To what extent was racial conflict the dominant social tension in the USA in the period from 1919
To what extent was racial conflict the dominant social tension in the USA in the period from 1919-1929
During the period from 1919-1929, many social tensions came to the fore, however the social tensions however were to a large extent dominated by racial conflict. The economic boom of the 1920s saw a growing divide between the upper class and the working class, and a large amount of these workers where immigrants and African Americans. The growing disparity saw trade unions being formed, which aided racial tensions as this was deemed as a Bolshevik threat as part of the "red scare". The large influx of immigrants from 1919-1921 also aided racial conflict, as the isolationist philosophy and the rise in Bolshevism in Russia saw these immigrants as a threat to American values and attributed to an air of xenophobia across the nation. The National Origins Act that restricted immigration reflected attempts by the government to curb the supposed new ideology and conflict the immigrants represented. During this period, conflict between African Americans and Americans became exacerbated as economic tensions and the new identity African Americans were forming created conflict in American society. Even the tensions between the rural and metropolitan areas attributed to racial conflict as this saw the rise of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) which in its attempt to protect American rural values were one of the driving factors in creating racial conflict in American society. There were other social tensions such as the Prohibition and the teaching of evolution, but these were not as dominant as the racial tensions, as these tensions caused fragmentation and alienation in American society. The economic boom was the most crucial aspect for America during the 1920s, and with the boom saw the income and wealth distribution become increasingly uneven, which led to higher levels of social fragmentation. Top 5% of the income earners had more than a third of income, more than 65% earned less
During the period from 1919-1929, many social tensions came to the fore, however the social tensions however were to a large extent dominated by racial conflict. The economic boom of the 1920s saw a growing divide between the upper class and the working class, and a large amount of these workers where immigrants and African Americans. The growing disparity saw trade unions being formed, which aided racial tensions as this was deemed as a Bolshevik threat as part of the "red scare". The large influx of immigrants from 1919-1921 also aided racial conflict, as the isolationist philosophy and the rise in Bolshevism in Russia saw these immigrants as a threat to American values and attributed to an air of xenophobia across the nation. The National Origins Act that restricted immigration reflected attempts by the government to curb the supposed new ideology and conflict the immigrants represented. During this period, conflict between African Americans and Americans became exacerbated as economic tensions and the new identity African Americans were forming created conflict in American society. Even the tensions between the rural and metropolitan areas attributed to racial conflict as this saw the rise of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) which in its attempt to protect American rural values were one of the driving factors in creating racial conflict in American society. There were other social tensions such as the Prohibition and the teaching of evolution, but these were not as dominant as the racial tensions, as these tensions caused fragmentation and alienation in American society. The economic boom was the most crucial aspect for America during the 1920s, and with the boom saw the income and wealth distribution become increasingly uneven, which led to higher levels of social fragmentation. Top 5% of the income earners had more than a third of income, more than 65% earned less