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 * Intolerance in the 1920s**

The 1920s would prove to be in many ways, very restrictive and intolerant of others that were different whether it be their heritage, political, or religious beliefs.

__Immigration Quotas__

Before WWI, the United States allowed alot of immigrants into the nation in order to meet the demand for the growing economy. However, immigration dropped during WWI and our economy remained strong convincing many that America did not need to have an "open door policy" where anyone could come here. Many workers and unions argued that workers' wages would drop if unskilled, uneducated immigrant workers kept coming over (think new immigrants). Especially since some Eastern European countries had radical, unstable governments (remember Russia was overthrown by Communists during WWI), many Americans were afraid that if immigrants from those countries came here, they would want to overthrow our government.

In 1924, Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1924 setting up quotas or limits on how many people could enter our nation from their home country. The immigration laws of the 1920s were really biased- they allowed more immigrants from Northern and Western Europe (old immigrants- who were similar to more Americans, spoke English, were educated, etc) into the nation and restricted immigrants coming from Eastern Europe and Asia (new immigrants- different beliefs, languages, religions, etc).

Looking at the map, you can see how the 1920s change who was allowed into the nation based upon where they were coming from...





__Red Scare__

When Russia was overthrown by Communists during WWI, many Americans were afraid that a revolution could happen here and that the US government could be overthrown by communists. In 1919 and 1920 there were lots of workers striking and bombs exploding throughout the nation targeting our government and businesses. Most of these attacks were traced back to immigrants from Eastern European countries (countries whose governments had been overthrown). Americans were afraid of a revolution.

Since red was the color associated with communism, this fear that communists or anarchists (people who did not believe in any type of government) would overthrow the US government was called the Red Scare. In order to "hunt out" anyone who were a threat to American security like communists or other radicals (people with extreme views), Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer (originally from Pennsylvania) led raids on homes, businesses, and union meetings of anyone who might potentially be connected to communists.

It was in the 1920s that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was created. Together, agents broke into homes of suspected radicals without search warrants, they jailed labor leaders and illegally held 5,000 citizens without just cause or without respect to their civil liberties (rights). Many of those 5,000 were deported (kicked out) without any real evidence. Since there was no real evidence that our government was in any real danger, Americans moved on with their lives and the Red Scare would end after a year.



__Sacco and Vanzetti__

In 1921, two workers in a shoe warehouse in Massachusetts were murdered during a robbery. The police investigating the crime arrested two Italian immigrants named Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti for armed robbery and double murder. Sacco and Vanzetti claimed their innocence, but they already had a strike against them: they were anarchists and they were "new immigrants". Just a little over two weeks after their arrest, they were found guilty.

Many people, protested the verdict, saying the two men were convicted only because of their beliefs and backgrounds instead based on evidence. Indeed, four years later, another man said he had committed the crime with a local gang. However, Sacco and Vanzetti were never granted a retrial, they were sentenced to death by electric chair. This was a good example of how Americans were very nativist in the 1920s (don't like people who are different- want America for Americans).

__Growth of the KKK__

After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan, was created by former Confederate soldiers who were angry that they lost the war and that they lost their slaves. They used terrorist tactics to scare former slaves and limit their rights. The new Ku Klux Klan grew during the early 1920s and they would target more than just African Americans. Klan members believed they were trying to keep America safe and clean. They targeted bootleggers, African Americans especially as they were moving up North to find more opportunities (Great Migration), Jews, Catholics, and immigrants (KKK members supported the quota laws).

As Americans were growing more nativist (don't like people that are different-want America for Americans), Klan membership rose to its highest by the end of the 20s: 3 MILLION- up from 5,000 in 1920. The Klan was particularly strong in the Deep South, Oklahoma, and Indiana. Toward the end of the decade, corruption and sex scandals among the one of the klans leaders caused a sharp decrease in membership but not before lynching and terrorizing many Americans.



__Scopes Monkey Trial__

The Scopes Trial is one of the most famous court cases in American history because it was a conflict between science and religion. When Darwin's theory of evolution (that man evolved from apes and that we adapted to survive) came out, this conflicted with many religious beliefs that God created man. In Tennessee, a law was passed saying that evolution was not allowed to be taught in schools. In 1925, John Scopes, a Tennessee science teacher, taught Darwin's beliefs. He was arrested for breaking the law.

The trial turned into a media circus. When the case was opened on July 14, journalists from across the land came to witness the trial between science and religion and their place in public education. Preachers and fortune seekers filled the streets. Entrepreneurs sold everything from food to Bibles to stuffed monkeys. The trial became the first ever to be broadcast on radio.

The jury sided with the law. Clearly, Scopes was in violation of Tennessee law by teaching that humans descended from monkeys. He was fined $100 and released. However, the evidence and argument for evolution grew stronger and by 1967, the law would be reversed allowing evolution to be taught in schools.



Works Cited:

http://ushistory.org/us/47a.asp

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=444

http://ushistory.org/us/47b.asp