Remember, our last discussion left off with the US not wanting to join the League of Nations, keeping the U.S. isolated from the problems Over There in Europe 1918-1921
I. Post-WWI U.S. Economy a. demobilization transition from wartime to peacetime production levels b. 4.5 million soldiers returned to the U.S., forcing women and African-Americans out of work c. Brief economic boom people spent what they'd saved during war.
II. Domestic A. Political
Warren G. Harding I miss the olden days. Let s return to life before A return to normalcy
1. Election of 1920 a. Warren G. Harding- Republican i. Former senator ii. Handsome, but not too smart! iii. Republicans believed that the debate over the League of Nations ensured a Republican victory.
iv. Repub VP candidate: Calvin Coolidge b. James M. Cox: Democrat i. Governor of Ohio ii. Focused on the League of Nations during the campaign. iii. Vice Presidential Demo. candidate: Franklin D. Roosevelt
c. Harding won the electioni. 60 % of the popular vote ii. Who voted for the first time in this election?
2. In the meantime immigrants were persecuted in the U.S. a. RED SCARE (1919-1920) i. Hatred of the Germans was replaced by a fear of anarchists, communists, and immigrants ii. led by U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer
b. Palmer Raids developed as a result of several bomb explosions and bombs discovered at a post office, addressed to important people. c. Suspected radicals were arrested and detained in investigation of a plot against the government.
d. Most people arrested were immigrants - Red Scare died down by summer of 1920 e. These events were the first of a series of red scares in which the government would clamp down on (real or imagined) domestic revolutionaries.
NATIONAL SECURITY vs. CIVIL LIBERTIES
Stop! Complete Assign As you read the article, do one of two things: 1. Highlight information that shows prejudice towards immigrants. 2. Underline information that pertains to the guilt of Sacco & Vanzetti.
f. Sacco and Vanzetti i. infamous court case highlighting the extreme antiforeign feelings in post WWI America ii. Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were convicted of robbing and murdering a Massachusetts paymaster and his guard.
iii. Judge and jury seemed to be prejudiced toward immigrants iv. Case dragged on for 6 years men were convicted and electrocuted Now we are not a failure. This is... our triumph. Never in our full life can we do such a work for tolerance, for justice, for man's understanding of man, as we now do by an accident... v. Many in U.S. (& world) were outraged! Vanzetti and Sacco
Due to this Event Which groups will lose civil liberties?
Example of National Security v. Civil Liberties
Essential Question Essay Should certain civil liberties be violated in order to maintain national security?
B. Economic
1. Business Boom under Harding a. Less government in business and more business in government b. Cabinet leaders were prominent business leaders who believed government should not interfere with business!
2. Secretary of Treasury Mellon worked to eliminate high wartime taxes that the wealthy had to pay - More $ to invest in the economy!!! 3. Harding s administration also saw passage of two tariffs: a. The Emergency Tariff of 1921 and the Fordney- McCumber Tariff of 1922.
i. Post-WWI, Europeans stopped depending so heavily on American farm products, which caused prices to fall dramatically ii. The Emergency Tariff increased rates on agricultural products imported to the U.S., which provided protection for American farmers. iii. F-M Tariff pushed rates on imports to an all-time high --> this led to a decline in trade
4. Problems with Harding s Business Policies a. Workers did not share in profits b. Sick Industries i. Textile industries/ farmers saw pay cuts and unemployment c. Organized labor suffered and membership declined.
5. Scandal/ Death of Harding and Election of 1924 a. Various scandals occurred under Harding s Administration i. Forbes Scandal disclosed that Director of the Veterans Bureau Charles Forbes pocketed millions of government dollars. ii. Harding died in office of a heart attack in 1923, and VP Coolidge became president.
iii. Other scandals emerged after Harding s deathaa. Harding s Attorney General was found to be taking bribes. bb. Teapot Dome/Elk Hills Scandal revolved around the Secretary of Interior leasing naval oil reserves.
III. Foreign
A. League of Nations 1. Harding also refused to join (Will lead to failure of League) 2. Harding formally ended WWI by signing an American peace treaty created to be independent of membership in the League.
B. Arms Limitations 1. The Washington Conference- November 1921- February 1922: international disarmament conference held in U.S. a. Called because of competition among countries for naval power and world recognition
b. Conference led to the following: i. Four Power Pact: US, GB, France, and Japan- agreed to respect one another s Pacific territory and to settle disputes peacefully. ii. Five Power Pact: US, GB, France, Japan, Italy - agreement to slow the arms race by limiting naval construction
iii. Nine Power Pact: Same powers of the 5-Power, plus Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, China *This preserved the Open Door Policy (stalled Japanese aggression) iv. Problem? These pacts lacked enforcement power!!!