational theory byJohnDewey• Principlesof“learningbydoing”
– So-called progressive education with its greater“permissiveness”
– Believed workbench asessential asblackboard– “Education for life” should beprimary goalof teacher
VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee(cont.)
– Sciencemadeadvancements:• Healthprograms,launchedbyRockefellerFoundationinSouthin1909,wipedouthookwormby1920s
• Betternutritionandhealthcareincreasedlifeexpectancyofnewborns(from50yearsin1901to59yearsin1929)
• ScienceandprogressiveeducationfacedunfriendlyfireofnewlyorganizedFundamentalists
– Numerous attemptsmade tosecure laws prohibiting teachingofevolution
– Tennessee, heart ofso-called Bible Belt South, where spirit ofevangelical religion robust
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VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee(cont.)
• “MonkeyTrial”:– In1925,Daytonhigh-schoolbiologyteacherJohnT.Scopesindictedforteachingevolution• Defendedbynationallyrenownedattorneys
– WilliamJenningsBryanmadetoappearfoolishbyfamedcriminallawyerClarenceDarrow• Fivedaysaftertrial,Bryandiedofstroke
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VI.MonkeyBusiness inTennessee(cont.)
• Historic clashbetween theology andbiologyprovedinconclusive:– Scopesfoundguiltyandfined$100– Tennesseesupremecourtupheldlaw,butsetasidefineontechnicality
– Fundamentalistswononlyhollowvictory• Fundamentalism (emphasisonliteralreadingofBible)
– Remained vibrant force inAmerican spiritual life
– Strong in Baptist Church and rapidly growing Churches ofChrist, organized in1906
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VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy
• Prosperity put“roar” into twenties:– RecentwarandTreasurySecretary AndrewMellon'staxpolicies:• Favoredrapidexpansionofcapitalinvestment• Newmachineryincreasedproductivity• Assembly-lineproductionreachedperfectionbyHenryFord'sfactorieswhereafinishedautomobileemergedeverytenseconds
• Newindustriessprouted
VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy(cont.)
• Automobile:– Nowbecamecarriageofcommoncitizen– By1930Americansownedalmost30millioncars– Createdshiftincharacterofeconomy:
• Americanmanufacturers– Mastered problems ofproduction
– Shifted focus toconsumption– Could they find mass markets forgoods?
• NewarmofAmericancommercecameintobeing:
VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy(cont.)
– Advertising• BruceBartonpublishedbestseller:TheManNobodyKnows:
– Provocative thesis: Jesus Christ greatestadman ofall time
– “Everyadvertising manought tostudy theparables ofJesus”– “Marvelously condensed, asallgood advertising should be”– Christ's executiveability: “Hepicked up twelvemen fromthebottom ranksofbusiness and forged them into anorganizationthatconquered theworld”
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VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy(cont.)
– Sports:• Becamebigbusinessinconsumptioneconomy• HeroeslikeGeorgeH.(“Babe”)Ruthfarbetterknownthanmoststatesmen
• YankeeStadiumbecame“housethatRuthbuilt”• In1921heavyweightchampion,JackDempsey,knockedoutlightheavyweightGeorgeCarpentier
– JerseyCity crowdpaid more thanamillion dollars– First in series ofmillion-dollar “gates” in1920s
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VII.TheMass-ConsumptionEconomy(cont.)
– Buyingoncredit;anotherinnovationofpostwareconomy:• “Possesstodayandpaytomorrow” wasmessage• Peoplewentintodebttoownallkindsofnewmarvels—refrigerators,vacuumcleaners,carsandradios—now
• Prosperityaccumulatedanoverhangingcloudofdebt• Economybecameincreasinglyvulnerabletodisruptionsofcreditstructure
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VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubberTires• Machinery wasnewmessiah—and automobileitsprincipal prophet– Automobile
• Newindustrialsystem:– Assembly-line methods– Mass-production techniques
• Americansadaptedratherthaninventedgasolineengine:
– Europeans canclaim original honor– 1890s—daring American inventors andpromoters– HenryFordand Ransom E.Olds developed infantautomotiveindustry
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VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubberTires(cont.)
• By1910sixty-ninecarcompaniesrolledouttotalannualproductionof181,000units
• DetroitbecamemotorcarcapitalofAmerica• ScientificManagement:
– Stopwatch efficiency techniques ofFrederick W.Taylor– Eliminate wasted motion
• HenryFord:– More thananyother individual, putAmerica on rubber tires
– HisModel T(“Tin Lizzie”)» Cheap, rugged, and reasonably reliable, though roughandclattering
» Parts highly standardized
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VIII.PuttingAmericaonRubber(cont.)
– Devotedhimself togospel of standardization– Grasped andapplied technique ofmoving assembly line—Fordism
– Sold Ford roadster for$260 (see Figure30.2)– Fordism caught fireoutside United States– Flood ofFordsphenomenal:
» In1914 “Automobile Wizard” turned outhis 500,000thModel T
» By1930 total had risen to20million» By1929, 26million motorvehicles registered—one forevery4.9American (seeFigure30.3)
Figure 30-2 p704
Figure 30-3 p704
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IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge
– Impactofself-propelledcarriagetremendous:• Giganticnewindustryemerged• Employeddirectlyorindirectly6millionpeople• 1,000sofnewjobscreatedbysupportingindustries
– Rubber, glass, and fabrics
– Highway construction, service stations andgarages– America's standard of living rose toenviable level
• Petroleumbusinessexpanded:– Oil derricks shotup inCalifornia, Texas, Oklahoma– Railroads hard hitbycompetition with passenger cars,buses, and trucks
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IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge(cont.)
• Speedymarketingofperishablefoodstuffsaccelerated• Newprosperityenrichedoutlyingfarms• Countlessnewhard-surfacedroadsconstructed• Thankstoinstallment-plans,countlessAmericansacquiredhabitofriding
– Zoomingmotorcarsagentsofsocialchange:• Atfirstaluxury,rapidlybecameanecessity• Becamebadgeoffreedomandequality• Ostentationseemedmoreimportantthantransportation• Leisurehourscouldnowbespentmorepleasurably
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IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge(cont.)
• Womenfurtherfreedfromdependenceonmen• Suburbsspreadfurtherfromurbancore• Isolationamongsectionsdeclined• Autobusesmadepossibleconsolidationofschools,andtosomeextentchurches
• By1951,amillionAmericanshaddiedinmotorvehicleaccidents
• Virtuoushomelifepartiallybrokedownaspeopleabandonedparlorforhighway
• Moralsofyouthsaggedcorrespondingly• Crimewaveof1920sand1930saidedbymotorcar
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IX.TheAdventoftheGasolineAge(cont.)
• Airandenvironmentalqualityimprovedwithlesshorseuse
• Automobilebroughtmoreconvenience,pleasure,andexcitementintomorepeople'slivesthanalmostanyothersingleinvention
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X.HumansDevelopWings
• Gasoline engines provided power thatenabledhumans toachieveflight– Wrightbrothers,OrvilleandWilbur,performed“miracleatKittyHawk,” N.C.onDec.17,1903• Orvillestayedairbornefor12secondsand120feet• Airagelaunchedby2obscureOhiobicyclerepairmen
– Airplanes—“flyingcoffins” usedfor:• VariouspurposesduringGreatWar,1914-1918• Privatecompaniesoperatedpassengerlinesandtransportedmail
X.HumanDevelopWings(cont.)
– 1927CharlesA.Lindbergh—“Flyin' Fool;” firstsoloflightacrossAtlantic• Pilotedsingle-engineplane,SpiritofSt. LouisfromNewYorktoParisingrueling33hoursand39minutes
• Achievementdidmuchtodramatizeandpopularizeflying,whilegivingboosttoinfantaviationindustry
– Impactofairshiptremendous:• ProvidedAmericanspiritwithanotherdimension• Gavebirthtogiantnewindustry
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X.HumanDevelopWings(cont.)
• Unfortunately,initialaccidentratehigh• By1920sand1930s,travelbyaironregularlyscheduledairlinessignificantlysafer
• Humanity'snewwingsincreasedtempoofalreadybreathlesscivilization
– Railroads further hurt byloss ofpassengers andmail– Lethalnew weapon given towar with useofbombs
– Isolation behind oceans becoming bygonedream asworldslowly shrinks
XI.TheRadioRevolution
• Speedofairplane fareclipsed byspeedofradio waves:– GuglielmoMarconi,anItalian,inventedwirelesstelegraph in1890s• Usedforlong-rangecommunicationduringWorldWarI
– Nextcamevoice-carryingradio:• Red-letterdayinNovember1920whenPittsburghradiostationbroadcastnewsofHarding'slandslidevictory
XI.TheRadioRevolution(cont.)
– Latermiraclesachievedintransatlanticwirelessphonographs,radio,telephones,andtelevision
– Earliest radioprogramsreachedonlylocalaudiences• Bylate1920stechnologicalimprovementsmadelong-distancebroadcastingpossible
– National commercial networks drowned out localprogramming
• Advertising“commercials”maderadioanothervehicleforAmericanfreeenterprise,ascontrastedtogovernment-ownedsystemsofEurope
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XI.TheRadioRevolution(cont.)
• Radiodrewpeoplebackhomeandknittednationtogether
– Programs sponsored bymanufacturers anddistributors ofbrand-name products helped make radio-touted labelshousehold words andpurchases
• Sportsfurtherstimulated• Politiciansadjustedspeakingtechniquestonewmedium• Hostoflistenersheardtheirfavoritenewscaster• Musicoffamousartistsandorchestrasbeamedintocountlesshomes
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XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies
• Flickering moviefruit ofnumerous geniuses:• 1903:birthoffirststorysequenceonscreen:
– TheGreatTrainRobbery –in five-cent theaters, popularlycalled “nickelodeons”
– First full-length classic wasD.W.Griffith's Birth ofaNation(1915):
» Glorified KuKluxKlan ofReconstruction daysanddefamed blacksandNorthern carpetbaggers
• Hollywoodbecamemoviecapitalofworld
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XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies(cont.)
– UsedinWorldWarIasengineofanti-Germanpropaganda:• “Hangthekaiser” filmshelpedsellwarbondsandboostmorale
– 1927—successoffirst“talkie”—TheJazzSinger:• “Silents” usheredoutastheaters“wiredforsound”• Earlycolorfilmsproduced
XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies(cont.)
• Phenomenal growth inpopularity offilms– Movie“stars” commandedmuchhighersalariesthanpresidentofUnitedStates• $100,000forsinglefilm• Manyactorsandactressesmorepopularthannation'spoliticalleaders
– Criticsbemoanedvulgarizationofpopulartasteswithfilmsandradio
XII.Hollywood's FilmlandFantasies(cont.)
• Effectsofnewmassmedianot allnegative:– Insularityofethniccommunitieserodedasimmigrants' childrentooktopublicmedia
– Somediversityofimmigrants' OldCountryculturelost,but:• StandardizationoftastesandlanguagehastenedentranceintoAmericanmainstream
• Setstageforworking-classpoliticalcoalitionthatwouldovercomedivisiveethnicdifferencesofpast
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XIII.TheDynamicDecade– Changesinlifestylesandvalues:
• Morelivedinurbanareasthanincountrysideby1920• Womencontinuedtofindemploymentincities• Organizedbirthcontrolmovement:
– Ledbyfiery feminist Margaret Sanger, whoopenlychampioned contraceptives
• CampaignforEqualRightsAmendment– ByAlice Paul's National Woman's party
• Churchesaffected:– Fundamentalists lost ground toModernists– Somechurches tried to fightdevil with worldly weapons
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XIII.TheDynamicDecade(cont.)
– Turned tonewentertainment– Someeven included movingpictures foryouth
– Chimes“strucksexo'clockinAmerica”:• Advertisersexploitedsexualalluretoselleverything• Youngwomen'sclothingandstyleschanged• “Flapper” symbolizedmoreindependentlifestyle• Adventuresomefemalesshockedelderswhentheysportednewone-piecebathingsuits
• JustificationfornewsexualfranknessfoundinwritingsofDr.SigmundFreud
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XIII.TheDynamicDecade(cont.)
• Manytaboosflewoutwindow• Sexualfreedombecamemoreprevalent• Flapperasgoddessof“eraofwonderfulnonsense,”andjazzitssacredmusic:
– Moved up fromNewOrleans with migrating blacks– Wailing saxophone becametrumpet ofnew era
– W.C.Handy,“Jelly Roll” Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Joe“King” Oliver gavebirth to jazz
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XIII.TheDynamicDecade(cont.)
• Newracialprideblossomedinnorthernblackcommunities:– Harlem inNYC—130,000 African American residents in1920s
» Oneof largest blackcommunities inworld– Culture nurtured bypoets likeLangston Hughes
» TheWearyBlues (1926)
– Harlem spawned charismatic political leader, MarcusGarvey» Founded United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)topromote resettlement ofblacks in “African homeland”
» Sponsored blackbusinesses tokeepmoney inblackpockets» Helped newcomers tonorthern cities gainself-confidence andself-reliance
» Exampleproved important to founding ofNation ofIslam(BlackMuslim) movement
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XIV.CulturalLiberation
• Literature andthearts:– Mostofearliergenteelwritershaddiedby1920s
• NewYorkerEdithWhartonandVirginia-bornWillaCathercontinuedtobepopular
– Nownewmodernistsbecomingpopular(seeThinkingGloballysection)
– Modernismquestionedsocialconventionsandtraditionalauthorities,consideredoutmodedbyacceleratingchangesof20th centurylife
XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
– H.L.Menckenbestpersonifiedthisiconoclasm:• Knownas“BadBoyofBaltimore”• Promotedmodernistcausesinpoliticsandliterature• Assailedmarriage,patriotism,democracy,prohibition,Rotarians,andothersacrediconsofmiddle-classAmerican“booboisie”
• HedismissedSouthas“SaharaoftheBozart”• Attackedhypocriticaldo-goodersas“Puritans”
– Puritanism, he jibed, was“haunting fear that someone,somewhere, mightbehappy”
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XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
– YoungwritersjoltedbyWWIoutofcomplacencyabouttraditionalvaluesandliterarystandards• Probedfornewcodesofmoralsandunderstanding,aswellasfreshformsofexpression
• F.ScottFitzgerald—ThisSideofParadise (1920)– “He found allgods dead, allwars fought, all faiths inmanshaken”
– TheGreatGatsby (1925) brilliant commentary on illusoryAmerican ideal of self-made man
» JamesGatz reinvented himself as tycoon JayGatsbyonlytobedestroyed by those with wealth andsocial standing
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XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
• TheodoreDreiser'smasterpieceAnAmericanTragedy(1925)exploredpitfallsofsocialstriving
• ErnestHemingway:– Among writers mostaffectedbyWWI– Hishard-boiled realism typified postwar writing– TheSunAlso Rises (1926) toldofdisillusione d, spirituallynumb American expatriates in Europe
– InA Farewell toArms (1929)he turned his ownwar storyinto oneof finest novels about thewar
– His literary successes and flamboyant personal life madehimone ofmost famous writers in world
– Won NobelPrize in literature in 1954
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XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
• “Lost Generation”:– Hemingway,FitzgeraldandotherAmericanwritersandpaintersformedartisticcadre:• AsexpatriatesinpostwarEurope• FoundshelterandinspirationinParissalonofGertrudeStein:
– Studied under William James atHarvard andherearlyworksapplied his theoryof“stream ofconsciousness”
– Friends with PabloPicasso andHenri Matisse, she wroteradically experimental poetryand prose
– Joined fellow American poets EzraPound andT.S. Eliot invanguard ofmodernist literary innovation
XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
– “Highmodernists”:• Experimentedwithbreakdownoftraditionalliteraryforms• Exposedlossesassociatedwithmodernity• Wroteinself-consciouslyinternationalistmode• Haughtilyrejectedparochialismtheyfoundathome• Poundrejectedoldcivilizationandproclaimeddoctrine:“MakeItNew;” hestronglyinfluencedEliot
• EliotinTheWasteLand(1922)producedoneofmostimpenetrablebutinfluentialpoemsofcentury
• E.E.Cummingsusedunorthodoxdictionandpeculiartypesettingtoproducestartlingpoeticeffects
XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
– NotallAmericanwritersradical:• Manycontinuedfamiliarregionaliststyle• RobertFrostwrotehauntinglyaboutnatureandfolkwaysofhisadoptedNewEngland
• CarlSandburgextolledworkingclassesofChicagoinstrong,simplecadence
• SherwoodAndersoninWinesburg,Ohiodissectedvariousfictionalpersonalities,findingthemwarpedbytheircrampedpsychologicalsurroundings
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XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
• SinclairLewis:– Main Street (1920)best-selling storyofonewoman'sunsuccessful revolt against provincialism
– InBabbitt (1922)heaffectionately pilloried GeorgeF.Babbitt,who slavishly conforms torespectable materialism ofhis group
• WilliamFaulkner:– Focused ondisplacement ofagrarian OldSouth by risingindustrial order
– Hiswork offered fictional chronicle ofan imaginary, history-richDeepSouth county
– Inpowerful books: TheSoundand theFury (1929)andAs I LayDying (1930) hepeeled backlayers oftime andconsciousnessfromconstricted souls ofhis ingrown southern characters
XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
– Faulkner experimented with multiple narrators, complexstructure, and“stream ofconsciousness” techniques
– Hisextended meditation culminated inwhat someconsiderhis greatestwork: Absalom, Absalom! (1936)
– Americancomposersandplaywrightsmadevaluablecontributions:• JeromeKernandOscarHammerstein'sShowBoat(1927)wasAmerica'sfirst“musicalplay”
• EugeneO'Neill'sStrangeInterlude(1928)laidbareFreudiannotionsofsexandsubconsciousinsuccessionofdramaticsoliloquies
– Garnered Nobel Prize in literature (1936)
XIV.CulturalLiberation(cont.)
• HarlemRenaissance:– BlackculturalrenaissanceinuptownHarlem:
• LedbywritersClaudeMcKay,LangstonHughes,andZoraNealeHurston
• AndjazzartistsLouisArmstrongandEubieBlake
– Arguedfor“NewNegro” whowasafullcitizenandsocialequaltowhites• Adoptedmodernisttechniques,HughesandHurstoncapturedoralandimprovisationaltraditionsofcontemporaryblacksindialect-filledpoetryandprose
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XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket
• Economic conditions of1920s:– Severalhundredbanksfailedannually– Floridaboom:numerousunderwaterplotssoldtoeagerpurchasersforpreposteroussums
– Stocksprovidedevengreatersensations:• Speculationranwild• Boom-or-busttradingpushedmarkettodizzypeaks• Stockmarketbecameveritablegamblingden
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XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket(cont.)
– In1920smanyboughtstocks“onmargin”• Intoxicatedbylureofquickprofits,fewheededwarningsthatthiskindofprosperitycouldnotlast
• LittledonebyWashingtontocurbspeculators• 1921CongressmovedtowardbudgetsanitybycreatingBureauoftheBudget:
– Assisted president inpreparing estimates of receipts andexpenditures tobesubmitted toCongress asannual budget
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XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket(cont.)
– BurdensometaxesfromwardistastefultoSecretaryofTreasuryMellon• Arguedhightaxesforcedrichtoinvestintax-exemptsecuritiesratherthaninfactoriesthatprovidedpayrolls
• Arguedhightaxesnotonly:– Discouraged business, but
– Brought in smaller return toTreasury than moderate taxes
• Mellonhelpedengineerseriesoftaxreductionsfrom1921to1926
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XV.WallStreet'sBigBullMarket(cont.)
• Congress:– Repealed excess-profit tax– Abolished gift tax– Reduced excise taxes, the surtax, the incometax,andestatetaxes
• Mellon'sspare-the-richpoliciesshiftedtaxburdenfromwealthytomiddle-incomegroups
• Mellon,lionizedbyconservativesas“greatestsecretaryofTreasurysinceHamilton” remainscontroversialfigure:
– Reduced national debtby$10billion– Accused of indirectly encouraging bull market
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