The 1920s: CULTURAL and POLITICAL Controversies [APUSH Unit 7 Topic 8] Period 7:1898-1945

Summary

In this video, Heimler’s History explores cultural and political shifts of the 1920s in the U.S. The focus is on new opportunities for women, immigrants, and internal migrants, especially the Great Migration. The Harlem Renaissance flourished, and jazz emerged as a powerful cultural force. Tensions arose between urban modernists and rural fundamentalists, culminating in the Scopes Monkey Trial, which symbolized the clash between modern science and traditional beliefs. Through a blend of historical insights, the video captures the evolving social landscape of the 1920s and its lasting impact on American society.

Takeaways

• 😀 By 1920, more than half of Americans lived in cities, leading to new opportunities for women, immigrants, and internal migrants.
• 😀 Women in urban centers gained more opportunities in the workforce, especially in teaching and nursing, though they were often paid less than men for similar work.
• 😀 The 1920s saw the rise of the 'flapper' as a symbol of women's liberation, with women cutting their hair short, smoking, drinking, and challenging traditional gender roles.
• 😀 After World War I, there was a significant influx of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and Asia, which prompted a strong nativist backlash.
• 😀 Nativism in the 1920s led to immigration laws such as the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924, both aimed at limiting immigration.
• 😀 The Great Migration during the 1920s saw a large movement of Black Americans from the South to Northern cities, notably New York's Harlem, where the Harlem Renaissance flourished.
• 😀 The Harlem Renaissance brought about a cultural and artistic revival, with figures like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, and Claude McKay making significant contributions.
• 😀 Writers of the Lost Generation, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, explored themes like materialism, the aftermath of World War I, and the disillusionment with American culture.
• 😀 A cultural divide emerged between urban modernists and rural fundamentalists, with urban Protestants embracing cultural changes and rural Protestants rejecting them due to their literal interpretation of the Bible.
• 😀 The Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 highlighted the conflict between modernism and fundamentalism, with teacher John Scopes challenging Tennessee's law against teaching Darwin's theory of evolution, leading to a media spectacle and a symbolic victory for modernism.

Q & A

What major shift in American demographics occurred by 1920?

By 1920, more than half of Americans lived in cities, marking a significant shift in the nation's demographics from rural to urban living.

How did women’s roles and opportunities change in the 1920s?

In urban centers, women gained more opportunities to enter the workforce, especially in nursing and teaching. Some women also took on unskilled labor jobs in factories, although they were paid less than men for the same work. Additionally, many women embraced more liberal lifestyles, symbolized by the flapper, who defied traditional expectations by cutting their hair short, smoking, drinking, and showing their ankles in public.

What was the impact of immigration on American society in the 1920s?

The 1920s saw a large influx of immigrants, especially from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia. This prompted a strong backlash from nativists, who feared that immigrants would take jobs and dilute American cultural values. In response, the U.S. passed restrictive immigration laws, such as the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924.

What was the significance of the Great Migration in the 1920s?

The Great Migration refers to the mass movement of African Americans from the South to Northern and Midwestern cities. Many settled in places like Harlem, New York, where a cultural and artistic explosion known as the Harlem Renaissance took place, fostering the development of jazz music and works by notable writers like Langston Hughes and Claude McKay.

What was the Harlem Renaissance, and who were some of its key contributors?

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, artistic, and intellectual movement that celebrated African American identity. Key figures included jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, as well as writers like Langston Hughes and Claude McKay, who explored the African American experience in their works.

Who were the 'Lost Generation' writers, and what themes did they explore?

The 'Lost Generation' writers, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, were a group of authors disillusioned by the aftermath of World War I. They focused on themes of materialism, the loss of meaning in life, and the waste of human resources in the war.

What was the divide between urban and rural Protestants during the 1920s?

Urban Protestants, who embraced modernity, were more open to changes in culture, such as the acceptance of Darwin's theory of evolution. In contrast, rural Protestants, who considered themselves fundamentalists, rejected these changes, clinging to a literal interpretation of the Bible, especially the six-day creation story in Genesis.

What was the significance of the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925?

The Scopes Monkey Trial was a pivotal legal case where high school teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution, which was illegal in Tennessee at the time. The trial symbolized the clash between modernism and fundamentalism, with the defense attorney, Clarence Darrow, challenging the validity of literal biblical interpretations. Though Scopes was convicted, the case highlighted the growing influence of modernist views.

What was the outcome of the Scopes trial, and what was its broader cultural impact?

John Scopes was convicted for teaching evolution, but his conviction was later overturned on a technicality. The broader cultural impact was that modernist views, particularly on science and religion, were seen as having triumphed over fundamentalism, symbolizing a cultural shift toward more progressive ideas.

How did nativism influence immigration policy in the 1920s?

Nativism, which sought to protect the rights of native-born citizens against the perceived threat of immigrants, played a major role in shaping immigration policy. In the 1920s, nativist fears led to the passage of restrictive laws like the Emergency Quota Act and the National Origins Act, which drastically reduced immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, and excluded many Asian immigrants altogether.