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PROHIBITION People refused to accept the ban 18th amendment repealed by the 21st,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