Post WW1 Issues
What was the impact of demobilization after WW1 on workers?
Many workers lost their jobs because they were no longer needed to produce defense materials. Returning soldiers also couldn't find jobs.
What was the purpose of the Kellogg- Briand Pact? (Hint it did not work)
It was an agreement between 62 nations not to engage in offensive wars.
What was the Harlem Renaissance?
It was a growth of new and creative forms of art, music, and literature in the African American community in Harlem, New York City. It drew upon African American heritage for inspiration and sometimes tackled racial concerns.
What improvements did Henry Ford make to the manufacturing process, and what changes resulted?
Ford improved the assembly line by powering it so that it brought the parts to the workers. (With one person doing one job.) This reduced the time it took to make a product. He could then lower the price, making it affordable to more people, and therefore sell more products.
What problems occurred in the economy in the first few years after WW1, and why did they occur?
Americans wanted to buy a lot of things, and this drove up the prices and led to inflation and the cost of living going up. This plus high unemployment led to a recession.
What was the purpose of the Washington Naval Conference?
It was an agreement between several leading nations to limit the number of ships in their navies and to work out their conflicts peacefully. (Also banned the use of poisonous gas.)
What was prohibition? Did it work?
Alcohol manufacturing became illegal with the 18th amendment. However drinking rates remained high and bootleggers and mobsters got rich in the 20's. The 21st Amendment overturning the 18th Amendment was passed in 1933.
What landmark in equal rights for women was achieved in 1920?
The 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote.
How was communism gaining in popularity around the world, and how did this and other events lead to the Red Scare?
Communists overthrew the government of Russia during WW1. Some Americans were communists, and some of them claimed to be radical. Bombs were sent to government officials. These events caused a fear of communism. (Red Scare)
What effect did reparations have on Germany? How did the United States try to fix this?
Germany was unable to pay its reparations after a while and its economy suffered. (Super high inflation) The U.S. loaned money to Germany through the Dawes Plan to help them repay the debt.
What were the main beliefs and goals of the Fundamentalist Movement?
Fundamentalists were concerned about changes in moral standards and the increased materialism in society. They wanted a return to traditional values and emphasized using the Bible's teachings as the authority. (Controversy teaching evolution in the classroom with Scopes monkey trial.
What was the government's attitude toward business in the 1920s?
The government was pro- business. It cut taxes on businesses and also on individuals and promoted industry associations to improve efficiency. Business boomed.
Why was there tons of racial violence during the summer of 1919 particularly in northern cities.
During WW1 the Great Migration began and Blacks began leaving the South by the thousands finding jobs in northern factories. Returning soldiers feared job losses and other citizens did not want Blacks in their cities leading to the violent year. (Blacks would be forced to live in segregated neighborhoods in the North.)
What happened in Rosewood Florida in 1923?
A white mob destroyed an entire town that was inhabited by African Americans due to an unproven accusation of an attack on a white woman by a black man.
What led to the rebirth of the KKK in the 1920's and how was it different from the first?
The rebirth of the Klan was primarily caused by nativist prejudice against the waves of immigrants coming from Europe. The second Klan targeted more than African Americans targeting immigrants, Jews, and Catholics as well. It also gained more political power and was in both the North and South.
What changed in immigration laws in the 1920s?
The Immigration Act of 1924 greatly limited the number of immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. (Putting in a quota system favoring immigrants from Northern and Western Europe.) Immigration from Asia was also severely limited.
What caused the Florida land boom, and what were the results?
Advertisements and shady developers caused a craze to buy land in Florida. People bought it, planning to resell it later at a higher price. Then a hurricane damaged Florida, many people found out they had only swampland, and everyone tried to resell their land. No one wanted it and prices fell.
How were Marcus Garvey, Booker T Washington, and W.E.B. Dubois's views similar and different?
Booker T Washington was willing to temporarily accept segregation and believed that African Americans should work towards economic advancement. W.E.B Dubois rejected segregation and believed African Americans should toward achieving full civil, political and social rights. Garvey emphasized pride in being black and that African Americans needed to be a separate people proposing moving back to Africa.
People invested in the stock market, hoping to get rich quick, and they borrowed money to do it. This drove prices of stock up very high, above what the companies were worth. When prices began to fall, it triggered a rush to sell stock and the market crashed. People who invested now had nothing but debt. The banks had loaned money for people to invest in stocks and that money was now gone. Then when depositors came in demanding their money in cash, the banks eventually ran out of money and closed.