-As communism swept through Russia, there was a fear that labor unions were influenced by the Bolsheviks
- “Red Scare” of 1919-1920 (1st Red Scare) * Crusade led by Attorney General Mitchell Palmer against the suspected communists * Thousands of Americans were arrested *Impact of the Red Scare: - Business people used it to help break unions
- Sacco and Vanzetti *Two Italian immigrants (anarchists, atheists, draft dodgers) charged with murder, found guilty and executed *showed tension between immigrants and Nativists
HOODED HOODLUMS OF THE KKK
- KKK re-emerged in the 1920s and was similar to the 1850 KKK; this time focused on anti-foreignism
- By mid-1920s, 5 million Americans paid dues as members
- Scandals, including embezzlement, which helped lead to the decline of the clan
STEMMING THE FOREIGN FLOOD
- Just like many times before, nativists fear “new” immigrants
- Emergency Quota Act of 1921: *Restricted number of immigrants from a country to 3% of total people from that country living in US in 1910 - Favored Southern and Eastern Europe
- Immigration Act of 1924: *Quotas for foreigners was cut from 3% to 2%, used 1890 census instead, this hurt the “New Immigrants” * Shut out Japanese immigrants: this started many Japanese “Hate America” rallies/campaigns * Marked an end of era of unrestricted immigration
THE PROHIBITION “EXPERIMENT”
- Popular in South and West * Southerners wanted to keep alcohol away from blacks * Westerners Hated the “Saloon”
- Problems with Prohibition: * People liked to drink, weak enforcement, many people hostile to law * Many government officials were bribed * This caused an increase in organized crime
- Positives of Prohibition: * Bank saving increased due to the lack of spending on alcohol * Absenteeism in industry decreased
THE GOLDEN AGE OF GANGSTERISM
- Huge demand for alcohol
- Large cities, such as Chicago, flourished with crime
- Al Capone, notorious