1920s america

• There was a boom in the automobile industry, jazz music became popular, women gained the right to vote, and social changes were sweeping the nation.
• laissez fiare meant that companies were left alone and so less regulations
• tariffs made US products cheaper and were placed my Fordney McCumber in 1922
• low taxes meant that workers spent more money and companies invested more
• republican policies were laissez faire, tariffs and low taxes
• by early 1923 the economy was booming
• 5 factors affecting the boom were mass production, tariffs, advertising, credit and american state of mind
• 'buy now pay later' caused 8/10 homes to have radios and 6/10 to have cars bought with credit
• 1913, Henry Ford set up the first production line in Detroit
• 1927, costs and prices fell so much that normal peolple could afford cars
• late 1920s, car industry was the biggest employer in USA
• 9 million cars in 1919 and 26 million in 1929
• 20k radios in 1920 and 10 million in 1929
• 10 million phones in 1915 and 20 million in 1930
• farmers, poor people and african americans didnt benifit from the boom
• after WW1 farm production increased however demand fell and so did prices
• as a result of tariffs, 6 mil rural workers were forced off farms and relocated for work
• workers in the old industry were replaced by new technology and industry
• african americans, hispanics and immigrant groups were most likely to be unemployed
• 5% unemployment rate as a result of republican laissez faire didn't help poor people
• roaring 20s, average working hours had dropped from 47,4 to 44,2
• entertainment had changed as radios, cinema, jazz and sport had become increasingly popular
• 100mil cinema tickets were sold per week
• 1 radio station in 1921 to 508 by 1922
• urban women had changed dress and behavioral expectations, started working more as by 1929 10mil women were in paid work and 24% more than 1920 and they received the right to vote in 1920
• however, traditional views on woemen continued in rural areas, were still paid less than men and there were very few female politicians
• 1919-1923, 300 african americans were lynched
• KKK had 4.5 mil members in 1925
• many african americans moved from south to north as they were treated as 2nd class citizens and couldnt vote
• after russian revolution in 1917, there was an increaed fear of communism
• red scare- trade unionists and immigrant workers from eastern Europe were accused of being communists or anarchists and many were unfairly deported
• sacco and vanzetti symbolised all the innocent people who suffered due to their political views and nationality
• in may 1920, the communist party was banned
• may 1920, sacco and vazetti were accused of murfer and robbery
• over 61 people identified them as killers
• over 100 people said they were somewhere else
• the trial lasted 45 days and took 1 day to return a guilt verdict charge
• on the 14 of july 1921, they were sentenced to death by electric chair and were executed 23 august 1927
• voistead act 1920 nationally banned alcohol
• alcohol was smuggled and sold in speakeasies