HIST 2112 1st edition Lecture 17Outline of Previous LectureI. A very brief reference to the Great War, and a Couple of Key PointsII. The Antiwar Movement in World War IIII. The Reaction to Antiwar ActivitiesIV. The Red 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”II. An Economic Snapshot of the 1920sIII. The End of ProgressivismIV. The Rise of ConsumerismV. A Culture of Conformity?VI. Women and the Consumer LifestyleVII. Backlash against modernism – The Rise of Fundamentalism and the KKKCurrent Lecture I. The Twenties and the “Return to Normalcy” An era of political conservatism, rejecting An age of conflict – urban vs. rural, “new” vs. “old” modernists vs. traditionalists Traditionalists are reacting against the modernist views and activities Labor is defensive Change in gender roles, women are stepping out more A lot of people think the changes are disturbingII. An Economic Snapshot of the 1920s HUGE economic growth overall The economy grows at 7% a year, a 60% in manufacturing, 21% in per capital income, etc.. Improved standards of living, though some get it better than otherso Factory workers only went up about 15% but the white collar workers went up 30%o It is still better to be whiteThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.o 40% of Americans are living under the poverty line Exception – agriculture in troubleo Farmers aren’t doing well, they were doing good during World War I because the soldiers needed food Stock Marketo People started getting involved in crazy get rich schemeso Started investing in the stock market and their collateral is the stocks which can fall at any moment – this leads to the great depressionIII. The End of Progressivism Warren G. Harding and “Normalcy”o He was an adequate president Calvin Coolidge: a Puritan in Babylono Is all about efficiency in governmento Old fashioned for a decade that isn’to Was a business man not a progressiveo He clings to a small town world but at the same time he supports and encourages capitalismo Capitalism: an advocate for changeIV. The Rise of Consumerism Consumerism: the majority of things in life are not necessary but you want them badly The Automobile – symbol of consumerismo What the car offers and the status is alluringo The assembly line put things together quickly and cheaply so the priceof the car went down Advertisingo There would be catalogues so people could sit at home and order things “Celebrity Culture”o First decade of a significant celebrity cultureo Celebrity culture was bornV. A Culture of Conformity? Consumerism as freedom and “assimilating force”o Consumerism has released them from the dull things in lifeo It is alluring because it opens up the ability to travel whenever you wanto All races agreed on consumerism, some people say it assimilated everyone together Consumerism as shallow materialismo It has conformed peopleo Sinclair Lewis and Babbitt (1924) A commentary on America in the 1920s Tells a story about a man who is shallow and materialistico Loss of communityVI. Women and the Consumer Lifestyle “Women’s work”o Pay is low but you can work o Black women have limited work optionso There are some professional women but not many Consumerism and the tyranny of houseworko Some people argued that if women were given more appliances than they would want to stay homeo Now that machines help cleaning things quicker than the women should be able to keep spotless homeso Single women are moving into the workforce in greater numberso Women gained steady incomes which meant they did not have to get married, so then they can do what they want too Women have a vote The “New Woman” – made possible by the new consumer cultureo The “Flapper” – wild, free, fun Image versus Truth? The Flapper as non-radicals These women aren’t that radical because they do not seem to care about the vote Women who have short hair, smoke and drink in public Majority of women at this point in time are not flappersVII. Backlash against modernism – The Rise of Fundamentalism and the KKK Fundamentalists don’t like modernism, they don’t like the shallowness of everything Fundamentalism – a religious reaction against consumerism and modernism, they take the bible literallyo Flappers – whores, harlots flaunting women’s “proper roles”o Babbits – unspiritual materialists The “new” Ku Klux Klano Old Klan – stop black men from votingo New Klan – hatred reflects a changed America – immigrants, Catholics, Jews, labor unions, communists, etc…o Popular among farmers and small businessmen from small towns – those people not sharing in the prosperity of the 1920s and threatened by these new “modern” ideas and peopleo The Klan is popular all over the country and not just in the
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