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mre · Senior Member

Assignment 11b: 1920's Seminar Questions

Arthur · Veteran Member

7. Was communism a real or imagined threat to America?

In America, communism was not a real threat. The American government, whose goal was to preserve and spread democracy was terrified that communism would take over America, and the U.S. (one of the most powerful democracy) would fall to what they considered radicals and anarchists.Instead of the actual governing method of communism being a threat, the idea of communism was more damaging to society than anything else. The worry that communism could work its way into the US caused immigration to be limited to a small, racially profiled trickle. Also, people did not have freedom of speech because if they voiced their opinions and came off as radical, they were either imprisoned, or deported.The idea of communism takeover had the government in shambles racing to prevent a non existent up rise. In all, the anti-American and undemocratic steps of precaution that the country took were more damaging to the US that any communist threat.

Justin BRAGA · Veteran Member

Mr. Everett, just wanted to remind you that I already presented mine in class.

Matthew Wasilowski · Veteran Member

Why did political leadership decline in the 1920’s?

Political leadership is the ability to control and regulate the country and its problems and to make decisions and policies to help the people of the country1. Political leadership decline in the 1920’s because Presidents that resided over this time were exceptionally conservative and unable to enforce laws.

Warren G. Harding was the 29^th President of the U.S. He is considered today one the worst Presidents. In a poll of 130 professors, by Federalist Society and The Wall Street Journal, Harding was placed second to last2.This is behind Andrew Jackson who slaughtered many Native Americans, sent the U.S into a huge economic crisis, and was a huge supporter of the spoils system.

Harding’s presidency was full of corruption and scandals such as the Teapot Dome Scandal. Harding did not profit from such scandals but he was unable to enforce the law and stop them. He stated once “I have no trouble with my enemies, but my damn friends, they're the ones that keep me walking the floor nights!”3

Calvin Coolidge was the 30^th president of the U.S. He was an extremely Laissez-faire President. He was known as “Silent Cal” because he very seldom talked. Coolidge was against regulating businesses. He stated “the business of the American people is business”.

Robert Sobel, a historian, stated that As Governor of Massachusetts, Coolidge supported wages and hours legislation, opposed child labor, imposed economic controls during World War I, favored safety measures in factories, and even worker representation on corporate boards. Did he support these measures while president? No, because in the 1920s, such matters were considered the responsibilities of state and local governments."4

Herbert Hoover was the 31^st President of the U.S. Hoover was also a laissez-faire President but not to the extent of Coolidge. However his passing of the Harley-Smoot Tariff and the Bonus Army incident shows his inability to lead.

It is obvious that the three Presidents over the 1920’s lacked political leadership.

theaa · Veteran Member

2. Could the economic collapse have been prevented?

The economic collapse could not have been prevented although it could have been less dramatic. Every twenty or so years, the economy slums into recession and they were due for another one. The reason why the economy crashed so dramatically was because consumers were purchasing on credit. When Americans couldn't pay back their stock at full value, they lost money when the market crashed. The collapse could not have been prevented because a depression was due but it could have been reduced if Americans did not purchase as much with credit.

Cara · Veteran Member

8. What role did baseball play in American historic context?

In American history, baseball has often reflected what has been going in society. In the pre-Great Depression era, this is specifically true because in the history of American basball, this was known as the dead-ball era. This related to the Great Depression because is was a time in baseball where the balls themselves cost a whole $3, equivalent to $78, today which shows the financial hardships of the time. Also, games were low scoring which symbolized the struggle for work and employment the average American citizen faced. Later on, the seperate "Negro" league showed the "seperate but equal" ways of America. Evenutally, the integration of the Major League Baseball league represented the Civil Rights movement.

AWHBRY · Veteran Member

Is a consumer culture detrimental to cultural growth and progress?

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Consumer culture is a part of a society's culture in-it-of-itself. So to make the statement that consumer culture is detrimental to cultural growth or progress is subjective. In my opinion Consumer culture is just a molding factor that can shift in a multitude of shapes. However if one does not agree with how consumer culture may change traditions in society then they may deem it detrimental. In this sense the consumer culture could be detrimental as it changes various components throughout society. It could be harmful to cultural growth because, the consumer world exists as a result of the manufacturing and methods at the time by the large industrialized businesses. These corporations have perfected mass production so that they can produce millions of the same product for less. People across the nation will buy these products to replace things once done by hand so not only are they losing their inherited skills but become one of the millions who add to the new texture of conformity woven together by "technological giants". The loss of craftsmanship is one important distinction that can be lost because of an increasing consumer culture.In times of ancient civilizations many tribes and different groups were recognized by the products of their distinctive craftsmanship - it was used as a source of identity. From then to the 20th century (and obv. now) much has changed regarding the consumer culture in specific. In the twentieth century, though countries now had legal borders for identification and various other means, they have also created a distinction by the products they produce, for example - in present times, cars. This is exactly what might anger some people - the process of technology, supported by consumer consumption, replacing certain individual, unique characteristics of society. A person or peoples may consider this a hindrance in cultural growth or progress because they feel it changes an environment that they have grown accustomed to and consider the traditional proper way to live.

The 1950s and '60s in the U.S. exhibit how consumer culture didn't necessarily hinder or hurt cultural growth but rather redirected it to a more con-formative style where hundreds of wives from MA to CA bought the same kitchen ware and handy andy vacuums that led to a change in America's cultural image.

AWHBRY · Veteran Member

where can we post the research topics and ID terms? =p

AWHBRY · Veteran Member

ID TERMS! Because i didn't know where else to put them

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Feminine Mystique: Is a book written written Betty Friedan in 1963. Her book stemmed from a 1942 questionnaire which-in she surveyed women about their lives. In her non fiction book Friedan explores the mutual feelings of women and the typical housewives of the time - when their men were returning from war. Another theme described in Feminine Mystique is how expectations were set for women and why they were eventually feeling like they had and are leading incomplete lives. Lastly Betty Friedan explains how technology of the era was not helping women's world in the household at all but rather making it less valuable and meaningless.

Earth Day: An active environmentalist, senator Gaylord Nelson began the practice on April 22, 1970 as a environmentalist teach in that quickly became known as "Earth Day". The event was designed to to publicize and built the newly strengthened political movement for improving the environment. A representative from every college in the U.S. was sent to the conference.

Kent State Massacre: The Kent State shootings occurred at a peaceful protest where a group of students were picketing against the American invasion ion Cambodia. The police fired multiple rounds into the crowd killing four students and wounding nine others. Some of the students shot included simply by passers across the street.

Clean Air Act: Enacted in 1963 the clean air act was passed to reduce smog and air pollution not only for environmental respect nut for human health as well.

The Space Race: was a technological race between the US and the Soviet Union in space exploration. As one accomplishment was made by the US the SU would try to outshine them. Major accomplishments hoping to be fulfilled were the sending of man into space, building of artificial satellites, and landing on the moon. This space race evolved during the cold war.

Ho Chi Minh: was a political figurehead of Vietnam. He was a communist revolutionist who led an independence movement beginning in 1941. In '45 he overcame the French Union and set in place a communist-governed democracy. By the 50s Minh fell out of his main position but still remained an important figurehead.

Seoul: Seoul is the capital of Korea as well as its largest city with over ten million in population. This city is located in the center of the Korean Peninsula on the Han River. The city was almost entirely wiped out in the Korean War; fortunately the government enacted a series of economic development programs that helped build the city very quickly.

Apollo Program: Was the successful program by the US wherein Americans landed on the moon. The program began in '61 under Eisenhower and was fulfilled with Apollo 11 in '69. Niel Armstrong was among those who made the trip successfully. The program officially ran until '75 and was the third human spaceflight program carried out by the US.

Ayatollah Khomeini: Born in 1900 Khomeini grew to be an ardent critic of the Iranian Gov't and was exiled for his accusations in '64. He returned in '79 to overthorw the iranian gov't in just ten days and established his own Islamic Republic. In his new establishment he appointed himself Head of state for life. By historians today Khomeini is viewed as a founder of the modern shiite state.

Glasnost: was a policy of freedom and maximum publication of information regarding the situation of American institutes in the soviet union during the years of the cold war.

Bikini Atoll: is an island of coral surrounding a lagoon and is located in the Micronesian Islands (Pacific Ocean), from '46 to '58 it was the site of practice testing for over 20 nuclear weapons.

*** more are coming

AWHBRY · Veteran Member

Napalm: Is a substance used by the military for an agent/reactant. Normally it was mixed with gasoline to create a type of "jellied gasoline". Most often used for warfare as it is highly flammable.

Berlin Airlift: A first major international crisis of the cold war. Also first crisis of cold war with casualties. In response to the Soviet Union blockading railway and road access to berlin sectors belonging to western allies, the westwern allies organized the building of the Berlin Airlift to carry supplies over to their people in berlin

The Death of Mao Zedong: Mao Zedong was the chairman of the communist party of china between '66 & '76. During his time as chairman he began organizing and mobilizing china's youth the eventually reached various classes and ages which led to the formation of Red Gaurd. In ' 76 Mao died and along with him pretty all his reformation with politics, the economy and more were reversed with the xcoming in of Xiaoping's Cultural revolution of '78.

Danny · Member

Question 10

The 1920's was a time of innovation and economic boom. It marked the beginning of television and the widespread use of the radio. Entertaniment was led by cartoons, the most famous of which was Mickey Mouse. The first cinemas and filmaking industries were started, like Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Sports like baseball largely impacted society, while it was one of the ways lower class citizens could enjoy themselves. The Cultural side of the 20's was dominated by the Jazz age, lead by Louie Armstrong, and the Harlem Renaissance.

The Harlem Renaissance was an African American culutral, literary, artistic, and intellectual movment in which African Americans faught for civic participation and political and economic equality. Led by W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washigton, Lagnston Hughes, Marcus Garvey, etc, African Americans foucused on education and surrounding themselves with music and literature to better assimilate themselves in white society.

However, apart from the growing culture, many internal conflicts were taking place in the country. Women Sufferage had great growth during the 20's. These women fought for the right to vote and for prohibition. Prohibition ended all alcoholic distribution and comsumption. Other internal conflicts consisted of immigration and of the evolutionary theory. The Immigration Act of 1924 further enforced the banning of East Asians, Indians and Africans, and also put regulations on nationalities from Latin America. Evolutionary preachers were stunned when the Scopes Trial declared that John T. Scopes had violated the law by teaching evolution in schools. This quickly created tension between the theories of creationism and evolution.

The "Roaring Twenties" helped to shape modern society. The television has now become one of today's necessities. Many people enjoy the Jazz played by Armstrong today. The right to vote eavily impacted society. There are women that hold offices across the political spectrum, among them female senators and even women who run for presidency. The immigration policy can almost be seen as a foreshadowing to modern immigration policy, however, now the right to live in the U.S. is determned by legality not race. From cinema to politics the 20's helped to shape modern society.

Sarah Flood · Veteran Member

6. How did female participation affect American politics?

Female participation affected American politics because the influential woman of the 1920’s shaped a pathway for the future rights of all women of the United States. “Flappers” were the beginning of a new generation of women and a new feeling of how society viewed women’s positions in topics such as politics changed. The short skirts, drastic make-up, and edgy bob haircuts had never been seen before and set a whole new standard to what it meant to be a woman. Not only were the newly found styles scandalous and like nothing Americans had ever seen before, it was widely interpreted with risky jazz music that was considered tasteless because it was a form of music created by African-Americans in the South. Where would the world of Hollywood culture be now without the legendary silent films starring women as well as men? Where would the country be today without the first America’s little sweetheart Mary Pickford?

Without figures such as Amelia Earheart or Margaret Sager, women might not have felt inspired enough to achieve such great heights and things such as the “birth control pill,” may not have been available. All the great women advocates of the 1920’s helped bring the nation to what it is today, equality between men and women. Without the temperance movement or the women’s suffrage movement, women would have seceded to exist in the world of politics. Women involvement in the prohibition movement showed how the stepping up of the ladies of the country was benefiting men and children as well. Probably the most important of all political issues that strongly required women involvement was a woman’s right to vote. The struggle in the 1920’s was strenuous but well worth the wait. History polls show that Wyoming was the first state to have a women voter along with other states following the example later on as well.

Women in the workforce also affected political aspects of the time because acts were passed and new rights were issued to better the conditions for women working in labor such as factory jobs. Muller vs. Oregon was an act issued in order to restrict women to a 10-hour workday. The law put through was deemed extremely controversial in the matter that it helped women but also signaled them out, making the male sex superior to the female sex. The acts and laws were not passed randomly, women fought for their rights through unions, strikes, and protests. Organizations were formed and a woman’s place quickly drifted from holding nearly no rights to a considerable amount. Men were no longer thought as superior to a woman in the word of law and the path to equality between the sexes would never have been paved if it were not for the female participation in society and their advancements in politics.

-Sarah

felicity · Veteran Member

Seminar Question
How could racism be effectively combated in the 1920’s?

The 1920’s is a time in American history synonymous with organized crime, Prohibition, prosperity, and unfortunately, unchecked, rampant racism. Little to no action was taken by the government or law enforcement to quell the rising racial tensions, which ultimately led to one of the darkest chapters of prejudice ever seen.

In the South the Jim Crow Laws, Ku Klux Klan, and public lynching’s kept the local African American communities in a sense of near-panic at all times. In the West however, a brand new problem arose; The Chinatown Tong Wars. These events culminated into a perfect storm of sorts, and in the 1920’s prejudices and racism reached proportions unknown to America before.

In order to effectively combat racism in this time period, two part plan should have been implemented by the United States government. First, a special racial task-force should have been assembled to diffuse potentially dangerous situations, such as the Chinatown Tong Wars and glorified public murder, or lynching. The second phase of the revolutionary plan would be the creation of equality workshops across the country, workshops which would enlighten both children and adults and ultimately lead to a “color-less” society.

If this two part plan would have been instated in the 1920’s, it could have simultaneously squashed violent, racist actions and helped to unify the nation through education. Although, it would not be easy, racism in the 1920’s could have combated through this method because it would help to quell future generation’s racist tendencies through the equality workshops and also would a have actively caught violent actions and apprehended the individuals guilty for hate crimes such a lynching’s and the The Chinatown Tong Wars. The crippling fear that gripped the nation would have dissipated in the 1920’s if equality and understanding were commonplace and instilled in the minds of the citizens. Perhaps, if these preventive measure had been taken, the dark cloud of racism cold have been combated and flushed out through the white light of love and acceptance.

mre · Senior Member

Grades Updated 3/30/10