POST WWI
After WWI, the United States decided it would be in their best interest to close themselves off, and not get involved in foreign affairs. This lead to many things in the US, from the stock market crashing, to social justice movements, to the infamous "Roaring Twenties".
In 1920, there was a presidential election. The current president, Woodrow Wilson, was not a candidate, as he had had a stroke and was too ill to run. The runners were Democrat James Cox and Republican Warren Harding. Harding wound up winning, due to his beliefs of the US worrying only about things in its own borders.
In 1920, there was a presidential election. The current president, Woodrow Wilson, was not a candidate, as he had had a stroke and was too ill to run. The runners were Democrat James Cox and Republican Warren Harding. Harding wound up winning, due to his beliefs of the US worrying only about things in its own borders.
FUN FACT: The population of the US in the interwar years was around 123 million. Today it’s 328 million.
MILITARY
The US Military supported a conference in the 20’s that asked to lower naval power by reducing the number of their personnelle and ships. It was in 1937 that the US congress passed the Neutrality Acts, which intended that the country didn’t get involved in any European or Asian conflicts with either side in the war. The forces were only sprung into action again after the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, 4 years after they had declared themselves neutral.
HISTORICAL POINTS
Women’s suffrage: On August 18th, 1920, the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. It ended almost a century of protest, which started in 1848 with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. This was a huge turning point in history for women all across America, and was a wake up call for feminists across the globe.
Great Depression: After WWI, America had high hopes. Perhaps too high of hopes, as they over-invested in factories. “Farmers over-invested is equipment and land. Americans took on customer debt for the first time” (Americanhistory). The stock market crashed, and America was left jobless and broke. The rate of inflation was negative (which means there was actually deflation). Millions of people were without jobs, and many turned to religion in hopes of salvation, as the Christian church's membership increased by 5% during this time.
CULTURE:
Racial segregation: Though slavery had been abolished, America was still dominated by “race hatred and oppression” (socialistalternative). Ten southern states still had laws banning mixing races in transportation such as ferries, steamboats, and railways. In 1930, a law passed in Birmingham decided that it was “an offence for Blacks and whites to be in the company of each other at checkers or dominoes”. Racism even bled into entertainment, as black face became a popular form of comedy, in which actors would paint their faces black and act out racist stereotypes. The war gave African Americans another chance and new determination to fight for a country that was theirs as much as anyone else’s.
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The Roaring Twenties: In the 1920’s, America closed itself off from the rest of the world, and decided it was a better time to enjoy themselves. Nobody had the desire to move back to their jobs of farmwork and in factories, and wanted that Hollywood-style life. More social activities sprung up, such as mini golf, dance contests, and listening to the radio. A true icon for the decade was the Flappers, “women who would dress provocatively by the standards of the time, had bobbed hair, went to clubs, smoked, and drank bootleg liquor” (ohiohistorycentral).
Citations
America Turns Inward After World War I, learningenglish.voanews.com, 2011,
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/america-turns-inward-after-world-war-1-115671794/131459.html
Linda Alchin, United States History For Kids, american-historama.org, Siteseen Limited, 2014
http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/impact-ww1-on-america.htm
19th Amendment, History.com, A+E Networks, 2010
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/19th-amendment
Roaring Twenties, history.com, A+E Networks, 2010
https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties
Panther Members, Preparing the Black Rebellion, socialistalternative.com
https://www.socialistalternative.org/panther-black-rebellion/the-civil-rights-movement/
Ohio History Central, Roaring Twenties, ohiohistorycentral.org, 2016
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Roaring_Twenties
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/america-turns-inward-after-world-war-1-115671794/131459.html
Linda Alchin, United States History For Kids, american-historama.org, Siteseen Limited, 2014
http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/impact-ww1-on-america.htm
19th Amendment, History.com, A+E Networks, 2010
https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/19th-amendment
Roaring Twenties, history.com, A+E Networks, 2010
https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties
Panther Members, Preparing the Black Rebellion, socialistalternative.com
https://www.socialistalternative.org/panther-black-rebellion/the-civil-rights-movement/
Ohio History Central, Roaring Twenties, ohiohistorycentral.org, 2016
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Roaring_Twenties