Chapter 24 – “The Roaring Twenties” NAME______
Section 2 – Life during the 1920s
Big Idea
Americans faced new opportunities, challenges, and fears as major changes swept the country in the 1920s.
Key Terms and People–
Flappers–Young women who cut their hair short and wore makeup and short dresses, openly challenging how women were supposed to behave.
Red Scare – A time of fear of Communists or “Reds;” Many worried that Communist ideas might spread in the U.S. like they did in Russia
Sacco and Vanzetti – Italian-born immigrants accused of being communist and killing a factory paymaster. They were found guilty and executed in 1927.
ACLU – (American Civil Liberties Union) An organization formed to help protect civil rights; They tried unsuccessfully to defend Sacco and Vanzetti.
Twenty-first Amendment– Constitutional Amendment that ended Prohibition
Fundamentalism– A Protestant religious movement characterized by the literal word-for-word interpretation of the Bible; Fundamentalists believed that certain scientific theories like the theory of evolution conflicted with the teachings of the Bible. The fundamentalists did not believe in teaching in evolution in public schools.
Scopes trial– A Tennessee high school science teacher, John T. Scopes, was put on trial for teaching about evolution. He was found guilty but his conviction was later overturned.
Great Migration– During World War 1, large numbers of African-Americans began leaving the South to take jobs in northern factories. During the recession following the war, racial tension and riots occurred in the North.
Marcus Garvey - Originally from Jamaica, Garvey encouraged black people around the world to express pride in their culture. This started a movement called “Black Nationalism” which believed that African Americans should have their own businesses and communities.
Key Questions
- How did women in the 1920s express their independence?
They pursued higher education, entered politics, and trained for jobs that used to be done only by men and dressed in new styles.
- Why were new immigration laws passed in the 1920s?
Because at the time Americans had developed a fear of foreigners and saw them as a threat to American jobs and culture.
- What cultural conflict did the Scopes trial represent?
It represented the conflict between fundamentalist beliefs and scientific ideals over the theory of evolution.
- How did minorities react to discrimination in the 1920s?
They formed organizations that worked to protect their rights and found ways to express pride in their culture.