The Roaring 20s: usa 1919-1929
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| The Roaring 20s: USA 1919-1929
Key issue: How & why did the USA achieve prosperity in the 1920s? Key Words Ratify – approve a bill / allow it to pass Isolation / Isolationism / Isolationist – policy of not becoming involved in foreign affairs, or focusing on foreign trade Exports – goods sold abroad Imports – goods brought into the country The 1920s in America has been described as the ‘Roaring 20s’; a time of prosperity, innovation and excitement. However, about ½ of the American population remained poor. Society was divided and increasingly violent with the rise of gangs and the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. The ‘Roaring 20s’ came to an abrupt end with the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression which ensued.
The USA had stayed neutral at the outbreak of war in 1914. The conflict was seen as not affecting the interests of America. Furthermore, the varied background of the huge no. of immigrants who had arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s (known as the ‘melting pot’), meant that taking sides in the war could be controversial. However, by 1917 America was forced to enter the war to protect her shipping from the German unrestricted U-boat warfare. American troops began to arrive in Europe in the summer and autumn of 1918. However, despite their short involvement in the conflict, over 100,000 Americans were killed. They were greeted on their return as heroes, but they also revealed the grim reality of conflict to others. When the Great War ended in 1918, there were arguments in America about the future role the country should play in international affairs. President Woodrow Wilson was committed to the USA policing the Treaty of Versailles by taking a leading role in the League of Nations. The Republicans argued strongly against this. Wilson embarked on a speaking tour by train across the USA, but suffered a stroke the day after a speech in Pueblo, Colorado. In Mar 1920, there were not enough votes in the Senate to ratify (pass) the Treaty of Versailles. This meant that the USA would not be joining the League of Nations either. In the 1920 Presidential election Warren Harding, a Republican, was elected with 61% of the vote. He had campaigned on the slogans ‘Back to Normalcy’ and ‘America 1st’. The new Republican President had the backing of the majority of Americans in following a policy of isolation. This meant avoiding foreign entanglements and a concentration on developing American industry and commerce. Warren Harding died in 1923, but the Republicans who followed him as President, Coolidge (1923-1929) and Hoover (1929-1933) continued with these policies. The failure of the USA to join the League had effects on Europe, which we have already studied. In addition, the USA did not officially declare the war with Germany to be over until Aug 1921. During the 1920s, relations with most European countries were poor. The victorious powers resented the length of time it had taken America to support them during the Great War. The USA had also become wealthy because of the conflict. Until 1917, although they were officially neutral, American businesses had sold to Britain and France. The USA also exported to European colonies, while European powers focused on the war. By the end of the war, America had overtaken Germany in the supply of chemical products. There had also been advances in plastics. When the old European industrial countries resumed international trade in the 1920s, they found that America had captured some of their markets.
In 1922, the Fordney-McCumber Tariff put taxes on all imports entering the USA (foreign made goods). This protected American industry and encouraged Americans to buy home produced goods. The tariff policy also included farm products, which helped to remove the traditional opposition from farmers. The act allowed the President to raise or reduce the tariff as he saw necessary. The rate was changed 37x. On 32 occasions, President Harding and his successor, Calvin Coolidge, increased it. European countries retaliated by putting tariffs on American goods. The Fordney-McCumber Tariff has been seen as part of the movement towards isolation in this period.
The motor car was developed in the 1890s. These were initially built by blacksmiths and other skilled craftsmen. In 1900, only 4,000 automobiles were made. Car production was revolutionised by Henry Ford. In 1913, Henry Ford introduced the 1st moving production line in the world in Detroit. Each worker on the line had just 1 or 2 small jobs to do as the skeleton of the car passed him. Instead of taking 14 hr, a car could now be made in 93 min. The most famous of Ford’s cars was the Model T. More than 15 million were produced between 1908 and 1925. In 1927, 1 was produced every 10 sec. In 1929, 4.8 million cars were made. The success of the motor industry contributed to the prosperity of other businesses. For instance, cars used up to 70% of American glass production. This system was extended to other products, such as refrigerators, radios, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and telephones. Canned fruit and vegetables more than doubled in the 1920s and synthetic industries, especially rayon, developed. This enormous boom in consumer goods was partly linked to the vast raw material resources of the USA. Busier factories meant good profits and reliable wages for more factory workers. The extra money in people’s pockets meant that sales kept rising. Mass production was partnered with mass selling and new advertising techniques developed. Adverts appeared on billboards, mail-order catalogues, newspapers and the radio. New chain stores, such as Woolworths, had branches in most towns and cities. By the end of the 1920s, the largest 200 companies possessed around 20% of the nation’s wealth. Big businesses increased in size as they bought up smaller businesses.
Goods could be bought on hire purchase, which meant that people paid a deposit and then paid the rest in instalments. This meant that a greater no.r of people could buy consumer goods. This led to a boom in sales, which increased demand in the factories, producing more jobs and higher wages, which in turn fuelled the upward spiral. As long as wages went up, people could afford to pay back what they owed. Republican Economic Policies also contributed to the wealth of the 1920s. As well as the Fordney-McCumber tariff, which encouraged people to purchase American products, low taxes also supported the boom. Income taxes were reduced in 1926 and 1928, which left Americans with more cash to spend. Industry benefited from tariffs and low taxation, as more money was available to invest in businesses. The Republican Presidents of the 1920s believed in laissez-faire, not interfering in business activities. For instance, Coolidge stated ‘the business of America is business’ and believed that business prospered best when government did not interfere. The stock market boom also led to greater prosperity. Companies could sell shares on the Stock Exchange to raise money for investment. Investors who then hoped to sell them at a higher price and make a profit bought these shares. In the 1920s, share prices went up on average by about 300%. Many ordinary Americans invested in shares as it seemed to be an easy way to make money. With more and more people buying shares, demand increased and prices went up. As investors were so convinced that prices would continue to increase, they often bought ‘on the margin’. This meant that people only had to put down 10¢ for each $ of shares, they wanted to buy. The rest of the money had to be paid in a few months. People hoped that prices would increase to pay the rest of the money that they owed, and make a small profit. Often banks loaned money by using the borrower’s house as a guarantee. The banks loaned money, confident that it would be repaid before customers wanted to withdraw their savings.
In the 1920s, many people were better off and they had more leisure time. They spent a lot of money on entertainment. It was all part of the ‘Roaring 20s’. Jazz became extremely popular. It developed out of ragtime and blues among black people in the South. Jazz provided black musicians with a way of gaining more respect. Jazz clubs, such as The Cotton Club in New York became popular, particularly with the young. Black musicians, such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, became famous. Jazz also increased in popularity because of radio and early gramophone records. By 1929, over 10 million homes had a radio and local and national commercials stations were established. Such was the popularity of the music some called the 1920s the ‘Jazz Age’. New dances, such as the Charleston, became popular. Many of the older, generation saw jazz as a corrupting influence, as 1 article said, ‘Jazz employs primitive rhythms which excite the baser human instincts’. Another stated, ‘Jazz music causes drunkenness’. Radio also helped to increase the popularity of sports, such as baseball, boxing and American football. Some became heroes, such as the boxer Jack Dempsey. The 1920s was also a period of crazes. Couples took part in dance marathons; doing stunts such as climbing tall buildings; or trying to break the record for sitting on top of a flagpole. The man who achieved this latter record sat on the flagpole for over 23 days! The cinema was 1 of the most popular forms of entertainment. By 1929, 110 million people per week visited the cinema. In the early 1920s, films were silent; some of the great film stars of this era were Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The 1st ‘talkie’ was in 1927, The Jazz Singer featuring Al Jolson. Most of the film studios were centred on Hollywood. Some of the most important film companies were Warner Brothers and Paramount. Directory: file -> fetch fetch -> 11 th Lit Semester 1 Final Study Guide!!! fetch -> Industrial Revolution Inventors fetch -> Analysis for Galveston Hurricane of 1900 fetch -> The Illuminators (Team 2) 1900 Galveston Hurricane Cycle a team Assignment fetch -> Team csi-utb ruth Reyes Jose Ferrer fetch -> Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Cycle a-teacher as a Problem Solver fetch -> Is Climate Change Starting a New Dust Bowl? Cycle A fetch -> What makes a storm a hurricane fetch -> The 1950s were the "Happy Days" because it was a time of economic prosperity, technology development, new entertainment, new fashion and family growth. The 1950s was a great time fetch -> Sputnik and The Dawn of the Space Age Download 15.16 Kb. Share with your friends:
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