Essay on the Roaring Twenties in America
Essay on the Roaring Twenties in America
The Coolidge Era that lasted from 1921-1929 produced a consumer economy. With the consumer economy came widespread prosperity and wealth. Just being another decade on a timeline does not do it for the 1920’s. From the beginning to the end it was the biggest, the loudest, the brightest. Because of these characteristics it was labeled, “The Roaring Twenties.” Many people acted unreserved in their pursuits for their own happiness. However there where also those who were conservative and looked for a return to the “proper” ways those who were intolerant to change.
The affects of these conservatives and intolerates can be seen in many different aspects of American society, from the classroom to the immigration quota people were scarred of change. Already by the spring of 1921 The Ku Klux Klan had commenced a reign of heightened terror nationwide, intimidating and murdering minorities and harassing uncooperative government officials and political opponents. Their goal was return life to the proper ways they did so by scarring anyone who was in favor of change or threatened a change to their lifestyle. By 1924 the Klu Klux Klan hit it’s peak membership around five million members up from just 2,000 in 1920. One year later an estimated 40,000 Ku Klux Klan members march through Washington, D.C., as part of the organization's first national congress.
In the classroom fear of change could be seen. Previous to 1921 bills began being passed prohibiting the teachings of evolution in the public classroom. This yearning was the fundamentalist crusade, which pitted biblical interpretation against the Darwinian science of biological evolution.
Other Events during the twenties which represent the coservativness of some of it’s people include; The Immigration Quota Act of 1923 severely limited immigration, to no more than 3 percent annually of each nationality, based on the number of that nationality already residing in the U.S. (as of 1910). In September of 1922, the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act, is passed in the U.S. for many imported goods, representing recession of foreign affairs and international trade. The U.S. Senate refused to seat Senator elect Frank Smith from Illinois because the $458,000 he spent on his campaign was deemed unethically high. Finally representing the intolerant behavior of the 1920’s are the actions which occurred in 1923 after a dubious rape charge was made...