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Model T (Ford)
The Model T was produced by Henry Ford's, Ford Motor Company and is commonly know as the first affordable automobile. The Model T opened travel to the middle-class American because of the new innovations used to create it. Ford created assembly line production which was more effective than individual hand crafting, allowing the Model T to be mass produced, changing manufacturing forever and dramatically lowering prices. -
KKK / Birth of a Nation
The KKK was refounded in 1915 with the release of Birth of a Nation, a movie glorifying the KKK. Unlike the original KKK, the secong KKK were extreme nativists and directed their hostility towards blacks, Catholics, Jews, all foreigners and suspected Communists. -
The Red Scare
After WWI, Amricans were fearful and watchful for active communists and anarchists. Many foreign born immigrants were deported back to thier countries. People were on edge as hysteria spread across the nation. The Red Scare lasted for only about 3 yrs, but the radicals induced anti-red riots, propaganda, and strikes that made an impression which lasted for years. -
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie was the most iconic silent film star in his days. He was famous for playing witty roles in the budding film industry. Chaplin was looked upon with some suspicion, from J.Egar Hoover. Some believed he was a communist because his films suggested communist propaganda. He was married four times, and lived a chaotic life in the United Kingdom, United States, and Later Switzerland. -
Volstead Act / Prohibition
The passing of this act reinforced the Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacturing and sale of alcoholic beverages. The Volstead Act was a federal law enforcing the amendment, but this law was often defied. It did nothing to stop people from drinking both privately and publicly, and it was even fashionable to break the prohibition law. Little was done to stop the bootleggers and even President Harding served alcohol to his guests. -
Palmer Raids
During the Red Scare, General A. Mitchell Palmer esatblished an office under J.Edgar Hoover. He ordered arrests of anarchists,socialists, and labor instigators. Over 6,000 people were arrested,and many without clear evidence regarding why. Many suspects were foreign born, and deported back to thier countries. -
Harlem Renaissance
By 1930, a large number of African Americans had moved north. The largest community developed in Harlem, New York and contained a population of around 200,000 African Americans. The area became famous for its concentration of actors, writers, musicians and artists. Through the arts blacks achieved new recognition therefore the era is refered to as the Harlem Renaissance. -
Election of Harding
Warren G. Harding had to fill the place of the late Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. He was not peceived as the best leader, so he used strategy to hold his place in office. Harding appointed Charl Evans Hughes as secretary of state. He also placed Herbert Hoover as seretary of commerce, Andrew Mellon as secretary of treasury, and William Taft Chief Justice of the supreme court. His presidency had a better image due to the appointment of these men. -
Emergency Quota Act of 1921
This act restricted immigration into the United States. The Act restricted the number of immigrants admitted from any country annually to 3% of the number of residents from that same country presently living within the country. The goverentment wanted to pass this act to protect its culture by only admitting northern Europeans. -
Washington Naval Conference
The Washington Naval Conference pulled Britain, France, Italy, Japan, The United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China together to discuss a disarmament effort. Eventually, three country pacts, and five treaties were made. A main advocate in this conference was Charles Evans Hughes. He made drastic decisions and suggestions toward arms reduction. -
Five-Power Naval Treaty
In order to slow the arms race after WWI among the world’s major naval powers, this treaty was created to limit vessel possession and size. The nations agreed to maintain the following ratio: United States 5; Great Britain 5; Japan 3; France 1.67; Itay 1.67. -
Four-Power Treaty
The United States, France, Great Britain and Japan agreed to respect each others territories in the Pacific. -
Nine-Power Treaty
All nine countries present at the Washington Confrence (United States, Japan, China, France, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Portugal) agreed to support the Open Door Policy by affirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. -
Teapot Dome Scandal
After oil was found in California, Albert Fall, sectretary of the interior, was appionted by President Harding to take charge of the reservation of the oil. The US Navy had claims to this oil to use however they wanted. But corruption erupted as Fall made money off of bribes from big oil companies, by selling oil, behind the government's back. This scandal showed how greed and corruption was widespread, especially in the government. -
Fordney-McCumber Tariff
By passing this act, Congress raised American tariffs were raised in order to protect farmers and factories. Ultimately this tariff hurt both America and Europe's economy by stopping foreign trade and the repayment of war debt. -
Sigmund Freud
Austrian psychologist who theorized that not all mental illnesses have physiological causes. He helped people to this day understand human personality and human development. Freud was extremely influential in the psychology field, and was famous for his book, "The Ego and the Id". -
Adkins vs. Children's Hospital
Women and children were in the workforce, working for minimum wage. However, the Supreme court decided that this was unconstitutional since women and men could now vote, and women should not get special previlages. Minimum wage was therefore no longer avalible since women were finally eqaul in voting and other affairs. It was seen as a violation of the 5th amendment. -
Marcus Garvey
Garvey brought the African American Improvement Association to America in 1916. He was an advocate racial pride and black nationalism through politics, which inspired later generations to embrace the African American society. -
Dawes Plan
This plan, proposed by Charles Dawes, would establish a cycle of payments that first went to Germany and then flowed to the Allies. The United States lent Germany mass amounts of money to rebuild after the war and pay off to Britain and France. Britain and France would then pay back the United States, easing the financial problems in both areas of the world. The Dawes Plan ultimately collapsed when the US stoch market crashed and loans could no longer be made. -
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration Act of 1924 was enacted on May 26, 1924. It was a United States federal law that limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country who were already living in the US. This act favored Northern European countries and excluded Eastern Europe because the government wanted to preserve American culture. -
Bonus Army
Congress voted that veterens would be paid bonus' for their service in WWI. However, the catch was the that thevets would not receive thier pay until 1945. As the Depression hit hard, veterens grew mad and wanted their money as soon as possible. They formed a large camp in DC outside the capitol, fighting for their desperate need, As congress dismissed their wants, they were forced out of DC with harsh treatment going home starving and penniless. -
Election of Coolidge
Coolidge became president after Harding passed in 1923. The election of Coolidge set up for new policies such as support for tax reductions, and the restriction of the government in American society. Also, tariff protection was inacted as well as the US involvement in the arms reduction program.Coolidge was renominated for a second term on the first ballot of the 1924 Republican convention in Cleveland. He won the election with over $15 million in popular vote. -
The Geat Gatsby / Lost Generation
The Great Gatsby is a novel by author F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was first published in 1925, and is about the young ostentatious upper-class during the early 1920s, who are often refered to as the lost generation. This geneation lost sight of the American dream by valuing money and social status over hopes and dreams. -
Scopes Trial "The Monkey Trial"
In Tennessee, John Thomas Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution in school. He was taken to be tried in court, with former presidential candidate, William Jennings Bryan (a strict Christian), leading the prosecution.Famous lawyer, Clarence Darrow,defended Scopes. When Bryan was called to the stand,Darrow did not make a final summation, therefore taking the opportunity away from Bryan to elaborate in his reasoning. Scopes was deemed guilty and fined $100, but Darrows tactics proved admirable. -
Flappers
Flappers identified the new female image of the roaring twenties. They were known for starting the new trend of shorter hem lines, lower dress cuts, and shorter hair. Many participated in illegal backalley parties where they smoked, drank, and danced along with the men. These women defined the roaring twenties as sex symbols. One of the most famous flappers was actress was Ms. Clara Bow. -
Gertrude Ederle
Ederle was an American competitive swimmer who, in 1926, became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. She beat the men's world record by one hour and 59 minutes and is remember most for saying "people said women couldn't swim the Channel but I proved they could". -
Charles Lindbergh
Also known as the Lone Eagle, Charles Lindbergh was the first man to make the first non-stop flight, by himself, across the Atlantic ocean in May of 1927. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by Coolidge. Charles later grew to act upon his beliefs of non-involement in WWII and was an aviation specialist throughout his career. -
Sacco and Vanzetti case
Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco were charged with the muder of two men, in order to fund their assumed ararchist organizations. The jury pronounced these men guilty just because they were anarchists, and immigrants. -
Kellogg-Briand Pact
This document was signed by the USA, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. It stood as an international effort to end future war. This pact assembly can also be known as the Pact of Paris. Although this treaty was set in the best of intentions, it clearly did not stop the coming of WWII in the future. -
Al Capone
Al Capone is America's best known gangster and represnts the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in illegal activities that gave Chicago its reputation as a lawless city. Capone is most notorious for the Valentine's Day Massacre. His men, dressed as police, killed seven bootleggers -
Election of Hoover
Herbert Hoover's presidency was rated a very poor and unsuccessful one. Although he won by a landslide in his Republican election, his policies regarding efficiency and hiigh tariffs drew the country down even lower. When the stock market crashed in '29,his policies and decisions did the opposite of ecnomic repair. -
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
As a result of the war effoet to help foreign countries carry on, there was an over production of agricultural food. Hoover wanted to help the farmers by raising the tariffs on agricultural products. It soon backfired as so many farmers were asking for protection on their goods.Eventually, tariffs were high internationally on almost all industrial goods. This tariff could be considered one of the causes of the Great Depression. Money was being borrowed while expenses were too high. -
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Created by Hoover, this corporation initially was made to lend money and give loans during the depression. It was at first meant for financial, industrial, and agricultural means. However it eventually made way for loans in foreign government, war plants, and disaster areas in later years in the US. The RFC was later abolished in 1957. -
Hoover-Stimson Doctrine
The doctrine stated that the United States would not recognize any territorial acquisitions that were taken over by force. Secretary of State, Henry L. Stimson stated that the US would not recognize any changes made in China that would pertain American treaty rights in the area and that the "open door" must be maintained. The doctrine was criticized because it only enhanced alienation of the Japanese and had little effect in the Western world. -
Jazz Age / Duke Ellington
The Jazz Age was a movement of dance and music brought about by African American musicians. Jazz was a symbol of the Roaring 20's, a new modern culture following WWI. One of the most famous jazz musicians, Duke Ellington, influenced many genres beyond his own including blues, gospel and pop. His career spanned for more then 50 years and he had a unique style unlike any musician before him.
