Concept Guide

1925 The Scopes Trial
Biology teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution to his students.
Lots of media attention and national publicity
Scopes was found guilty originally, but verdict was overturned
Creation/Evolution controversy demonstrated: contradicted the Bible
After, evolution was more widely taught in schools
Prohibition of 1920

Pushed by women's organizations

Henry Ford believed that without drinking, there would be better work ethic.
The IRS was the main enforcer of Prohibition
Prohibition actually created more speakeasies than before
"Bootleggers" "Moonshine" "Bathtub Gin" "Rum Runners"
Most rum came from Canada
1933, 21st Amendment past, repealing 18th amendment (FDR)
1920 Economic Issues
Demand
Credit cards, building up debt
Stock market speculation
Dust Bowl
Severe dust storms
Caused by drought and extensive farming without crop rotation
Over 500,000 Americans left homeless
FDR created government organizations to help
Agriculture Issues
No crop rotation and deep plowing caused dust storms
Collapse in prices
Long term agricultural depression
Farmers overproducing with new machinery after the war effort

1920 Immigration Policies
USA can thrive without immigrants
Opposition of quotas disappear

Emergency Quota Act of 1921: ethnic groups limited to 3% of 1910 population
Laws became more strict
Nativism
Americans were for isolationism following the end of WWI
Immigrant restrictions
Afraid of Communism spreading
KKK used Nativist rhetoric and reemerges 3 million strong
1920 Significant Literary Works
Main Kampf By: Hitler
The Great Gatsby By: Fitzgerald
Of Mice and Men By: Steinbeck
The Ways of White Folks By: Hughes
The Great Migration
Escaping widespread racism of the South
Better employment and education opportunities
Rapid African American increase
Harlem Renaissance
African American artistic movement
New York City
Music
Writing
Sacco and Vanzetti
Italian Anarchists
Accused and charged with robbery and murder
Sentenced to death
1920 Labor Issues
Unions were suppressed
Welfare
Wages increased, work time decreased
Lack of leadership in labor movement
The Red Scare
Afraid of Communism
Bolshevik Revolution
Afraid of un-American behavior and foreigners
Schenk vs. USA
Upheld Espionage Act
Schenck's conviction was decided constitutional
Schenck sent letters to draftees saying that the draft was motivated by capitalists