Professional Documents
Culture Documents
STUDY BUDDY
Industrial Growth:
The
growth
of
railways
paralleled
the
growth
of
heavy
industry,
coal
mining,
steel
works
and
engineering
USA
was
making
over
twice
as
many
manufactured
goods
as
Britain
by
end
of
the
19th
century,
due
to:
Large
supply
of
raw
materials/natural
resources
(coal,
iron,
copper)
Rise
in
population
from
migration,
essentially
a
mobile
labour
force
New
inventions
in
communications
and
production
(e.g.
telephone,
typewriters)
Govt
policies
encouraged
maximum
profits
which
increased
investment
This
led
to
a
need
for
further
infrastructure,
which
stimulated
further
industrial
and
agricultural
development
Immigration:
Prior
to
1850,
most
migrants
came
from
north
and
wet
Europe
(Britain,
Germany)
and
their
descendants
were
largely
WASPs
(White
Anglo-Saxon
Protestants)
who
dominated
political
and
social
scene
Mass
migration
began
in
the
1850s
Most
migrants
came
from
southern
and
eastern
Europe
(Russia,
Poland,
Italy,
Greece)
escaping
persecution
and
poverty
Between
1860-1930
total
immigration
was
over
30
million
This
led
to
movement
from
older
east
coast
to
new
frontier
in
west
USA
was
called
the
melting
pot
Most
immigrants
congregated
in
ghettoes-
each
new
wave
of
immigrants
treated
with
contempt
Most
went
to
work
in
coal
mines
and
factories
in
the
great
industrial
cities
of
the
east
and
mid-west
By
1900.
of
Chicagos
population
was
foreign
born.
New
York
was
even
higher
By
the
end
of
the
19th
century
there
was
a
large
gap
between
the
rich
and
poor
in
America
and
there
was
much
corruption.
The
govt
employed
a
policy
of
laissez
faire
(no
interference
in
business
affairs)
In
1901
Theodore
Roosevelt
became
president
He
was
a
republican
but
progressive
in
outlook.
He
made
laws
to:
Control
railway
road
prices
Protect
consumers
Conserve
natural
resources
The
Sherman
Act
forced
some
trusts
to
break
into
smaller
companies
However
these
reforms
were
not
enough
In
1912
Woodrow
Wilson
was
elected
president
He
was
a
democrat
and
a
progressive
He
had
promised
to
keep
USA
out
of
the
war,
however
in
April
1917
USA
declared
war
The
countrys
attention
diverted
to
external/foreign
affairs
and
progressive
reforms
were
forgotten
1919:
Returned Soldiers:
Strikes:
In
a
nation
at
war,
workers
demanded
less
hours
and
higher
pay-
strikes
ensued
In
many
instances,
management
has
programs
to
associate
unions
with
radicals,
in
order
to
garner
public
support
In
Seattle
there
was
a
general
strike,
where
troops
were
used
to
end
the
strike
In
Boston,
the
police
went
on
strike,
Calvin
Coolidge,
Governor
of
Boston
at
the
time
said,
there
is
no
right
to
strike
against
the
public
safety
by
anybody,
anywhere,
anytime.
Race Riots:
The
demand
for
labour
during
war
led
to
an
increasing
number
of
blacks
moving
into
industrial
centres
of
the
north-east
Poorer
whites
were
concerned
by
competition
for
jobs
(black
working
for
lower
wages);
led
to
a
series
of
race
riots
and
resurgence
of
lynching
By
end
of
war,
the
blacks
demanded
increased
rights,
equal
protection
by
the
law,
right
to
vote
and
increased
participation
in
politics
He
favoured:
Higher
tariffs
Lower
taxes
on
business
and
private
income
Fewer
immigrants
More
farm
aid
Rejection
of
the
League
of
Nations
Hardings Presidency:
He
delegated
much
of
his
presidential
authority
to
the
leaders
of
his
govt
departments
He
was
an
advocator
to
limit
the
long
working
hours
in
the
American
steel
industry
Approved
a
bill
limiting
immigration
in
1921
to
3%
of
the
population
of
the
respective
ethnic
groups
in
1910 called
the
Quota
Act
He
introduced
high
protectionism
and
proved
the
basis
of
US
economic
prosperity
in
the
1920s
(Republican
view)
1921-
miners
strike
in
W.
Virginia
led
to
violence,
and
Harding
sent
in
troops
Harding
introduced
the
Fordney
McCumber
Act
in
1922-
act
raised
tariffs
on
a
number
of
goods
Controversy:
Rumours
arose
that
Harding
was
using
his
presidency
to
further
the
interests
of
his
friends,
cynically
known
as
The
Ohio
Gang
Harding
gave
the
top
jobs
to
his
friends
e.g.
his
pal
was
made
governor
of
the
Federal
Reserve
Bank
The
Teapot
Dome
involved
2
of
Hardings
friends
and
associates
extracting
the
govts
money.
Names
were
Albert
Fall
and
Harry
Sinclair,
Fall
took
bribes
from
a
big
oil
company
that
Sinclair
was
an
executive
of.
Coolidge as President:
He
believed
that
the
only
roles
for
the
govt
was
to
balance
the
budget,
reduce
debt,
cut
taxes
and
make
easy
credit
available-
minimal
govt
His
slogan,
the
business
of
America
is
business
was
based
on
the
conviction
that,
by
allowing
big
businesses
a
free
rein
within
a
wall
of
economic
protection,
prosperity
would
be
created
In
February
1925
(Revenue
Act
of
1926),
Coolidge
halved
the
estate
tax
and
the
maximum
surtax
payable
and
abolished
the
gift
tax;
this
increased
consumer
spending
power,
encouraged
business
investment
He
was
against
migration,
Asians
werent
allowed
to
migrate,
Eastern
Europeans
were
very
restricted
(2%
of
existing
population
only).
1924-
The
National
Origins
Act
Failed
to
help
the
farmers,
Europe
responded
to
American
protectionism
with
retaliation
on
agriculture
He
was
popularly
known
as
Silent
Cal
He
believed
it
was
not
the
role
of
the
govt
to
interfere
automatically
in
peoples
lives
The
concept
of
rugged
individualism
went
on
to
underpin
much
of
his
later
work
He
headed
the
Ford
Administration
in
1917;
they
aimed
to
curb
profiteering
in
food
supplies
After
the
war,
he
was
in
charge
of
an
American
Relief
Administration
that
distributed
food,
clothing
to
refugees
in
Eastern
Europe
and
Soviet
Union
Hoover as President:
In
presidential
election
of
1928,
Hoover
polled
over
21
million
votes,
easily
won
Inaugurated
in
March
1929,
but
his
presidency
was
doomed
to
failure;
Wall
Street
Crash
of
October
1929
plunged
the
USA
into
an
economic
depression
Major
challenge
of
Hoovers
presidency
was
to
lead
America
through
crisis
He
increased
tariffs
in
to
the
Smoot-Hawley
Act
1930
to
prevent
foreign
goods
from
competing
with
American
goodsincreased
farm
goods
by
70%
and
industrial
goods
by
40%
Hoover
urged
business
leaders
to
maintain
production
levels
and
not
to
cut
wages led
to
oversupply
of
goods,
exacerbates
situation
He
was
forced
to:
Increase
federal
intervention
Increase
govt
expenditure
on
public
works
Provide
govt
loans
to
business
firms
These
initiatives,
coupled
with
direct
federal
spending
on
welfare
provision,
came
too
late
to
save
Hoover
Political
opponents
branded
him
a
Republican
reactionary,
doing
nothing
to
help
the
growing
millions
of
unemployed,
hungry
and
homeless
Americans
Hoovers
defeat
by
Franklin
D.
Roosevelt
in
1932
ended
his
political
career
His
efforts
to
find
a
middle
way
between
a
laissez-faire
approach
and
direct
state
intervention
were
dismissed
as
being
ineffective
and
inadequate
Defeat
of
Hoover
marked
end
of
Republican
ascendancy
The
Policies
of
the
Republican
Presidents:
They
lowered
taxes
on
income
and
company
profits,
giving
the
wealthy
more
money
to
invest
in
American
industry
and
buildings,
and
people
more
money
to
spend
on
US
goods
They
put
tariffs
on
imported
goods.
This
made
imports
more
expensive
compared
with
American-made
goods,
thereby
helping
American
producers
They
didnt
interfere
in
business
or
put
any
controls
on
financial
institutionsbanking
Refer
to
Fordney
McCumber
Act
1921,
Revenue
Act
1925,
Smoot
Hawley
Act
1930
Credit:
The
growth
of
credit
made
it
much
easier
for
people
to
buy
goods
even
though
they
did
not
have
enough
cash
to
pay
for
them
on
the
spot,
included
shares
and
cars
Firms
arranged
for
customers
to
pay
by
instalment
or
hire
purchase
Many
people
began
to
live
on
credit,
owing
money
to
banks
and
finance
companies
Department
stores
from
310
to
1395
from
1921-29
Confidence:
Resources:
The
USA
had
a
great
store
of
natural
resources
such
as
wood,
iron,
coal,
minerals,
oil
and
land
These
helped
America
become
a
great
industrial
power
by
beginning
of
20th
century,
and
provided
a
sound
basis
for
further
expansion
in
1920s-
allowed
for
building
of
infrastructure
and
capital
New Technology:
Development
of
electricity
provided
a
cheaper,
more
efficient
source
of
power
for
factories;
also
led
to
production
of
consumer
goods
e.g.
refrigerators,
vacuum
cleaners,
radios
The
start
of
radio
broadcasting
in
1921,
created
demand
for
radios
The
chemical
industry
created
new
cheap
materials
such
as
rayon,
bakelite
and
cellophane
Mass-Production
&
Car
Industry:
New
techniques
meant
that
goods
could
be
produced
for
cheaper
on
a
greater
scale
introduced
assembly
lines
called
taylorism
Henry
Ford
pioneered
mass-production
in
the
car
industry;
he
made
cars
so
cheaply
that
ordinary
Americans
were
buying
them
Reduced
production
time
of
cars
by
11
hours
His
ideas
were
applied
throughout
industry,
particularly
to
new
consumer
products
Henry
Ford
(1926):
the
operations
are
sub-divided
so
that
each
man
and
each
machine
do
only
one
thing.
The
thing
is
to
keep
everything
in
motion
and
take
the
work
to
the
man,
not
the
man
to
the
work.
By
mid
1920s,
car
industry
was
using:
o 96%
of
nations
oil
o 75%
of
nations
plate
glass
o 65%
of
nations
leather
o 80%
of
nations
rubber
o 20%
of
nations
steel
In
1914,
Model
Ts
cost
$850;
in
1926
the
price
was
$295
Ford
produced
1
million
Model
Ts
a
year
There
were
8
million
cars
on
the
road
in
1920;
there
were
26
million
by
1930
Ford
doubled
workers
daily
wage,
and
reduced
length
of
working
day
to
8
hrs
to
counteract
unpleasant
working
conditions
Such
rapid
progress
led
to
increased
road
construction,
more
fuel
stations
Shares:
American Conservatism:
F
Scott
Fitzgerald,
the
buildings
were
higher,
the
parties
were
bigger
and
the
morals
were
looser
on
the
1920s
AJP
Taylor
says
the
Roaring
20s
title
was
a
superficial
oversimplification,
conveniently
hiding
the
disillusion
and
intolerance
of
the
decade
Prohibition:
Power
to
ban
production,
export,
import,
transportation
or
sale
of
alcoholic
beverages
was
given
by
the
18th
Amendment
to
the
Constitution
Gradually
adopted
by
state
govts
across
America,
and
followed
up
by
National
Prohibition
or
Volstead
Act
that
defined
liquor
as
drink
containing
0.5%
of
alcohol
and
prescribed
penalties
for
breaking
the
law
By
1919,
of
states
of
US
approved
Prohibition,
by
1920
everyone
approved
Amazing
law-
legal
liquor
industry
was
7th
largest
industry
in
America
Was
a
violation
of
rights
and
freedom
of
the
bill
or
rights
and
US
constitution
Prohibition
originated
in
rural,
small
town
America
Liquor
was
perceived
to
produce
misery,
poverty,
depravity
and
violence
Anti-Saloon
League
was
a
group
whose
membership
was
drawn
from
the
middle-class
who
were
critical
of
crime
in
big
cities
e.g.
New
York
John
D.
Rockefeller
gave
both
his
personal
support
and
large
sums
of
money
to
the
league
A
large
proportion
of
Americas
brewers
were
of
German
origin;
anti-German
feeling
was
growing
in
US
Once
the
National
Prohibition
Act
became
law
nationally,
John
F.
Kramer
was
appointed
the
first
Prohibition
Commissioner-his
task
was
to
drain
America
dry
of
alcohol
He
had
1,500
agents
on
his
books
at
the
start;
by
1930
there
were
around
3,000;
task
was
impossible
as
they
were
poorly
paidopen
to
bribery;
they
were
undoubtedly
overwhelmed
by
the
criminal
forces
that
prohibition
unleashed
Sociologist
Harry
Pratt:
most
of
the
bootleggersappear
to
be
foreigners
Herbert
Hoover
described
prohibition
as
a
noble
experiment
S
Rigge
labelled
prohibition
as
an
exercise
in
Protestant
religious
fundamentalism
classes
deserved
to
be
poor
because
they
had
not
equipped
themselves
for
the
rigours
of
capitalism,
while
the
upper
class
deserved
to
be
rich
because
they
had
Editor
of
liberal
newspaper
Christian
century
wrote,
two
worlds
have
crashed,
the
world
of
tradition
and
the
world
of
modernism
USA
led
the
world
in
the
development
of
science
and
technology
throughout
much
of
the
20th
century;
however
in
1925,
an
American
science
teacher
named
John
Scopes
was
put
on
trial
in
the
state
of
Tennessee
for
teaching
part
of
his
subject
Tennessee,
along
with
15
other
states
had
passed
laws
declaring
that
Charles
Darwins
theory
of
evolution
could
not
be
taught
in
their
schools
and
universities;
they
wanted
only
the
biblical
version
of
creation
One
of
the
great
campaigners
in
defence
of
the
creationist
view
was
William
Jennings
Bryan-
he
was
an
unsuccessful
Democratic
Party
candidate
for
the
presidency
in
1896,
1900
and
1904
At
the
time
of
the
Scopes
trial,
Bryan,
who
appeared
for
the
prosecution,
was
working
towards
another
constitutional
amendment
to
ban
the
teaching
of
Darwin
from
any
school
or
university
in
the
country
In
some
parts
of
the
USA
in
the
1920s
fundamentalist
religion
which
is
the
belief
of
everything
in
the
bible,
was
highly
influential
John
Scopes
was
arrested
and
found
guilty
The
contradiction
was
evident
in
that
America
based
much
of
its
greatness
on
science
and
technology,
yet
at
the
same
time,
in
some
states,
attacked
science
and
education
through
their
own
laws
Scopes
was
subsequently
fined
$100-
Butler
Act
was
reserved
The
KKK
was
a
secret
organisation
that
was
formed
in
Tennessee
in
1865
The
Klan
was
forced
to
disband
in
the
1870s,
however
was
re-formed
in
Georgia
in
1915
Its
purpose
was
to
maintain
the
supremacy
of
while
Protestant
Americans
Was
re-formed
as
a
reaction
to
mass
immigration
The
targets
were
Catholics
and
Jews
as
well
as
African-Americans,
trade
union-members
and
anyone
else
that
was
subversive
By
mid
1920s
Klan
claimed
a
membership
of
between
2-5
million
people
In
some
areas-
Oklahoma
and
Oregon,
it
had
significant
political
power
Hooded
figures
marched
in
the
street
and
burned
crosses
in
the
night;
people
were
beaten
and
mutilated
and
intimidated
by
Klan
members
Between
1919-1929,
there
were
357
reported
incidents
of
lynchings
of
black
Americans;
numbers
began
to
drop
off
around
1929
Much
of
the
KKKs
message
resonated
throughout
society
F.
Scott
Fitzgerald
on
wife
Zelda:
flirting,
kissing,
viewing
life
lightly,
saying
damn
without
a
blush,
playing
along
the
danger
line
in
an
immature
way-
a
sort
of
mental
baby
vamp
A
flapper:
a
fashionable
young
women
intent
on
enjoying
herself
and
flouting
conventional
standards
of
behaviour
(in
the
20s)
Women
continued
on
their
quest
for
emancipation
in
the
early
1900s-however
there
was
no
national
suffrage
movement
(right
to
vote)
In
1919,
Congress
passed
the
19th
Amendment
to
the
constitution
giving
women
the
right
to
vote
During
the
1920s
and
in
spite
of
the
flapper
image,
feminist
movement
weakened
Right
to
vote
made
very
little
difference
to
majority
of
women
Women
working
only
represented
24%
of
populations
in
1920s
Medical
schools
only
allowed
5%
of
places
towards
women
Discrimination
in
wages
continued
For
women,
freedom
was
the
right
to
wear,
say
and
do
whatever
you
want
The Jazz, Rag and the Boogie Woogie- also for social tensions:
Cinema:
What
was
the
Influence
of
Mass
Media:
Social
Tensions:
Anti-Immigration:
By
rejecting
U.S
values
and
customs,
immigrants
supposedly
threatened
democracy
and
social
order
J
Briggs
suggests
the
American
conservatives
wanted
no
more
foreign
wars
and
therefore
no
more
foreigners
Refer
to
1921
Quota
Act
where
immigration
was
restricted
to
3%
of
1910
ethnic
levels
and
National
Origins
Act
(1924)
where
immigration
was
decreased
to
2%
and
Asians
werent
allowed
to
migrate
Immigrants
were
essentially
associated
with
revolutionary
ideals
By
early
20th
century,
there
were
105
different
nationalities
in
US
Anti-immigration
encouraged
by
policies
of
Republican
presidents
Anti-Communism:
Bolshevik
Revolution
of
1917
and
its
potential
to
spread
communism
abroad
caused
fear
and
alarm
in
the
democratic
states
of
the
western
world;
nowhere
more
so
than
America
The
activities
of
communist
groups
in
Russia
and
Germany
in
the
years
following
the
war
were
widely
reported
in
the
US
newspapers
General
Mitchell
Palmer
wanted
to
purge
the
land
of
what
he
called
foreign
born
subversives
and
agitators
(Palmer
Raids)-
arrested
6000
suspected
foreign
born
subversives
and
agitators
without
warrant,
of
which
500
were
deported
Palmer
tried
to
pass
laws
on
immigration
and
encouraged
prejudice
J.
Patterson
described
the
Palmer
Raids
as
the
most
evident
depravation
of
civil
liberties
in
US
history
African-American
Migration:
The
Case
of
Sacco
and
Vanzetti:
On
15th
April
1920,
2
men
were
robbed
and
murdered,
this
was
common
in
years
of
hardship
However
this
received
national
attention-
2
men
convicted
were
known
anarchists
who
had
opposed
the
war
The
judge
was
a
conservative
Republican
who
was
clearly
prejudiced
against
the
2
men
because
they
were
Italian
immigrants
and
political
activists
On
flimsy,
circumstantial
evidence,
the
men
were
convicted
and
sentenced
to
death
What
followed
was
a
7
year
struggle
to
prove
their
innocence-convictions
and
sentences
were
upheld;
killed
in
electric
chair
in
1927
Their
executions
prompted
riots
in
Paris,
Geneva,
Berlin,
Hamburg
and
Stuttgart;
by
1927,
they
had
become
martyrs
in
a
huge
left-wing,
propaganda
exercise
o They
were
the
victims
of
racial
discrimination
o Victims
of
political
mood
of
the
time
o Evidence
was
highly
circumstantial
o This
tells
us
about
American
society
at
the
time;
also
convinced
politicians
that
immigration
had
to
be
controlled
o Led
Coolidge
to
say,
America
must
be
kept
American
10
The
Scottsboro
Boys
were
9
black
teenagers
accused
of
rape
in
Alabama
in
1931
The
case
includes
a
frame
up,
all
white
jury,
rushed
trials,
an
attempted
lynching,
angry
mob
and
miscarriage
of
justice
A
fight
began
between
a
group
of
white
boys
on
the
train
and
the
black
boys;
the
white
boys
were
subsequently
kicked
off,
however
the
train
was
searched
by
a
posse
where
they
were
ordered
to
capture
every
Negro
on
the
train
2
girls
alleged
to
have
been
raped
by
the
black
boys
Still
to
this
day,
there
is
uncertainty
about
their
convictions
11
The
Banks:
Wall
street
crash
did
not
cause
the
great
depression,
it
was
the
trigger
for
economic
collapse
In
1920s,
American
banks
used
money
deposited
by
their
customers
and
lent
it
out
liberally
to
enable
speculators
to
make
quick
profits
for
themselves
on
the
stock
market
Banks
offered
easy
terms
for
loans-encouraged
high
levels
of
borrowing
In
immediate
aftermath,
those
who
had
savings
deposited
in
the
banks,
rushed
to
withdraw
their
savings;
banks
were
unable
to
recover
loans
from
bankrupt
speculators,
and
many
were
forced
to
close;
consequently
many
savers
also
lost
their
money
660
banks
closed
in
1929,
1350
in
1930,
2300
in
1931
Business
Collapse:
Businesses
were
unable
to
obtain
necessary
bank
loans
for
survival
forced
to
close
Workers
who
saved
for
a
rainy
day
had
nothing,
no
dole
to
help
people
out
US
industries
were
largely
producing
consumer
goods,
but
no
one
could
buy
them
Fall
in
demand
shorter
working
week,
unemployment,
reduced
consumer
spending
power
In
1929
3.2%
of
labour
force
unemployed;
1930-8.7%;
1931-15.9%;
1932-23.6%;
1933-24.9%
People
working
faced
wage
cuts
and
shorter
working
hours
Gross
National
Product
slumped
from
$104
billion
to
$59
billion
in
1932
Farm
prices
fell
60%
between
1929-32
5,500
banks
closed
by
1933
20,000
companies
went
bankrupt
National
income
halved;
$80
billion
in
1929-$40
billion
in
1932
12
American
banks
lent
money
to
aid
post-war
recovery
and
development
in
many
countries
e.g.
Germany
When
US
economy
collapsed,
banks
called
in
these
loans;
sudden
loss
of
financial
support
from
America
led
to
economic
collapse
abroad
As
many
countries
also
sank
into
depression,
they
couldnt
repay
the
loans,
US
banks
unable
to
recover
the
money
they
had
loaned
Business
leaders
summoned
to
White
House-
pledged
to
maintain
wages
and
employment
Hoover
called
on
municipal
and
state
govts
to
create
public
works
projects
to
sustain
employment
In
October
1930,
Hoover
established
the
Emergency
Committee
for
Employment
to
coordinate
voluntary
relief
agencies-
didnt
make
huge
impact
He
persuaded
nations
largest
bankers
to
lend
money
to
smaller
banks
to
make
loans
to
businesses
He
cut
taxes
at
home,
and
increased
govt
spending
to
$2.2
billion
in
1931
13
None
of
these
needs
met
American
people
had
lost
confidence
in
their
economy
and
republican
politicians
Hoover
also
raised
interest
rates
in
1931=wrong
move
Hoover
continued
to
govern
for
4
months
after
Roosevelt
had
been
elected;
known
as
the
lame
duck
months
In
these
4
months
Hoover
cut
taxes
and
promised
to
reduce
govt
spending
by
$800
million,
reorganise
banking
system,
reduce
spending
on
weapons,
and
make
loans
available
for
businesses-
all
these
policies
failed
Unemployment
reached
15
million
in
these
months
February
1933
banks
throughout
US
started
to
close
as
customers
were
taking
out
their
savings,
banks
did
not
have
enough
cash
to
pay
them
all
By
beginning
of
March
1933
every
bank
in
America
was
closed
At
Roosevelts
inauguration
he
said
hed
use
Wilsons
Trading
with
the
Enemy
Act
(power
to
take
action
without
asking
for
congressional
ratification)
14
the
economy,
and
it
must
be
accepted
that
taxes
must
rise
to
finance
schemes
to
create
jobs
David
Kennedy,
the
country
was
in
measurable
degree,
remade
Hofstadters,
the
New
Deal
was
a
drastic
new
departurein
the
history
of
American
reformism
Roosevelt
set
up
alphabet
agencies
agencies
intended
to
help
those
suffering
from
depression
FDR
said,
take
a
method
and
try
itif
it
fails
try
another.
But
above
all,
try
something
Harry
Hopkins
and
the
CWA:
Hopkins
believed
unemployed
should
be
given
work,
not
dole-
gave
unemployed
self
respect
Created
4.2
million
jobs,
involved
light
construction
maintenance
jobs,
road
work
and
unskilled
jobs
People
who
opposed
the
idea
argued:
o Work
relief
was
more
costly
than
paying
the
dole,
believed
it
was
a
waste
of
money
o The
PWA
already
existed
to
create
jobs
o Some
thought
the
jobs
were
created
for
the
sake
of
jobs
The
CWA
spent
$1
billion
on
short-term
projects
Some
wondered
whether
some
of
the
jobs
actually
existed-
these
jobs
named
boondoggles
When
at
the
end
of
winter,
the
CWA
was
disbanded,
4
million
Americans
found
themselves
once
again,
out
of
work
They
were
able
to
survive
the
winter
however-wouldnt
have
been
able
to
with
Republicans
Harold
Ickes
and
the
PWA:
Harold
Ickes
was
very
careful
with
the
govts
money
Believed
the
money
should
have
a
lasting
effect
on
the
nation
Was
seen
as
slow
and
indecisive,
least
popular
of
the
New
Dealers
There
was
rivalry
between
Ickes
and
Hopkins
Between
1933-1939,
the
PWA:
o Built
70%
of
nationss
schools,
35%
of
its
hospitals
o Constructed
4
big
river
dams
o Constructed
50
airports
o Responsible
for
the
electrification
of
the
railway
from
NY
to
Washington
o Employed
over
4
million
people
Ickes
was
so
concerned
about
giving
tax
payers
value
for
money,
that
he
subjected
all
proposals
to
the
closest
of
scrutiny
money
was
slow
to
trickle
through
the
economy
Problem
of
the
nations
unskilled
workers
wasnt
fixed
The
Works
Progress
Administration
(WPA):
Set
up
by
Harry
Hopkins
in
1935
to
help
millions
of
unskilled
workers
Between
1935-39
it
became
the
countrys
biggest
employer,
giving
work
to
an
average
2
million
people
each
year
15
This
gave
workers
confidence,
self
respect
and
more
importantly
money
to
spend
on
goods
which
would
in
turn
create
more
jobs
WPA
was
assigned
the
derogatory
label,
we
piddle
around,
as
a
result
of
creating
jobs
which
according
to
the
opposition
didnt
exist
increased
from
256,000-800,000
in
this
period,
women
were
active
in
defence
of
their
rights
What
did
the
New
Deal
do
for
Women?
Eleanor
Roosevelt
to
all
women:
get
into
the
game
and
stay
in
it.
Throwing
mud
from
the
outside
wont
help.
Building
up
from
the
inside
will
New
Deal
focused
on
stimulating
jobs,
not
on
womens
rights
The
minimum
wage:
16
17
Agricultural
Adjustment
Administration
(AAA):
The
aims
of
the
AAA
were
to
raise
commodity
prices
to
pre-1914
levels
by
adjusting.
If
smaller
amounts
of
farm
produce
were
sold
at
market,
the
prices
would
rise
To
encourage
farmers
to
decrease
production,
compensation
was
offered
Cotton
farmers
were
encouraged
to
plough
10
million
acres
of
their
crop
back
into
the
ground
and
received
generous
compensation
for
doing
so
The
decision
to
slaughter
6
million
piglets
to
boost
pork
prices
prompted
public
outcry
Some
of
the
meat
was
used
to
supplement
the
diet
of
the
unemployed
in
the
cities
Wallace
on
the
issue:
to
hear
them
talk,
you
would
have
thought
that
pigs
were
raised
for
pets
Criticisms
of
the
AAA:
o Many
Americans
were
asking
why
crops
were
being
destroyed
and
animals
slaughtered
when
millions
were
starving
throughout
the
country
o Roosevelt
and
Wallace
argued
it
was
impossible
to
distribute
the
surplus;
they
believed
for
distribution
to
take
place
there
would
need
to
be
a
dramatic
change
in
the
structure
of
the
American
economy
o Overall
farm
incomes
doubled
from
period
of
1932-1936
o The
AAA
was
cancelled
in
1936
by
the
Supreme
Court
o Family
run
businesses
were
more
severely
affected
o Commercial
farms
benefitted
the
most
from
it
Assessing
the
achievements
of
the
AAA:
o Financial
compensation
was
paid
on
the
basis
of
acres
left
uncultivated
and
not
to
individual
farmers
on
the
basis
of
their
need
o The
system
was
voluntary
and
depended
on
farmers
themselves
meeting
together
to
decide
how
many
acres
should
be
taken
out
of
production
o They
supervised
each
other-
ensured
promised
drops
in
production
actually
occurred
o As
production
decreased,
crops
were
destroyedfarmers
needer
fewer
workers
o Sharecroppers
were
the
biggest
losers
in
this;
3
million
(half
black)
had
to
leave
the
land
and
seek
work
elsewhere
o AAA
had
limited
success
in
dealing
with
problems
faced
by
farmers;
those
who
owned
the
larger,
well-established
farms
gained
large
amounts
of
money
in
compensation
for
cutting
production,
but
AAA
did
little
to
improve
lives
of
millions
of
farm
workers,
many
of
whom
were
black,
who
continued
existed
in
poverty
and
starvation
o Jim
Powell
said
the
AAA
both
destroyed
jobs
and
forced
prices
higher
Suffering
of
the
farmers
was
made
much
worse
by
the
climatic
disaster
of
1934/35
on
the
Great
Plains,
which
resulted
in
The
Dust
Bowl
The
effects
of
the
dust
storm:
Once
winds
had
ceased
and
dust
had
settled,
farmers
were
able
to
assess
damage
18
The
land
was
dead,
with
deep
cracks
running
through
it
and
surrounding
hills
badly
eroded;
there
were
no
signs
of
bird
or
animal
life,
a
grim
omen
of
troubles
to
come
Tens
of
thousands
of
farming
families
packed
their
belongings
and
joined
in
the
migration
to
the
charity
camps
of
California,
seeking
a
new
beginning
to
their
lives
They
were
labelled
Orkies
and
Arkies,
terms
used
for
all
such
migrants,
not
just
those
from
Oklahoma
and
Arkansas
Between
1935
and
1940,
350,000
refugees
arrived
in
California
from
stricken
areas
of
the
Midwest;
in
many
cases
they
received
a
hostile
welcome
Presence
was
seen
as
a
threat
to
Californian
farmers
who
themselves
were
struggling
to
survive
They
were
thought
to
have
too
many
children
and
were
branded
as
lazy,
irresponsible
and
untrustworthy
Help
for
Orkies
and
Arkies
were
restricted
to
alphabet
agencies
Food
prices
doubled
between
1932-37;
good
news
for
those
that
survived
in
farming
Govt
programmes
to
promote
soil
conservation
and
electrification
were
welcomed
Farmers,
through
their
involvement
in
the
running
of
the
AAA,
were
becoming
more
important
politically;
however
these
benefits
were
not
shared
by
sharecroppers
19
The
Resettlement
Administration
set
up
in
May
1935-offered
loans
to
small
farmers
to
buy
their
own
land
The
Rural
Electrification
Administration
set
up
in
Spring
1935,
gave
low-interest
loans
to
companies
to
extend
90%
rural
electricity
Jan
1936,
AAA
declared
unconstitutional,
the
Conservation
and
Domestic
Allotment
Act
set
up,
paid
farmers
to
reduce
production
of
crops
The
Banking
Act
of
Aug
1935,
increased
control
of
Federal
Reserve
board
over
banks
and
money
supply
The
Public
Utilities
Holding
Company
of
Aug
1935,
restricted
gas
and
electric
companies
to
one
geographical
region
The
Revenue
Act
increased
personal
taxes
at
higher
income
levels,
raised
corporate
taxes
and
boosted
levies
on
gifts
and
estates
goal
of
income
redistribution
The
National
Labour
Relations
Act:
On
5
July
1935,
Congress
passed
the
National
Labour
Relations
Act-
also
known
as
the
Wagner
Act-
Robert
Wagner
set
up
the
National
Labour
Relations
Act
It
made
joining
trade
unions
legal
and
bargain
collectively
through
representatives
Improved
workers
conditions
at
expense
of
employers
Union
membership
went
from
3.3
million
in
1933-9
million
in
1939
20
Opposition
to
the
New
Deal:
His
battles
with
the
Supreme
Court
slowed
down
reform,
major
factor
in
end
of
the
New
Deal-
not
everyone
benefited
from
it
Attacks
on
New
Deal
came
from:
o Conservative
politicians
from
Republican/democratic
parties
and
businessmen
o Individuals,
e.g.
Huey
Long,
Father
Charles
Coughlin,
Dr
Frances
Townsend
o The
supreme
court
Republicans
were
strong
opponents
of
the
New
Deal;
they
represented
the
interests
of
Americas
rich
families
and
large
businesses
They
attacked
the
New
Deal
for
its
huge
govt
expenditure
Complained
money
was
being
wasted,
lasting
jobs
werent
being
created
Attacked
Roosevelt
for
raising
personal
taxes
on
higher
income
earners
Critical
of
high
budget
deficits
Critical
of
govt
intervention
in
the
economy,
e.g.
production
targets
and
wage
levels.
Roosevelts
economic
regulation
threatened
their
profits
New
Deal
was
perceived
as
a
threat
to
capitalism
and
individual
liberty
In
1934,
there
were
still
11
million
Americans
unemployed
In
1934,
the
American
Liberty
League
was
established
to
preserve
individual
liberty,
threatened
the
New
Dealbacked
by
wealthy
businessmen
Conservative
wing
within
Democrat
party
were
worried
about
the
direction
Roosevelt
was
taking
the
party
As
New
Deal
policies
in
1935
became
more
radical,
Democrats
found
it
more
difficult
to
support
them,
causing
splits
within
the
party
21
Clashes
with
the
most
supreme
court
was
Roosevelts
most
serious
opposition
Supreme
court
dominated
by
Republicans,
judges
opposed
policies
Sick
chickens
case:
o May
1935,
4
Jewish
brothers
(the
Schechters)
convicted
of
selling
diseased
chickens
o They
had
signed
the
NRA
codes
for
fair
prices,
wages
and
competition
o They
appealed,
27th
May,
Supreme
Court
declared
NRA
code
illegal
on
basis
of
protecting
federalism
in
constitution
o 750
NRA
codes
scrapped
The
United
States
v.
Butler:
o 1936,
Supreme
Court
angered
Roosevelt
further
by
declaring
AAA
illegal
o Payments
to
farmers
ceased
from
fed
govt
Of
16
Supreme
Court
cases
on
alphabet
agencies,
11
were
deemed
unconstitutional
Roosevelt
used
new
laws
to
get
around
these
judgements
and
decided
to
act
against
the
Supreme
Court
after
election
victory
in
1936
Reform
of
the
Supreme
Court:
5th
Feb
1937;
Roosevelt
proposed
that
if
a
judge
did
not
resign
6
months
after
his
70th
birthday,
the
President
would
be
allowed
to
elect
extra
judgesnot
passed
by
congress
This
was
seen
as
a
deliberate
attempt
to
pack
the
court
with
judges
that
would
support
him
He
failed
to
consult
with
senior
members
of
his
party
before
launching
the
bill
22
In
March/April
1937,
the
Supreme
Court
reversed
the
Schechter
decision,
in
May
declared
old-age
pension
unemployment
insurance
legal
Reform
had
slowed
down,
because
Roosevelt
was
too
busy
fighting
the
Supreme
Court
Tough Opposition:
Roosevelt
re-election
was
the
signal
for
many
trade
unionists
to
increase
their
efforts
to
form
single
unions
for
each
major
industry
and
pressurise
for
higher
wages
and
better
working
conditions
1937-
the
Union
of
Auto
Workers
forced
GM
to
shut
down
due
to
a
sit
down
strike
which
was
highly
publicised
Employers
were
angered
that
Roosevelt
took
sides
with
workers,
whilst
at
the
same
time
opposed
the
Supreme
Court
1937,
Roosevelt
cut
govt
spending,
WPA
and
PWA
hit
badly
Unemployment
rose
from
14.3%-19.1%
in
9
months
(1937-38)
1938,
Roosevelt
changed
mind,
request
of
$1bn
for
PWA
and
$1.4bn
for
WPA
granted
by
congress
Important
acts
of
1937-1938:
o In
1937,
the
Wagner-Steagall
Act
made
money
available
for
low-cost
housing
o 1937,
the
Farm
Tenancy
Act
made
loans
available
to
farm
tenants
and
sharecroppers
o 1938,
a
new
AAA
granted
subsidies
for
food
products
and
soil
conservation
o 1938,
the
Fair
Labour
Standards
Act
introduced
maximum
hours
and
minimum
wages
Attention
of
many
Americans
was
moving
towards
the
worsening
situation
in
Europe
New
Deal
policies
were
seen
as
an
attack
on
individual
freedom
and
liberty
and
threatened
to
turn
the
US
into
a
communist
state.
Others
saw
it
as
potentially
developing
into
national
socialism
Ordinary
Americans
worshipped
him
as
a
god
Time
Magazine
1936:
regardless
of
party
and
regardless
of
religion,
today,
with
few
exceptions,
members
of
the
so-called
upper
class
frankly
hate
Franklin
Roosevelt
Ordinary
American
to
Roosevelt,
We
dont
amount
to
much,
but
we
are
joined
with
those
millions
of
other
in
praying
for
you
every
night.
God
bless
you,
Mr
Roosevelt
Employment-
did
not
end
unemployment
but
brought
partial
economic
recovery.
Roosevelt
showed
initiative
in
attempting
to
eradicate
unemployment.
On
the
other
hand
Jim
Powell
says
the
New
Deal
failed
to
resolve
the
most
important
problem
of
the
era;
chronic
unemployment-10
million
Americans
out
of
work
in
1939
(17%
of
workforce)
The
role
of
govt-
Under
Roosevelt,
govt
had
the
responsibility
to
look
after
its
citizens,
regulate
capitalism
and
ensure
economic
prosperity.
William
Leuchtenburg
said
FDR
had
become
the
first
modern
president
The
bureaucracy-
Roosevelt
created
a
large
modern
bureaucracy
needed
for
a
modern
national
govt
The
constitution-
economic
regulation
was
no
longer
considered
unconstitutional
Compassion-
Roosevelt
showed
compassion,
set
an
example
of
care
for
all
people
in
US
Welfare-
the
ND
began
basic
welfare
provisions,
turned
the
idea
of
welfare
into
law
The
role
of
the
President-
Roosevelt
had
a
practical
approach
to
countrys
problems.
Image
of
him
in
partnership
with
the
people
in
a
crusade
to
restore
the
nations
greatness
was
a
strong
one
Morale-
Roosevelt
restored
the
morale
of
the
nation,
fireside
chats
a
great
example.
David
Kennedy,
Roosevelt
had
given
the
American
people
renewed
faith
in
their
country
and
its
way
of
life
23
Broadus
Mitchell
says
the
economic
recovery
was
like
watching
blood
drain
back
into
a
blanched
face
Criticisms of Roosevelt:
NRA-
the
ND
did
not
fundamentally
redistribute
income,
some
alphabet
agencies
did
little,
NRA
did
more
harm
than
good.
The
US
income
profile
in
1940
resembled
that
of
1930.
FDR
was
reluctant
to
engage
in
massive
deficit
spending
Housing-
no
solution
found
to
housing
shortage
caused
by
the
Depression
Discrimination-
nothing
done
to
improve
the
civil
rights
and
the
working
and
living
conditions
of
black
people.
Immigration
quotas
halted
German
Jews
entry
to
US.
George
Shuyler
maintains
that
African
Americans
had
been
in
depression
all
the
time.
TVA
and
CCC
racially
segregated
their
workers,
while
the
entire
ethnicity
was
excluded
from
social
security
benefits
Women-
not
much
done
to
encourage
the
changing
role
of
women
in
ND
period.
The
New
Deal
was
too
focused
on
the
interests
of
the
male
breadwinner
to
appropriately
offer
the
female
professional
anything
in
the
way
of
economic
independence;
gender
inequities
in
the
workforce
not
addressed,
social
security
officers
were
discriminatory
in
giving
payments
to
women
Right
Wing
Critics-
claimed
FDR
had
gone
too
far
in
terms
of
govt
intervention
by
setting
up
too
many
overlapping
and
inefficient
agencies,
agencies
simply
got
in
the
way
of
recovery,
created
administrative
anarchy
in
Washington
Left
Wing
Critics-
claim
FDR
had
not
gone
far
enough,
stress
that
many
New
Deal
policies
benefitted
many
privileged
groups
(like
large
farmers),
not
the
weak
and
dispossessed
(sharecroppers)
David
Kennedy:
The
war
got
us
out
of
it,
not
the
New
Deal
policies
Jim
Powell
says
increased
business
taxes
fundamentally
discouraged
employers
from
hiring
and
indeed
keeping
staff,
while
the
AAA
both
destroyed
jobs
and
forced
prices
higher
still
Joseph
Alsop:
essence
of
his
achievementis
derived
from
the
combined
impact
of
all
his
domestic
reforms.
On
a
very
wide
front
and
in
the
truest
possible
sense,
Franklin
Delano
Roosevelt
included
the
excluded
A
Badger,
the
ultimate
constraint
that
circumscribed
the
New
Deals
achievements:
the
underlying
conservative
response
of
the
people
themselves
to
the
Depression
J.M.
Burns:
Economically
the
New
Deal
had
been
opportunistic
in
the
grand
manner
1921
Warren
Harding
in
his
inaugural
speech
outlined
the
view
that
if
Americas
vital
interests
in
the
Americas
or
Pacific
were
at
stake,
then
the
USA
would
intervene
Harding-
We
dont
mean
to
be
entangled,
his
determination
for
there
to
be
no
alliances
or
commitments
that
would
infringe
American
sovereignty
He
was
happy
to
be
involved
in
disarmament
and
setting
up
International
Court
of
Justice
However
didnt
want
to
be
involved
in
world
affairs
particularly
in
Europe
Republican
approach
isolationist
and
the
main
reason
they
didnt
join
the
League
of
Nations
had
the
support
of
most
Americans
Harding
must
have
realized
there
was
no
going
back
to
the
old
world
of
1914
and
a
new
international
system
would
have
to
be
established
post
WW1
Appointed
Secretary
of
State,
Charles
Evans
Hughes
and
Secretary
of
Commerce
Herbert
Hoover
to
look
after
foreign
policy
24
Hughes
and
Hoover
agreed
that
America
couldnt
be
completely
isolated
from
world
affairs
Hughes
believed
in
the
importance
of
the
American
influence
in
the
world
Hoover
stressed
the
US
must
remain
free
to
act
in
its
own
interests
Believed
that
individual
enterprise,
should
be
extended
to
other
countries
US
Foreign
Policy
during
the
1920s
aims:
o Believed
in
diplomatic
involvement
to
maintain
peace
o Economic
involvement
to
support
and
encourage
the
development
of
European
economies
which
would
provide
opportunities
for
American
investment
Diplomatic
Involvement:
Washington
Treaty
System
1924:
Kellogg-Briand
Pact
1928:
Briand
French
Foreign
Minister
wanted
an
agreement
to
outlaw
war
and
draw
America
into
security
should
Germany
attack
France
Kellogg
secretary
of
state
wanted
to
promote
peace
and
cleverly
invited
most
of
the
world
powers
to
produce
a
multilateral
agreement
for
peace
America
realized
they
needed
foreign
policy
to
provide
necessary
support
for
American
investment
Post-war
loans;
Germany:
25
Other
examples
of
US
action:
Latin America:
Entered
into
friendly
agreement
with
Latin
America
significantly
reducing
American
influence
Withdrew
troops
from
Haiti
and
Dominican
republican
and
Cuba
as
well
as
nationalizing
Mexican
oilfields
Good
Neighbour
Policy:
Trade
Agreements:
Made
it
impossible
for
Roosevelt
to
give
any
kind
of
aid
to
warring
states
First
Act
(1935)
removed
distinction
between
aggressor
and
victim
Second
Act
(1937)
stopped
loans
to
countries
engaged
in
war
including
trade
Roosevelt
failed
to
make
any
gesture
that
might
have
prevented
war
in
Europe
Failed
to
enforce
the
Treaty
of
Versailles
on
Hitler
Unsympathetic
to
the
plight
of
the
Jews
and
immigrants
Damage
had
been
done
before
he
decided
to
ease
US
immigration
laws
Passed
trade
agreement
with
Britain
in
1938
which
became
basis
for
their
alliance
Neutrality
Act:
War
on
the
European
Horizon:
26
USA
took
particular
interest
in
Japan
especially
the
concern
with
Japan
attacking
China
USA
responded
by
placing
an
embargo
on
goods
going
to
Japan
Outbreak
of
WWII:
Roosevelt
realised
that
the
USA
would
not
be
able
to
remain
neutral
1940
he
knew
he
would
have
to
enter
the
war
Selective
Service
Act
allowed
young
men
to
be
conscripted
and
produce
50,000
planes
a
year
End
of
Neutrality:
o 1940
destroyers
for
bases
deal
with
Britain
o Lend
Lease
Act
send
aid
to
countries
o Atlantic
Conference
in
1941
with
Churchill
o US
sanctions
on
Japan
1940
only
7.7%
favoured
voluntary
entry
into
war
After
Pearl
Harbour
it
was
the
end
of
isolationism
On
American
entry
into
war,
Roosevelt
unleashed
Americas
power:
o Alphabet
Agencies
replaced
by
wartime
production
o Government
spending
increased
to
$250
million
a
day
o Methods
of
production
used
for
wartime
production
o Raw
materials
rose
significantly
o Produced
80%
of
its
needs
o Reversed
the
fortunes
of
the
farmers
with
higher
wages
o Unemployment
and
redistribution
moved
positively
o Raised
standard
of
living,
purchasing
power
rose
by
50%
Women
in
Wartime
America:
Women
operated
cranes,
weld
up
ships,
worked
in
munitions,
factories,
drove
taxis,
busses
and
trains,
became
electricians
6
million
women
entered
the
workforce
between
1942-45
Earned
about
65%
of
what
men
did
Women
entered
the
armed
forces300,000
of
them
Divorce
rates
in
USA
doubled
Delinquency
(crime)
rates
amongst
teenagers
rose
alarmingly
82%
of
public
believed
women
shouldnt
work
QUOTES
Calvin Coolidge, said, there is no right to strike against the public safety by
anybody, anywhere, anytime
Harding let us return to normalcy
Harding We dont mean to be entangled- in relation to foreign policy
Coolidge, the chief business of the American people is business
Coolidge, America must be kept American
Coolidges declaration less government in business.
Willoughby concludes The net effect of tariffs in the 1930s was to exacerbate
the Depression by hampering world trade
27
Dennett and Dixon state that Hoovers ultimate failure in regards to the
Depression was his incapacity to experiment with the economy and spend more
Catchings and Foster claimed that The economy produced more than it
consumed, because the consumers did not have enough income. Thus the unequal
distribution of wealth throughout the 1920s caused the Great Depression
Mellon (secretary of treasury), a decrease in taxes causes an inspiration to trade
and commerce
Saloutos and Hicks believe the decline of foreign markets due to protection was
the main reason for the slump in farming in the 1920s
Ferrell said only the richest 2% of taxpayers paid any federal income tax
F Scott Fitzgerald, the buildings were higher, the parties were bigger and
the morals were looser on the 1920s
S Rigge labelled prohibition as an exercise in Protestant religious
fundamentalism
Richard Hofstadter wrote that prohibition, "was a pseudo-reform, a pinched,
parochial substitute for reform" that "was carried about America by the ruralevangelical virus"
Herbert Hoover described prohibition as a noble experiment
The Congressional Committee 1931 the higher paid workingmen and their
families are drinking in large numbers in quite frank disregard of the declared
policy of the National Prohibition Act
28
D. Nasaw said the New Deal ushered in the birth of the American welfare state
Hofstadter, the New Deal was a drastic new departurein the history of
American reformism
David Kennedy, the country was in measurable degree, remade
FDR said, take a method and try itif it fails try another. But above all, try
something
WPA was assigned the derogatory label, we piddle around
Eleanor Roosevelt to all women: get into the game and stay in it
Ed ONeal (farmers union leader) 1933: unless something is done to help the
farmers, we will have a revolution in the countryside within less than 12
months
Henry Wallace, to hear them talk, you would have thought that pigs were raised
for pets
Jim Powell says increased business taxes fundamentally discouraged employers
from hiring and indeed keeping staff, while the AAA both destroyed jobs and
forced prices higher still
Roosevelt: the Tennessee valley was the nations number one economic
problem
John L. Lewis, Labour gained more under President Roosevelt than any
president in memory
Time Magazine 1936: few exceptions, members of the so-called upper class
frankly hate Franklin Roosevelt
Jim Powell says the New Deal failed to resolve the most important problem
of the era; chronic unemployment
Republican Alfred Landon criticised Roosevelt for wasting money and not
balancing the budget
William Leuchtenburg said FDR had become the first modern president
David Kennedy, Roosevelt had given the American people renewed faith in
their country and its way of life
Broadus Mitchell says the economic recovery was like watching blood drain
back into a blanched face
George Shuyler maintains that African Americans had been in depression
all the time
David Kennedy: The war got us out of it, not the New Deal policies
29
ESSAY
To
what
extent
was
American
society
conservative
between
1919
and
the
early
1930s?
American
society
in
the
period
between
1919
to
the
early
1930s
was
conservative
to
a
considerable
extent
however
there
were
also
sectors
of
society
who
opposed
conservatism.
Such
conservatism
was
evident
in
societys
attitudes
to
the
consumption
of
alcohol
and
the
subsequent
push
for
prohibition,
the
belief
in
religious
fundamentalism,
the
rise
of
the
KKK
and
the
growing
social
tensions
of
the
time.
Conversely,
the
changing
attitudes
of
women
in
the
1920s
and
the
jazz
age
opposed
conservatism.
Conservatism
in
society
was
evident
in
the
push
for
prohibition.
The
push
for
prohibition
originated
in
rural,
small
town
America
and
spread
to
the
larger
cities..
It
was
a
crusade
against
liquor
inspired
by
the
misery,
poverty,
depravity
and
violence
that
alcohol
was
perceived
to
produce
as
well
as
the
efficiency
lost
in
the
production
process
from
anti-sober
workers.
Sections
of
American
society
played
a
key
role
in
securing
prohibition
with
the
main
push
coming
from
the
Anti-Saloon
League,
whose
membership
was
drawn
from
middle-class,
Protestant,
church-going
Americans
who
were
critical
of
the
crime
that
resulted
from
alcohol.
Its
conservative
nature
is
evident
in
Rigges
statement
of
prohibition
as
being
an
exercise
in
Protestant
Religious
fundamentalism.
To
function,
the
Anti-Saloon
League
had
the
backing
of
wealthy
businessmen
such
as
John.
D
Rockefeller,
who
gave
both
his
personal
support
and
large
sums
of
money
to
the
League.
In
1919,
the
National
Prohibition
Act,
commonly
known
as
the
Volstead
Act
was
introduced
which
defined
liquor
as
drink
containing
0.5%
of
alcohol
and
prescribed
penalties
for
the
consumption,
purchase
and
sale
of
alcohol.
The
Womens
Christian
Temperance
Union
(WCTU)
opposed
the
sale
of
liquor
in
the
1920s.
At
the
time,
the
WCTU
stated
wine
contained
the
narcotic
poison,
alcohol,
which
cannot
truly
represent
the
blood
of
Christ.
This
demonstrates
that
the
conservative
attitudes
that
instigated
prohibition
were
supported
by
some
sections
of
society.
Despite
this,
there
were
large
numbers
of
people
opposed
to
the
conservative
attitudes
that
led
to
prohibition.
Such
opposition
was
highlighted
in
the
Congressional
Committees
statement
in
1931,
it
is
evident
thathigher
paid
working
men
are
drinking
in
large
numbers
in
quite
frank
disregard
of
the
declared
policy
of
the
National
Prohibition
Act,
thus
the
Volstead
Act
was
opposed
by
many
American
.
This
could
be
largely
seen
in
the
increase
in
crime.
Crime
can
be
attributed
to
the
Mafia,
who
flourished
in
this
period
by
creating
additional
business
for
themselves
through
the
importation
and
sale
of
alcoholic
30
31
32
33