America at the Turn of the Century. World War I (US view) President Wilson- declares US neutrality, but the Lusitania is sunk in 1915 by Germany Unrestricted.

America at the Turn of the Century

World War I (US view)World War I (US view)President Wilson- declares US

neutrality, but the Lusitania is sunk in 1915 by Germany

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare- used by the Germans to sink all ships near Europe, the U.S. complains

Zimmerman telegram- letter Germany sends to Mexico asking them to attack the U.S. and they would help fight us, President Wilson declares war

Domestic Impact of WW IDomestic Impact of WW ISelective Service Act (draft)– Random selection

process so that all groups would be called into service

Women at work – 1st time ever

Daylight Savings Time- designed to save fuel

Migration of workers – Mexicans and African-Americans took advantage of the open jobs in the north

Great MigrationGreat Migration

Great MigrationGreat Migration

• From 1910-1930, African-Americans migrate from the South to the North

• Reasons-

1.Escape Jim Crow Laws in the South

2.Jobs in factories in Northern cities during WWI

3.Anger over not being treated equal after fighting for America in WWI

Espionage and Sedition ActEspionage and Sedition ActEspionage and Sedition

Act – 20 year prison sentence for inciting rebellion in the armed forces or obstructing the draft.

Sedition centered on anyone making disloyal or abusive remarks about the U.S. government

Eugene DebsEugene Debs• Former leader of the

AFL, now Socialist Party Presidential Candidate

• Jailed in Atlanta for violating the Espionage and Sedition Act, speaking out against recruiting

Wilson’s Fourteen PointsWilson’s Fourteen Points

Key ideas the President felt were needed to avoid another World War

League of Nations- suggested as a peacekeeping organization

Senate opposition- U.S. Senators reject the Treaty of Versailles in favor of isolationism, many believe the League would draw them into another European war

ProhibitionProhibition• 18th Amendment-

banned the sale of alcohol in the United States

• Passed during the Progressive Era

Women’s Suffrage Women’s Suffrage

• 19th Amendment- Gave women the right to vote.

• Passed because women helped get the U.S. prepared during World War I

CommunismCommunism

Political belief in a one-party government ruled by a dictator

There is no private ownership, all property is owned by the state

People in the United States were afraid of this idea after World War I

Red ScareRed Scare• The fear of

international communism, it was called the Red Scare because red was the color of the communist flag

Immigrant RestrictionImmigrant Restriction

• The Quota System- This emerges as a reaction to the Red Scare–sharply reduces European immigration–1924, European arrivals cut to 2% of number of

residents in 1890–Discriminates against southern, eastern

Europeans–Prohibits Japanese immigration; causes ill will

between U.S., Japan–Does not apply to Western Hemisphere; many

Canadians, Mexicans enter

Henry FordHenry Ford

Impact of the AutomobileImpact of the AutomobileHenry Ford- The “Father of Mass Production”

Assembly Line- Parts flow down a conveyer belt, each part a small section of a greater machine

Division of Labor- Each person on an assembly line does one job repeatedly until a machine is put together.

Mass Production- Assembly Line allows for high production of goods at a cheap cost.

Model T- millions are made and sold in America cheaply by Ford

Impact of Radio and MoviesImpact of Radio and Movies

• Mass Media- the use of radio and movies created movie stars in the United States and made sport’s figures celebrities

Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance• Harlem, New York – a wave

of creativity celebrating African culture spreads across the country

• Langston Hughes – Notable author, poet, and play writer, Theme for English B

• Jazz Age – a form of music from New Orleans

Key Jazz Artists – Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong

Irving Berlin and Tin Pan AlleyIrving Berlin and Tin Pan AlleyIrving Berlin- Russian born,

American musical composer

Berlin wrote over 1,000 songs most famous are “God Bless America”, “White Christmas”

Tin Pan Alley- located in New York City, it was the center of music in the world for 30 years. Irving Berlin worked here for a time.

Causes of the Great DepressionCauses of the Great DepressionDistribution of wealth-

Wages had not risen with corporate profits. Over 70% of Americans were living below the poverty line.

Stock Market Speculation- was seen as a get rich quick scheme. Millions of Americans poured in money expecting to get rich.

Causes of the Great DepressionCauses of the Great Depression• “Playing the market”-

People began guessing on stock prices this is called speculation.

• Buying on Margin- allowed people to borrow for the cost of the stock but only paying 10% of the price.

Causes of the Great DepressionCauses of the Great DepressionConsumption- the working

class and poor can’t afford the products made by companies

Overproduction- Companies produced more than people could buy, so they cut wages to make money

Causes Great DepressionCauses Great Depression

• Government control- no regulation of businesses, led to high prices and low wages

• Farms- income declines as people can’t buy their crops, farmers lose their farms

The Great DepressionThe Great DepressionPeriod of economic crisis

lasting from 1929-1939

Economic crisis that caused 25% unemployment and worldwide poverty

Banks Collapse- people panic and withdraw their money causing over 20% of all banks to close wiping out millions of savings accounts

President HooverPresident Hoover• President at the

beginning of the Great Depression, he believed it was the responsibility of the state and local governments to help not the federal government,

The Great Depression’s EffectsThe Great Depression’s Effects• Soup kitchens- offer

free or low-cost food

Bread lines- people line up for food from charities, public agencies. Americans find this shameful to stand in lines and reject them.

The Great Depression’s EffectsThe Great Depression’s Effects• African Americans,

Latinos have higher unemployment, lower pay

Shantytowns- settle-ments consisting of shacks, arise in cities, people dig through garbage, beg for food and money

HoovervillesHoovervilles• Unemployed and

homeless people begin living in shantytowns named after President Hoover

Hoovervilles and FamiliesHoovervilles and FamiliesHoover was blamed primarily for the depression

People who could not pay their mortgage needed alternative housing

Villages named “Hoovervilles”

Family- some break under the strain of the depression

1. Men- commit suicide and go into depression, use to taking care of the family most can’t find jobs leave their families.

2. Women- find jobs sewing, maid service, resented by their husbands.

3. Children- poorly fed, schools close, poor health, teenagers leave home looking for jobs.

Psychological Effects of the Great Psychological Effects of the Great DepressionDepression

• 1928–1932, suicide rate rises over 30%

• Admissions to state mental hospitals triple

• People give up health care, college, put off marriage, children

• Stigma of poverty doesn’t disappear; financial security becomes goal

• Many show great kindness to strangers

• Develop habit of saving and thriftiness

Dust BowlDust Bowl

• Large dust storms hit the plain states scattering soil and destroying crops; no money for farmers

• Caused by farmers overproduction of crops and a drought in Middle America

The New DealThe New DealProgram for reviving the

economy during the Great Depression

Begun by President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Made up of the three R’s – relief, recovery, reform

Tennessee Valley AuthorityTennessee Valley AuthorityCreated by Roosevelt

as one of the major public works projects of the New Deal

Built a system of dams for hydroelectricity in the south

Created hundreds of jobs

Second New DealSecond New Deal• These were the

programs FDR started after the programs from the original New Deal failed to end the Great Depression

The Wagner ActThe Wagner Act

The law established collective bargaining rights for workers

Prevented companies from banning unions or firing union members

Social Security ActSocial Security Act

One of the most important laws to pass has three parts

1. Retirement for people 65 an older

2. Unemployment insurance

3. Aid paid to families with disabilities and children

Eleanor RooseveltEleanor RooseveltMost active first lady in

history – wrote newspaper columns, gave speeches, traveled the country

Served as FDR’s social conscience

She led the fight in America for Women’s, African-American and Human Rights

Huey LongHuey LongHuey Long- A senator and

former governor of Louisiana he was immensely popular in his home state and America

He wants to help the poor by taxing the wealthy to provide new programs to help the poor get out of poverty

He challenges FDR for the Democratic nomination but is killed by an assassin the same year

Court Packing BillCourt Packing BillSupreme Court- strikes down

several New Deal laws as unconstitutional

“Court-packing bill”- Roosevelt proposes that the president be allowed to appoint a new justice for each member over 70.5.

Reaction- Congress and the Press are outraged at Roosevelt for trying to tamper with the system of checks and balances. Roosevelt backs off his idea

Neutrality ActsNeutrality ActsBy 1938 the American

government is controlled by Isolationists who pass the Neutrality Acts:

1.Prohibits the sale of weapons and travel by Americans to countries at war

2.Forbids the extension of trade or loans to nations at war

A. Phillip RandolphA. Phillip RandolphCivil Rights leader of the

30’s and 40’s

Threatened a march on D.C. before WWII, forcing FDR to ban segregation in government jobs and the defense industry

Forces President Truman to ban segregation in the military in 1948