Ap Euro Chapter 20 Essay
Chapter 20: Politics of the Roaring Twenties
Section 1: Americans Struggle with Postwar Issues
-A desire for normality after the war and a fear of communism and “foreigners” led to postwar isolationism.
Postwar Trends
-The economy was down.
*Nativism- prejudiced against foreign-born people.
*Isolationism- a policy of pulling away from involvement in world affairs.
Fear of Communism
*Communism- an economic and political system based on a single party government ruled by a dictatorship.
-In order to equalize wealth and power, Communists would put an end to private property, substituting government ownership of factories, railroads, and other businesses.
The Red Scare
-Began in 1919, after the Bolsheviks overthrew the czarist regime in Russia.
-Led by Vladimir Lenin. …show more content…
-In 1928, 15 nations signed the *Kellogg-Briand Pact- renouncing war as a national policy.
-However, the pact provided no means of enforcement.
High Tariffs and Reparations- new conflicts arose when it came time for Britain and France to pay back the 10 billion they had borrowed from America.
-They could do this in two ways: by selling goods to the United States or by collecting reparations from Germany.
-In 1922, America adopted the *Fordney-McCumber Tariff- which raised taxes on US imports to 60%, the highest level ever.
-This made it impossible for Great Britain and France to sell enough goods in the US to repay its debts.
-As the two countries looked to Germany for payment from the reparations, American banker *Charles G. Dawes was sent to negotiate loans.
-Through what came to be known as the *Dawes Plan- American investors loaned Germany $2.5 billion to pay back Britain and France with annual payments on a fixed scale.
Scandal Hits Harding's Administration
Harding's Cabinet- included the so-called Ohio Gang, the president's poker playing cronies, who would soon cause a great deal of
Section 1: Americans Struggle with Postwar Issues
-A desire for normality after the war and a fear of communism and “foreigners” led to postwar isolationism.
Postwar Trends
-The economy was down.
*Nativism- prejudiced against foreign-born people.
*Isolationism- a policy of pulling away from involvement in world affairs.
Fear of Communism
*Communism- an economic and political system based on a single party government ruled by a dictatorship.
-In order to equalize wealth and power, Communists would put an end to private property, substituting government ownership of factories, railroads, and other businesses.
The Red Scare
-Began in 1919, after the Bolsheviks overthrew the czarist regime in Russia.
-Led by Vladimir Lenin. …show more content…
-In 1928, 15 nations signed the *Kellogg-Briand Pact- renouncing war as a national policy.
-However, the pact provided no means of enforcement.
High Tariffs and Reparations- new conflicts arose when it came time for Britain and France to pay back the 10 billion they had borrowed from America.
-They could do this in two ways: by selling goods to the United States or by collecting reparations from Germany.
-In 1922, America adopted the *Fordney-McCumber Tariff- which raised taxes on US imports to 60%, the highest level ever.
-This made it impossible for Great Britain and France to sell enough goods in the US to repay its debts.
-As the two countries looked to Germany for payment from the reparations, American banker *Charles G. Dawes was sent to negotiate loans.
-Through what came to be known as the *Dawes Plan- American investors loaned Germany $2.5 billion to pay back Britain and France with annual payments on a fixed scale.
Scandal Hits Harding's Administration
Harding's Cabinet- included the so-called Ohio Gang, the president's poker playing cronies, who would soon cause a great deal of