THE ROARING TWENTIES
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PROSPERITY Rise of the automobile
Ownership grew from from 8 to 24 million Required vast amounts of steel, glass, &
rubber leading to jobs Henry Ford
Automobile manufacturer Introduced Model T in 1905 Introduced assembly line in 1914 So efficient he doubled wages & slashed
prices
HENRY FORD & HIS MODEL T
RISE OF NEW INDUSTRIES
New inventions that created new jobs Trans-Atlantic telephone service Vacuum cleaner Refrigerator & toaster Radio & motion pictures widespread
RISE OF NEW INDUSTRIES Glenn Curtiss
Early aviation pioneer 1911 - flew his
“hydroaeroplane” that landed on a naval ship
His landing marked birth of U.S. naval aviation & convinced Secretary of the Navy to buy navy’s 1st aircraft
1919 – constructed 1st airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean for the U.S. Navy
AGE OF MASS CONSUMPTION Retailers developed buying on credit Allowed people to buy more expensive
items Speculation Boom
Speculation: purchase of an item with the hope of selling it later at a higher price
Uneven Prosperity Many Americans still faced poverty Farmers, railroad workers, and textile workers
faced problems
ATTEMPTS TO PRESERVE TRADITIONAL VALUES
Young people began to yearn for greater freedom. Led to modern vs. traditional values
Prohibition Protestant reformers saw liquor as
cause of poverty & crime Women’s organizations joined the
movement as well
PROHIBITION Frances Willard (1839-1896)
Brother was an alcoholic 1879-elected President of
National Women’s Temperance Union, also fought for suffrage
1882-organized Prohibition Party
Helped persuade enough states to pass 18th amendment – banning sale of alcoholic drinks
PROHIBITION People refused to accept the ban 18th amendment repealed by the 21st,
passed in 1933.
THE SCOPES “MONKEY TRIAL” OF 1925 In 1925, John Scopes, a
biology teacher, was arrested for teaching his class the theory of evolution
Scopes “Monkey Trial”: State represented by William Jennings Bryan while Clarence Darrow defended Scopes
1st trial to be broadcast over national radio
Scopes convicted for teaching evolution, but $100 fine eventually set aside
RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRATION Nativists saw influx in immigration as a
threat to the nation’s economic stability Immigration Acts of 1921, 1924, 1929:
basically designed to keep out immigrants from Southern & Eastern Europe These laws established quotas for each
separate nationality Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany
allowed greatest # of immigrants Asian immigration was barred
altogether
EUGENICS
Rise of eugenics: pseudo-scientific belief that the human race could be improved by breeding
Leading proponent of eugenics – Charles Davenport Wanted to prevent the mentally ill from
having children to reduce mental illness Also wanted to reduce immigration
EUGENICS
Led to: forced sterilizations segregation laws marriage restrictions
Eugenics is closely tied with Social Darwinism Believed that human races compete for
survival just as animals
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