HIST 2112 Lecture 11Outline of Last Lecture I. A very brief reference to the Great War, and a couple of Key pointsA. The Great MigrationB. Woodrow Wilson, the Versailles Treaty, and the Decline of ProgressivismII. The Antiwar Movement in WWIA. “Progressive Doubters”a. Jane Addams and the Women’s Peace Partyb. Alice PaulB. Isolationists and Anti-Imperialistsa. William Jennings BryanC. Labor Protestorsa. Wages, prices, and labor unrestb. Socialists, communists, etc.1. Eugene V. DebsIII. The Reaction to Antiwar ActivitiesA. Anti-German feelings and ‘nativism”a. The American Protective LeagueB. US Legislative/executive reactiona. Post office censorship, 1917b. Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917c. The Committee on Public Informationd. Two BiggiesC. Supreme Court Reactionsa. Schenk vs. US (1919)b. Abrams vs. US (1919)c. Pierce vs. US (1920)IV. The Red ScareA. Letter bombs mailed to thirty government officialsB. A. Mitchell Palmer, J. Edgar Hoover, and the “Radical Division”C. The “Red Ark” deportationsD. Jan. 1920- The “palmer raids” arrest some 10,000 peopleE. Mitchell’s May Day Warnings and the end of the ScareV. The 1920s- The end of progressivism and the rise of the “consumer society”Outline of Current Lecture I. The Twenties and the “Return to Normalcy”A. An era of political conservatismB. An age of conflictII. An Economic Snapshot of the 1920sA. HUGE economic growth overallB. improved standards of livingC. exception – agriculture in troubleIII. The End of ProgressivismA. Warren G. Harding and “Normalcy”B. Calvin Coolidge: a Puritan in BabylonIV. The Rise of ConsumerismA. The automobileB. AdvertisingC. “Celebrity culture”V. A Culture of Conformity?A. Consumerism as freedom and “assimilating force”B. Consumerism as shallow materialisma) Sinclair Lewis and Babbit (1924)VI. Women and the Consumer LifestyleA. “women’s work”B. Consumerism and the tyranny of houseworkC. The “New Woman”a. the “Flapper” 1. Image versus Truth? The Flapper as nonradicalVII. Backlash against Modernism – The Rise of Fundamentalism and the KKKA. Fundamentalisma. Flappersb. Babbitts B. The “new” Ku Klux Klana. Old Klanb. New Klanc. Popular among farmers and small businessmen Current Lecture: I. The Twenties and the “Return to Normalcy”A. An era of political conservatism, rejecting Progressive reformB. An age of conflict – urban vs. rural, “new” vs. “old,” modernists vs. traditionalistsII. An Economic Snapshot of the 1920sA. HUGE economic growth overall- Manufacturing increases 60%- Average Per Capita Income 21% rise over 1920sB. Improved standards of living, though some get it better than othersC. Exception – agriculture in trouble- 40% still lived under poverty line, mostly farmers- They had done really good in WWI, but when the war was over, there went your market… Now, you’re stuck with a bunch of crops & nobody to buy them… over-production- By mid-1920s: farmers begin to feel depression coming (especially share-cropping)III. The End of Progressivism: capitalism becomes less threatening in the 1920s.A. Warren G. Harding and “Normalcy”B. Calvin Coolidge: a Puritan in Babylon- Dedicated to efficiency, small government- Does not like regulation… Hates Progressive reform- He doesn’t run again in 1928, Doesn’t think it’s appropriateIV. The Rise of Consumerism: - Consumerism is buying shit you don’t need, but that you want badly.- Consumer LIFESTYLE.- Lay-away plans established then as wellA. The automobile – symbol of consumerism- Model T  Henry Ford: He did not like unions, inspiration for Hitler?Paid workers well- $4 per day…- Most common motor vehicle driver in history…- 1920: 10million cars on the road- 1930: 30million cars on the road- Consumer item that helped you consume more with great allureB. Advertising- Mail-Order Catelog: Sears & Montgomery Ward- HUGE catalog with EVERYTHING they sold- Connected even rural people to the consumer economyC. “Celebrity culture”- Movie Stars: Rudolph Valentino- Sports: Babe Ruth- Preachers: Billy SundaeV. A Culture of Conformity?A. Consumerism as freedom and “assimilating force”- You can buy whatever you want, when you want it- Consumerism is the best way to assimilate immigrants?- We all come to American and start buying stufB. Consumerism as shallow materialisma) Sinclair Lewis and Babbit (1924)- George Babbitt is a real estate agent who is in his 40s and his marriage isfailing, kids are snotty & in high school… You would feel bad for him buthe is just as self-absorbed as his family- The Babbitt house was not a home… This affluence has created shallow, materialistic, unconcerned, self-centered people… What is the danger todemocracy??- “Keeping up with the Jones’”VI. Women and the Consumer LifestyleA. “women’s work”- Women move into workforce in 1920s- Subjected to restrictions of the age… Limited in Job you can do, mostly clerical work and teaching and nursing- A. American Women: Pick cotton, work in domestic services- If you are doing a man’s job, you make 57% of what he makes- Married women do not work: 88% B. Consumerism and the tyranny of housework- Expectations of cleanliness rises in the 1920s- Spotless houses and clothesC. The “New Woman” – made possible by the new consumer culturea. the “Flapper” – wild, free, fun: not all that common- URBAN, short hair, make-up, showing legs, smoking**- A lot of people hate her… Feminist mainly hate her- symbol & reality- Single women working, making own money- Why can’t I do what men do??- Is sexual power really liberating?? 1. Image versus Truth? The Flapper as non-radicalVII. Backlash against Modernism – The Rise of Fundamentalism and the KKK- Lots of people dislike consumerism & progressA. Fundamentalism - a religious reaction against consumerism and modernisma. Flappers – whores, harlots flaunting women’s “proper roles”b. Babbitts – unspiritual materialistsB. The “new” Ku Klux Klan: Anti-Evolution League (Evolution is a symbol for all anxieties about modern world… things are not always what they are about)a. Old Klan – stop black men votingb. New Klan – hatred reflects a changed America – immigrants, Catholics, Jews, labor unions, communists, etc…c. Popular among farmers and small businessmen – those people not sharing in the prosperity of the 1920s and threatened by these new “modern” ideasand