Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY: A SURVEY, 11/e Chapter Twenty-Four: The New Era.

Brinkley, AMERICAN HISTORY: A SURVEY, 11/e

Chapter Twenty-Four:

The New Era

It was called the “New Era” because American popular culture reshaped itself to reflect urban, industrial, and consumer orientated culture.

The New Economy Economic Growth

Sources of the Boom Explosion in manufacturing No challenge from Europe Mass production lowered costs

Radio Trains and Aviation Early Computers

The New Economy Labor in the New Era

“Welfare Capitalism” Provide Fringe benefits, shorter work weeks,

pensions. This was to prevent union growth. Hard Times for Organized Labor

Better times gave less incentive to join a union

The New Economy The “American Plan”

Protecting the Open Shop Decrease in Union Membership A Philip Randolph-Brotherhood of Sleeping Car

Porters. AFL excluded African Americans

The New Culture Consumerism buying things for pleasure

Growing Mass Consumption Social Impact of the Automobile

Breaking Down Rural Isolation: The Expansion of Travel Horizons in Oregon, Illinois

The New Culture The Movies and Broadcasting

Hollywood- Jazz singer Al Jolson. 1st Talkie Radio – Most important communication

innovation in the New Era.

Gretta Garbo

Douglas Fairbanks

The New Culture The Harlem Renaissance

African-American Pride

Langston Hughes “I am a negro and beautiful”

A Conflict of Cultures Prohibition

Failure of Prohibition Alcohol and Organized Crime Rural Protestants continued to defend

prohibition. Lost support of some middle class

progressives.

Anti-Saloon League at Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 1921 (Library of Congress)

A Conflict of Cultures Nativism and the Klan

National Origins Act

of 1924 –Banned immigration from East Asia

Many Felt the Ban would promote productive operation of society.

Sources of Immigration, 1920-1960

Total Immigration, 1920-1960

• The New Klan opposed• Protestants not living pure lives• Blacks and Jews• Anyone against “traditional values”• Catholics and foreigners

A Conflict of Cultures Religious Fundamentalism

Creationism Scopes Monkey Trial

Modernists won a victory when

Clarence Darrow made Bryan

Admit that not all religious doctrine

Was subject to a single interpretation.

A Conflict of Cultures The Democrats’ Ordeal

Election of 1924 Al Smith and 1928 Democrats could not win

Because of tensions

Between the rural and

Urban wings.Election of 1928

Republican Government Harding and Coolidge

Teapot Dome Calvin Coolidge

•The Harding Administration•Could not grasp presidential responsibility

•Gambling, alcohol and women•Loyalty to the “Ohio Gang”•Lack of Self Confidence.

The Coolidge Administration•Gov of Mass•Reputation for being honest•Puritanical-believed that government should not interfere with the life of the nation.

•Lower Taxes.

Republican Government Government and Business During the 20’s Sec. of the Treas. And

Herbert Hooves Sec. of Commerce were most active in using government policy to help business and industry.

Herbert Hoover• Most important member of the Harding and Coolidge

adm.• One of the more progressive republicans of the 1920’s• Believed in business “associationalism” – companies

should work together• He was seen as a personification of the modern,

prosperous business class.• His presidency would see the demise of the “New

Era” as the United States entered its longest and most severe economic crisis.