1920s Social and Cultural Tensions

1. Social and Cultural
Tensions
The Twenties

2. Traditionalism vs. Modernism
● Mostly in rural areas
● Didn’t participate in the
“consumer culture”
● Don't value education
beyond the early stages
● Religious fundamentalism
grew in this area
o Emphasized teaching
that every word of the
Bible is literal truth
● Mostly Urban Areas
● Modernist: emphasizes
science and secular
values over traditional
views of religion
● Education very important
for new jobs, up to and
including college
● Tended to be more
secular, or non-religious

3. Education Becomes More Important
● In rural areas, education remained
unimportant; they were taught the basics
(reading, writing, math) through elementary
school, then taught on the farm
● Formal education was more important in
Urban areas, especially for new jobs
o By 1930, high school graduation rates were higher
than ever

4. Scopes Trial
● Centered on the Theory of Evolution
o In 1925, a law in Tennessee made it illegal to teach
Evolution
o Teacher John Scopes challenged the law
o Clarence Darrow defended Scopes, while William Jennings
Bryan was an expert for the prosecution of Scopes
 Bryan stated he believed the Bible to be absolute truth,
and refused to accept any scientific evidence to the
contrary
o Scopes was found guilty of breaking the law (which was
never really in question)

5. Restricting Immigration
● Nativists opposed immigration, and used
residual fear from WWI and of Communism
to push through immigration restrictions
o This includes a literacy test, where immigrants must
demonstrate the ability to read and write in their own
language

6. Quota Laws
● The US Set up a Quota System: limits the
number of immigrants from a certain country
o The formula was that the number of immigrants
could not be more than 2% of the number of people
of that nationality living in the US in 1890
 Note: 1890 is before a massive wave of immigration from
South and East Europe
 Example: if 100,000 Italians lived in the US in 1890, then
only 2,000 could Italians could enter America a year

7. New Mexican Immigration
● Mexican immigrants were not subject to the
quota, as European Immigrants were
● Many worked in fields in Texas and
California, or moved to cities in the north for
factory work
● Still faced discrimination and competed with
native-born Americans for jobs

8. The New Klan
● The Klan re-emerged, stronger than ever
● Focused their hatred on more than just African Americans -
Also prejudiced against Catholics, Jews, and immigrants
● Biggest Klan stronghold was in Indiana, where Klan leader
David Stephenson ruled with an iron fist and controlled many
Indiana politicians

9. Americans Oppose the Klan
● Anti-defamation groups rose up against the
Klan, including:
o NAACP
o Jewish Anti-defamation league
● The Klan was corrupt, bribed politicians, and
even David Stephenson went to prison for
assault and murder
● The Klan lost influence, but remained

10. Prohibition
● Prohibition refers to the banning of alcohol
by the 18th Amendment to the constitution
o Believers, called “Drys,” tried to emphasize that the
ban would help families and improve individuals
o Opponents, dubbed “wets,” argued it only increased
crime

11. Organized Crime
● The reality of prohibition was that it did not
stop drinking, only made it more difficult
o Many Americans would have homemade stills to make their
own alcohol
o Others attended a “speakeasy” where they could drink freely
o Bootleggers sold illegal alcohol to consumers, making a
huge profit
o Bootleggers took their alcohol profits and spread their
business into gambling, prostitution, and murder

12. Prohibition Divides the Nation
● Like other topics, the argument over
prohibition tended to be drawn on Urban vs.
Rural lines:
o Urban: Against prohibition
o Rural: In favor of Prohibition
● The 18th Amendment was repealed by the
21st amendment in 1933, ending the
experiment of Prohibition