Transcript Rural Response to the New Urban Culture of the 1920s
Rural Response to the New Urban Culture of the 1920s
Cultural Conflict
► 1. With Farmers going to cities, Blacks leaving the South, and immigrants coming to America, more people begin to live in cities than in the country by the 1920s.
► 2. Cultural changes—hedonism, flappers, etc. ► 1 & 2 cause a backlash from rural (small-town) white Protestants who prefer conservative “traditional” values.
► They feel anxiety (their way of life/values are under attack).
► North East vs. The South & West.
The Rise of the “New” KKK
► A 2 nd version of the KKK emerges.
► New version is not just in South and aimed at keeping blacks down.
► “New” KKK seeks to preserve traditional White Protestant Values.
► Besides blacks, now against Catholics, Jews, immigrants, modernism, and people deemed immoral. ► Spreads outside the South to all states.
► Elects politicians.
Prohibition
► Progressive were for it because of the negative effects on families.
► Many rural Americans for it because they associate drinking with immigrants (Irish and German), the rich & city people.
► 18 th Amendment (1919) ► Volstead Act (1920)—Calls for enforcement of prohibition.
Impact of Prohibition
► Impossible to enforce--People still wanted to drink.
► Bootleggers —people who made sold and/or transported illegal liquor.
► Speakeasies —Clubs where liquor was sold.
► Some illegal alcohol is harmful.
► Rise of organized crime.
Gangs
► Gangsters existed before prohibition, but selling illegal booze is what made them rich and powerful.
► Violence—gang wars.
► Also involved in drugs and prostitution.
► Most famous is “Scarface” Al Capone of Chicago.
Restrictions on Immigration
► New Immigration Law is passed in 1921.
► Aimed at keeping out “New “ immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe.
► Quota system based on 3% of those already in US.
► 1924 National Origins Act—Reduced the number of immigrants again and excluded Asians altogether.
► By the end of the decade, there were fewer immigrants coming to the US then ever before.
Rural Religion
► Fundamentalism—belief in the literal truth of the Bible was popular in small town America.
► They felt that their beliefs were under attack by the new urban culture.
► They denounce Darwin’s Theory and Modernism ► Modern evangelists begin using show business techniques & radio to reach large audiences.
► Aimee Semple McPherson raised over $1.5 million in just 2-years.
The Scopes Trial
► 1925—Tennessee state law prohibits teaching anything other than creationism (i.e.- no evolution).
► ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union—an organization created to defend people’s constitutional rights in response to the red scare ) gets John Scopes to challenge law by teaching evolution.
► Sets up a court showdown.
► Clarence Darrow, one of the most famous lawyers of the time, is the lawyer for Scopes.
► Former Populist William Jennings Bryan testifies for the prosecution as an expert on the Bible.
► Trial is broadcast on Radio.
► Trial shows the cultural tension that existed in the 1920s between modernism and traditional values.
Clarence Darrow & William Jennings Bryan
Review
► What were the author’s of the 20’s known a and what were the characteristics of their work?
► What accounted for the cultural tension that existed in the 1920s? Who didn’t like the modern culture that was emerging and why? How was this tension reflected geographically?
► What accounted for the rise of the “new” KKK and how were they different than the “old” KKK?
► What was the impact of prohibition on America?
► What was the Scopes Trial and how was it emblematic of the cultural tension that existed in the 1920s?