Define bull market. How did it affect the investment activities of Americans?
A period of rising stock prices; the bull market of the 19203 led more Americans to buy stock on credit, which put them in debt and artificially increased stock values.
Who was Andrew Mellon? What economic goals did he achieve?
Secretary of the Treasury under President Harding; he reduced government spending and created a Treasury surplus,
What was the eighteenth amendment? Which lawmakers supported it?
It forbade the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages anywhere in the United States. Lawmakers who represented mostly rural constituencies supported the amendment.
Define modernism. Explain how modernist ideas could be viewed in literature.
Modernism was a perspective that challenged traditional values. Modern writers created characters who did not follow outdated values but rather made their own rules.
What was the Harlem Renaissance? Name and describe the accomplishments of two people who took part in it.
The Harlem Renaissance was the flowering of African American music, art, and literature in the 1920s. Claude McKay was a poet who depicted African Americans struggling for dignity and advancement in the face of discrimination and economic hardship. Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist who wrote about modern African American women who wanted independence and freedom.
Section 1/How did the booming economy of the 1920s lead to changes in American life?
The workweek shortened to 40 hours and allowed people extra leisure time. People used credit to buy new machines and stocks. Many prosperous Americans relied on cars for transportation and moved to the suburbs where they could enjoy more space.
Section 2/ How did domestic and foreign policy change direction under Harding and Coolidge?
Both men refused to use legislation to make social changes. Unlike the Progressives, their economic policies favored big business. Both presidents also maintained isolationist stances in world affairs.
Section 3/ how did Americans differ on major social and cultural issues?
Many rural Americans were more religious and traditional, and many urban Americans were more interested in science and modernity. Rural Americans often opposed evolution and new roles for women, and supported Prohibition.
Section 4/ How did the new mass culture reflect technological and social changes?
Movies, radio, and records all reached a national audience, and created celebrities and trends at the same time across the country. The new American society was reflected in action movies and radio shows, and fast dance music on records.
Section 5/ How did African Americans express a new sense of hope and pride?
African Americans created art that reflected their own experiences and presented it to the world with pride. Jazz and Aftican American literature were known around the world, and African Americans demanded recognition for their cultural contributions.
What evidence supports the conclusion that Henry Ford cared about the quality of life of his workers?
He doubled their wages and shortened the work day and the work week, creating weekend of leisure time.
What likely happened in the 1930s to people who, in the 1920s, bought goods that they could not afford on the installment plan?
Prediction – they probably lost everything because when they could not make payments, their goods probably were repossessed.
Did Harding show good leadership of the country? Explain.
Opinion- no; he left governing to his friends without making sure they were honest. This led to scandals and mismanagement.
Why did Congress support the Kellogg-Briand Pact even when lawmakers knew that it’s provision could not be enforced?
The government hoped that by renouncing the war, the United States would not be obligated to join the conflicts of other nations.
How could you describe the cultural differences between rural and urban Americans in the 1920s? What issues led to cultural clashes between the two groups?
Rural Amerocans were more likely to be poor and uneducated; many urban Americans came to cities from rural areas, but they went to high school, made better wages, and experienced more modern culture. Traditional rural cultures and modern urban cultures clashed over evolution and the role of women.
What did athletes represent for Americans in the 1920s?
They gave Americans a sense of hope that people were capable of amazing feats.
List four changes that affected women in the 1920s. Which of these do you think had the most immediate effect? Which do you think was most important in the long term?
Looser clothes; the right to vote; opportunities to work outside the home; modern home appliances; the most immediate effect was the change in clothes; it made women look and feel different. The most important in the long term was the right to vote because it opened the door to political and social equality.
