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What do these photographs, cartoons, diagrams and documents reveal about your topic? How are traditional ideas changing? How are these changes manifested in your topic? What resistance/opposition was there to these changes? Please cite specific documents in your response.
Topics:
2- The Scopes Trial
3- The New Woman
4- Anti-Immigration and the KKK
Your post is due by 9:00pm Sunday, March 8.
do we choose one?
ReplyDeleteI will give you your topic today in class.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the documents and images posted on immigration and the Klu Klux Klan I got the impression that this era was heavily influenced by "white supremacy". The US allowed about three percent of the total applicants for immigration into the country and did not speak kindly of the few they allowed to immigrate. These people were of different culture and ethnicity and were said to "crowd" the American lifestyle and deteriorate the intelligance of the American population as a whole. I was very clear that immigrants were unwelcome to most American citizens. Similar to this situation is the development of the KKK and the extreme racism the group displayed to those who were not white christians. The pictures posted of the Klan depecited normal people dressed as Klanmen but in a very frightening way. The Klan was infact made up of bitter Americans with everyday lives who believed in the dominace of their own race. Comparing these two topics I can identify a trend; Americans were initially unwelcoming of and minority that they feared would threaten their lives.
ReplyDeleteProhibition was a big deal in America. Statistics show that during the time of Prohibition, the amount of alcoholics had actually gone up. It seemed as if the people would suspect themselves to be of higher status then the government. The prohibition Amendment which banned Alcohol use in America, was issued on January 16, 1920, in the form of Americas Eighteenth Amendment. Although it drastically decreased the number of legal alcohol sales, it SHOT up the sales by private smuggler, whose goal was to become rich. One of these men is Al Capone, better known as "Scarface". He had set up many speakeasies around Chicago. Speakeasies are illegal underground alcohol bars, which were sometimes raided by police, then then saved due to heavy bribes paid by the owner. This later led to corruption, and LOTS of alcohol was being sold, but the government could not tax this. Therefore causing the repel of it on December 5, 1933, by the twenty-first amendment. This is a big deal because it had caused many people who sold alcohol to go from rags to riches, and the corruption rates show that America was on the wrong path.
ReplyDeleteProhibition
ReplyDeleteIt led to alot of people breaking the law, and caused a large amount of discourse in the country. People were very upset about it being banned. Only the law enforcement really care. It led to people disregarding the law and leading lives that slid past law. It gave a way for rich mobsters and gangster to get rich, because everyone wanted to get freaky. Partly because thats what people do, partly because when something is forbidden it makes it all the better, and partly because people just wanted to get down and party. Corruption rates soured. Many poor people found ways to get there hands on alcohol and quickly ascended the economic ladder.
It was only a matter of time until the amendments repeal. It was also the first time an amendment had been put into the constitution and then repealed.
The Scopes Trial
ReplyDeleteJohn Scopes was a High School teacher in Tennessee who intentionally broke the law set up by the Butler Act that made it illegal to "teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals." The "Anti- Evolution League" photo shows how the Christian citizens of Tennessee were strong advocates of keeping scientific theories, that contradict the bible, out of schools. The traditional way of focusing education on religious theories was colliding with scientific discoveries and ideas that support the Theory of Evolution. Most members of government were older and were brought up before these ideas were put out and supported, so it was expected that laws could be put into place in an attempt to restrain their spread. John Scopes knew this was wrong so he taught the Theory of Evolution anyways to bring the ridiculousness of the Butler Act to light. The Evolution Diagrams of Thomas Huxley and Henry Osborne show how different the beliefs from the scientific side and the religious side were. William Jennings Bryan was head of the prosecution and Clarence Darrow was the defense for John Scopes. John Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 but his audacity still led him to saying "Your honor, I feel that I have been convicted of violating an unjust statute. I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can. Any other action would be in violation of my ideal of academic freedom — that is, to teach the truth as guaranteed in our constitution, of personal and religious freedom."
The Prohibition amendment was probably one of the more controversial of its time. People from all sorts of social classes, races, and genders consumed alcohol. The progressive reforms of the era mimicked the overall sentiment of the people of the country. However, prohibition was a very divided issue that suffered from extreme support to complete violation and criticism. The movement toward prohibition started after the great way, at a time when many people, including president Harding, felt like the moral standards of the country were too "l[lax]." A variety of people, notably women, campaigned for the prohibition amendment hoping to make the country a better place. Wrongs such as slavery, and work incidents were blamed on liquor. In turn, those that opposed the prohibition amendment (which was eventually passed) bombarded it accusing the prohibition pushers of using such a law for other advantages. Anti-Prohibitionists said that prohibition was an argument based on religion, that it almost became like preaching the bible to people who didn't believe. Among those arguments lurked the idea that prohibition was just a movement to distinguish the rich from the poor, and to control the masses (as stated by many different anti prohibition pamphlets). Some of the more legit arguments though, included the reality that with prohibition comes the creation of crime, and new home made alcoholic substances such as moonshine. According to the herald tribune, prohibition even led to MORE drinking, and that it was a violation of our constitutional rights.
ReplyDeleteThe Klu Klux Klan grew rapidly during the 1920s and immigration continued to occur. The documents seemed to suggest that Americans in this time period were very influenced by white supremacy. From 1920-1921 some 800,000 immigrants came to America mostly from Southern and Eastern Europe. Then in 1921 the Emergency Quota Act was passed restricting immigrants o a quota of three percent. Americans were strongly against the Japanese. It was made very clear that the immigrants had different cultures and ethnicity. Americans had little use for the immigrants and they were not treated fairly.It was quite obvious that most Americans were not fond of the many immigrants. The KKK on the other hand was a ultraconservative uprising against many new forms of diversity that showed began to show up in American culture. The KKK grew exceptionally fast in the Midwest and bible belt South. The KKK was a group of white Christians who believed in the dominance of their race and anyone different should not be tolerated. The picture of a local clan in Colorado showed a group of white average men. They way they looked made it clear that they felt and knew that they were superior over everyone else. The KKK sprang up in the 1920s upset by post war reactions. It was obvious by the pictures that the KKK knew what they wanted and would not side with anyone else on anything. They were superior and the most powerful. It was made clear by both the immigrant pictures and the KKK pictures that white Americans feared that the new immigrants may become a threat to them and they would not allow that.
ReplyDeleteThe New Woman
ReplyDeleteAfter gaining the suffrage vote, women broke out of conventional sphere of behavior, attire, and fashion. The new woman rejected the previous hairstyles of the former generation and sought to shorten her hair and bob it (The Flapper). The new woman or flapper as she was called wanted a long and slender body while wearing lipstick and rouge. The 1920's also saw the introduction of new bathing suits and fashionable attire that revealed the ankles of the female (Stylish Women). The woman was more expressive in her sexuality, shedding the moral restraints that governed her previous actions (What has happened to society). With the freedom to vote, women felt more freedom to express their bodies and act with less regard to public contempt.
The fight for Prohibition became almost a religious reform for many people and they came to blame many social wrongs on alcohol. However, the prohibition of alcohol actually led to much greater alcohol consumption than before the passage of the 18th amendment as people had to resort to substances like hard liquor as it was easier to hide and transport. This increased the social problems Prohibitionists had been trying to prevent such as violence and "immoral" behavior. There was a great deal of gang competition and violence as each gang competed for the alcohol black market profits. Chicago was the city with the most mob violence with Al Capone as a major corrupt businessman who dealt with alcohol and murder. Also, many "speakeasies" which were illegal alcohol bars were set up where both alcohol and a dangerous homeade substance called moonshine were sold. These speakeasies were often raided by police but many law enforcement officials were bribed by mob bosses so crime was rampant during Prohibition. It was also extremely difficult for the federal government to enforce Prohibition as alcohol was such an important cultural feature to many American families. Due to this and to the rampant crime and extremely wealthy mob bosses, the federal government finally revoked the amendment conceding the impossibility of preventing alcohol consumption.
ReplyDeleteprohibition shown in the documents and pictures was very 2 sided. Most people during the time period were either on the wet side or the dry side. The wet side tried to persuade the dry by showing how prohibition brought about an increase in gangs and crime and also bootlegging as shown in the first cartoon. the dry side tried to persuade the wet by showing with the prohibition they were able to increase home owning and social morals. The amendment was supported by mostly mid-west, southerners, and the KKK. While almost everyone else was against the prohibition. During this time gangs thrived because they were able to do illegal business without any consequences. Although crime rate was high conviction rates were extremely low because the gangs controlled most of the city and officials. One gangster named Al Capone ran his city and committed murders such as St. Valentines Day massacre. In the end Capone was only caught for his tax evasion. Most people during this dry era drank alcohol by going to speakeasies run by gansters even though it was illegal. Though this movement had good intentions, it only increased the crime and gangs in cities.
ReplyDeleteThe New Women:
ReplyDeleteAfter women got the right to vote, a new image of woman began. They began pushing for new rights as they continued to change the societal view of themselves. Though the older generation did not appreciate the new women, the new style continued. The new image was one of liberation. The new women felt free and confident as they began to wear more “scandalous” clothes including the new one piece bathing suit. Women also continued to keep jobs as telephone operators but many went on to be mechanics, some even politicians, as some became “flappers”. The flappers redefined the woman as they accentuated and embraced the woman’s curves and began to drink, curse, and even dance. Though the flapper may have been looked down upon by her grandmother, her confidence and freedom led to the new image of women.
Prohibition was a very important reform during the 1920s. In an effort to curb social wrongs, prohibitionist and the 18th amendment attempted to hinder societies consumption of alcohol. However bootleggers and speakeasies popped up, and mob bosses like the legendary Al Capone was famous for dealing with alcohol and murder during the twenties. Mob bosses and widespread crime during the prohibition reform, along with the continued consumption of alcohol, led the United States government to repeal the 18th amendment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Audrey and Sophie that white supremacy was a very big influence on America during the early 1900's. Immigration was not wanted by most Americans due to the jobs being taken as well as overcrowding. People believed that immigrants in America needed to be sent back to their home countries and they wanted them out of the US. White Americans believed that they were "supreme" thus creating the KKK. The KKK was a group of white supremacists who discriminated against African Americans and other non-white racial groups. They were supported by many including politicians who were members themselves. The Klansmen manual stated that one goal was "To unite white male persons, native-born, Gentile citizens of the United States of America, who owe no allegiance of any nature or degree to any foreign government, nation, institution, sect, ruler, person, or people." Many non-whites realized how dangerous the Klan was due to the violence they showed including lynchings and other forms of violence showing how many whites felt at this time about immigrants and African Americans.
ReplyDeleteThe Scopes Trial was the first trial to test out the Butler Act, which made it illegal for a teacher to teach evolution. Scopes, was a teacher in Tennessee who purposely taught evolution to try out this act and see what would happen.
ReplyDeleteLooking at some of the pictures from the trial, I saw lots of suits. As talked about in class, it became common for men to start to wear suits during these times and every single one of them was during this court case.
Most of the cartoons are drawn against Scope and supporting the Butler Act, such as "The Big Worry." This cartoon, has a nurse with a sick child in bed that is starting to look like a monkey and has Tennessee written on his bed. All around him are other kids and all of them have a different state written on there shirts and the nurse says "My Land! What if the rest of 'em ketch it?" Showing there disproval for evolution. There was also another cartoon that was exemplifying the idea of what evolution was, probably to educate the public and show them how crazy the idea of it was, this is shown in the "Evolution Diagram from Thomas Henry Huxley."
This trial was just a debate over evolution, as we can see in the document written by Stephen Jay Gould, "Evolution as Fact and Theory" were he discusses evolution as a theory and a fact. More people are against evolution during this period and are much more supportive of the idea of Christianity and then God created all. This has changed from the time of urbanization and imperialism where the ideas of Darwin and his book the Origin of Species was accepted and viewed highly about.
Anti-Immigration and the KKK
ReplyDeleteThese documents and pictures reveal that white supremacy was gaining popularity in the 1920's, especially with all the immigrants crowding American streets and taking job opportunities. As Sophie already stated the Emergency Quota Act was passed when too many immigrants were pouring into our country, which limited the immigrant population to about 3% of the total population (seen in the "only way to handle it" picture). Also the immigration act of 1924 limited how many immigrants could come from each country. The Japanese were particularly hated by Americans (as seen in the "Japs keep moving" photograph), probably because their culture was so radically different. Traditional ideas of the creation of man were changing to evolution. Many religious Americans were very against the idea of evolution, but even those who believed in it found a way to turn it against the black man. Evolution could be twisted by some to suggest the white man was genetically superior and the black man was closer to a sub-human species, like a monkey. This is just one example of how new ideas of the time were still turned against colored people. The KKK increased in size around 1920, probably in response to the immigration. The were originally created to stop black Americans from gaining political strength by scaring them out of political positions. It seems that now the KKK was against all races and religions other than white, christian males. They burned crosses on the lawns of immigrants and colored families to make them feel unwelcome. The KKK was also a violent group, lynching those against their cause.
obviously some change has came about during the past couple of hundred years. one exapmple the klu klux klan. fro the pics shown on the other ight we have seen the difference on the braveness of some of the participants. it was more dangerouse back then than it os for us now. of course we still have some who are against a lot of things that african americans accomplish and still do but we have come far enough that we hyave enough protection if need be so. also prohibition. even though some do get influenced under AGE..we have come up with some pretty strict laws that enforce safety to minors. where as back then any one could get it. so yes indeed we have under gone change. and we still havnt stopped yet..we're just getting started!
ReplyDeleteThe New Women started after they got the right to vote, they became more independent and felt like they could do anything. Also their fashion styles change a lot, from long dresses to knee length dresses and short hair cuts. They also began to get jobs instead of just being a "house wife". Flappers were also a big part of the changing of women's characteristics, partying and drinking was a new part of life
ReplyDeleteWhen the issue of prohibition began in the 1920's, it caused a lot of controversy. There were two majors sides, one being the people who wanted to be dry and the ones that didn't. It was easy to see why drinking should be illegal, when drinking leads to loss of success, and loss of respect, and many other reasons, which is why the 18th amendment was created, prohibiting alcohol. This seemed to make the issue even worse. People began selling illegally, and making illegal bars. When prohibition failed, it lead to the repeal of the 18th amendment, making alcohol legal again.
ReplyDeleteThe Scopes Trial was a court case where a Dayton, Tennessee high school teacher, John Scopes, violated the policies of the public school systems and taught Darwin’s theories on evolution. He was defended by a prominent lawyer, Clarence Darrow. During this time, 1925, there were conflicts and clashes in culture all over the country. Scientific theories were starting to overshadow religious beliefs. It was a battle of fundamentalism and modernism. This is directly represented in “The Oaks that Braved a Thousand Storms.” It shows Darrow and Bryan, the prosecuting attorney, and how religion and science were both involved in the trial. Darrow was defending scientific ideas, while Bryan was representing religious views. While Scopes lost the trial, and it was considered a fundamentalist win, it was a start to the fight for modernism.
ReplyDeleteFor women, the 1920s was the transition from a very proper, Victorian way of living, to a more modern lifestyle. With gaining the right to vote, women felt more independent and equal. They started to branch out from the old style and ways of things to a more broad range of things. Women ranged from successful suffragists, to promiscuous flappers. New styles of clothing and fashion emerged during this time. Woman, to express their rebellion towards older ways, would cut their hair very short. The hair and the new fad of smoking was their way of feeling more equal during this time.
ReplyDelete(I wasn't in class when our topics were assigned so I picked "The New Woman")
ReplyDeleteThe 1920's presented women with more choices than they had ever had before. New ideals were springing up, and feminism was becoming more and more a part of modern living. Traditional values were going out of style, and women wore their new freedoms on their sleeves. Women of the 20's were wearing less clothing than ever before (New Women and The Girls), much to the shock and perhaps enjoyment of the men they encountered. Traditionally, women stayed home and tended to their flocks of children. Women started to integrate careers into their already full lives. The modern woman found a balance between her family, children, and career. A hot topic of the time was birth control. Feminists of the time, like Emma Goldman, argued that birth control would decrease the number of unwanted children born, and would help women to become more independant (men control when women get pregnant. "Love and Marriage") Men of the time were intimidated by these advancements in the liberation of women. Catholics were outraged by the change in women's fashions (Catholic Crusade for Modesty.) Despite these advancements, the majority of women were homemakers. However, the advancements that took place in this decade would set the foundation for all future advancements in women's rights.
scopes
ReplyDeleteThe Scopes Trial was a conflict between Darwinism and Christianity. John Scopes taught in Tennessee where a law had been put into effect making it illigal for students to be taught theories of creation apart from that provided in the bible, as many were opposed to teaching scientific ideas which contradicted the of the bible. Scopes taught Darwinism knowing that he was breaking the law and eventually was taken to court. Although Scopes did lose and was fined, he blatanly continued to oppose these oppressive laws.
Prohibition in the 1920s was brought to the attension of businessmen and factory owners with an argument that showed that an absence of alcohol in in factories and in working conditions led to more efficent work and less machinery accidents. However, even after the passing of the 18th amendment, this idea caused a rebellious mindset for the people on the wet side that continued into lawbreaking of all sorts to the point where some people seemed to be above the law such as bootleggers and gangs. Even some women saw the law as a joke and carried flasks and bottles under there dresses as seen in the picture, "Flapper Drinking" from the library of Congress. This amendment was meant for efficiency and safety but its consequences ended in crime and disrespect for the law.
ReplyDeleteThe Scopes Trial that took place in the 1920s was significant because it represented a step towards the true meaning of freedom of speech, and it also symbolized a first step in the breaking down of old traditions the country had long held on to.
ReplyDeleteJohn Scopes, who taugh at a high school in Tennessee, was summoned to court on claims that he had broken the law upheld by the Butler Act. This act required the teaching of Divine Creation in high schools, rather than the newer and more controversial evolutionary theories presented by Charles Darwin half a century earlier.
Although now we are more inclined as a society to accept Darwin's theories due to scietific evidence of the last fifty years, at the time of this trial the majority of the people residing in this area of the country had long been devout Chrisitans, so any theories which seemed to contradict the story the Bible told were immediately shunned, and if it came down to it, were taken to court.
At the end of the case, John Scopes was found guilty of the charge brought against him, and while his punishment was minimal, the importance lies in the lasting message Scopes gave when charged concerning his belief that he had broken no law, and so would not change his ways.
I observed in the cartoon "Hit Again" from the Literary Digest that the entire scene was put in a comical, light tone. The Supreme Court's decision is hitting the monkey's head in a way that looks silly. This shows that the public opinion of the Supreme Court's decision is not very esteemed. The old traditions are changing because before the idea of evolution would have been shunned by all, but now it seems the public is laughing at the Supreme Court's old-fashioned decision. It seems clear that evolution is an accepted theory. The resistance to the new idea of evolution is demonstrated in the cartoon "The Big Worry" where Mother Columbia is afraid the other states will catch the bug and want to rebel and teach evolution.
ReplyDeleteKKK or the Klu Klux Klan
ReplyDeleteWhite Supremacy was a big influence of America during the 1900’s. Immigration was not wanted because immigrates would take all of the jobs and they caused overcrowding in the U.S. Also after the war the U.S. wanted to become isolated again due to controversy that was caused with the influence of other countries. This is what sparked the KKK, members of this group believed that they were “supreme.” The KKK was not just a group of people that no one supported either this group had the support of many politicians who were indeed members themselves. The KKK was anti-everything except White Anglo Saxon Protestants. Many white at first were pro KKK until they realized how dangerous their tactics were, lynching and other forms of violence, towards immigrants and African Americans.
THE NEW WOMAN
ReplyDeleteThis topic made me think a lot about women and how we came from and how we developed. I found it intresting that a woman who exposed her ankles was considered unacceptable. I also thought that the "bathing suits" woman wore were funny. When I read this and saw the pictures I wished I could just bring the poeple of the 20's to the 2000 era and let them see how we've changed. We now have woman as lawyers, doctors and enginners and not all are teachers. We have evolved tremendously and it was nice to see where we started out.