Transition to Modern America 1919 An unsettled Peace o Treaty of Versailles Articles 231 248 War Guilt Germany has to accept responsibility for war Germany has to pay for damages and give up territories 31 Billion dollars Return land won from Franco German war o Heavily industrialized worth a lot Germany forced to disarm Army reduced 100 000 and no tanks Navy allowed 6 ships no subs Not allowed to keep Air Force o US knows best French Premier scorns Wilsons idea of American democratic way of life Wilson underestimated senatorial opposition Senate saw US neutrality no intervention in global affairs Wilson goes on speaking tour for US to join League of Nations o Stroke and paralysis due to stress US does not accept Treaty of Versailles or join League of Nations Congress declares WWI over but Wilson attempts to veto o Death Count WW1 Global death 16m US 114 000 1918 Spanish Flu global 22m US 500 000 Pandemic was so bad fines for spitting or sneezing w o handkerchief Never before had so many been killed so fast Ended in Spring of 1919 o Social Tensions at Home Race Relations Summer of 1919 violent race riots in 25 major cities across nation Half million minorities moved north during Great Migration Soldiers return home and want jobs back leads to violence Chicago was worst o African man on raft drifts into white only area of beach o Whites stoned him immediately o Led to riot leaving 38 dead 537 injured 1000 homeless Labor Unrest Sept 1919 Boston Police Strike o Police walk out demand recognition of Union o Governor Coolidge tells commissioner to fire all policemen o This ends the strike Red Scare During WWI Americans hated the Hun Bolshevik revolution overthrew Russian government Communist party took over government and fear of global spread Red communist scare Unions would become communists 1919 Postal Bombs scared people more Att Gen Palmer headed witch hunt for communists o Uses crisis to gain popularity for presidency o Creates anti communist division headed by Hoover o Began rounding up and deporting aliens and immigrants suspected of having communist ties One night 5k suspected commies taken from home with no charges and were deported or imprisoned o Predicts he has information about a commie insurrection Planned Mayday May 1 1920 Nothing happened he was discredited The Second Industrial Revolution o First Indust Rev sent US to forefront of global market 1920 s US had highest standard of living o Consumer goods industries 1922 1929 economy boom Huge credit programs introduced nation went on lavish spending spree Buy now pay later o Patterns of Economic Growth Cars 1920 10m cars in US 1930 26m Ford leads way for cars competition with General Motors and Chrysler Boom depended on Americans buying cars Expensive items don t sell weekly automobile industry weakness o In 1920 s few noticed this weakness o Cars stimulated other industries i e roads rubber gas stations Electricity grows by end 1920 s 2 3 of American families have electricity Stimulate appliances i e washing machines vacuum cleaners Eased housewives burden allowed for more leisure 1920s Film Industry Thrives in Hollywood building of movie theatres 1929 weekly movie attendance near 100m Women s role became more sensual and less pious and submissive First movie with sound The Jazz Singer 1927 Age of the Corporations Large stock owners that enjoy lots of profits Corporations now finance growth and expansion Profits and Mergers End 1920 s 200 largest non financial own half country corporate wealth Stress of advertising Company seek to control spending and taste o Identify good life with product Consumerism standardization o Key production of mass production o Chain stores proliferate farmers can buy same as industrial o Dialect in films lost local flavor and became accent less o Economic Weakness Decline of Traditional industries Railways have to compete with trucking companies Coal is replace with petroleum and natural gas Cotton textiles decline with introduction of synthetic fabrics Hard Times on the Farm Hardest hit During WWI farmers expanded production to meet expectation of war After war price and exportations dropped due to less demands over sea Urban Workers Better than farmers Most new jobs come in lower paying service industries Decline of Unions companies prevent employees from joining Others woo workers away by using welfare capitalism o Offers higher wages holidays sports events etc African Americans find low paying menial jobs better than south Black population more than doubles in northern big cities Middle and Upper class Thrives as the professionals bankers engineers Progressive era leaders direct economy Their consumption fuels prosperity Positives During 1920 consumer base industries grew solidly Negative Unequal distribution of wealth Consumer debt in Buy now pay later Saturation of the appliance Big ticket market saturation Rampant speculation 1920s boom ends in great crash The Jazz Age o The metropolis Becomes center of city life Life new and different Home school and church ties loosened New perspectives and ideas o The New Woman Post war returns to pre war situation Female workers increase 1 from 1920 1930 Lower paying jobs and stereotypical fields 1920 19th Amendment ratified Far less impact than was hoped robbed women of unifying cause Suffrage didn t change gender roles 1923 Equal Rights Amendment Succeeded in having this amendment introduced into congress Others say people women needed to be protected The movement fails not adopted until 1972 1921 Sheppard Towner Act o Provides federal aid for maternal and infant health care The Flapper Haircut short skirt above the knee Was not a crusade for self progress for women Crusade for self expression through rebellion of Victorian Era Set to compete with men on golf course and bars Demanded sexual fulfillment before and during marriage Led to an increase in divorce rates o 1910 81 divorces 1000 marriages o Divorce laws became easier in 1920 lead to 161 1000 New Families Despite all the changes marriage was only approved state for women Family became smaller due to birth control Married women would take part time jobs for new things Youth movement Prior youth joined work to assist family Now youth enjoy teenage years for school and leisure Youth would now go drinking and seeking excitement Rebellion against parental authority Sexual Revolution Sophisticated city dwellers intent on exploring new sexual freedom Hollywood produces provocative movies and