The Roaring 20s: USA 1918-1929 (AQA History B)

By Emma Ward

  • End of WWI

    America had been sucked into the war after Germany's Desperate unrestricted submarine warfare in the Atlantic in early 1917, despite there hard efforts of staying neutral. However soldiers only entered the Western Front in summer and autumn 1918. Despite this over 100,000 where killed, when the remaining troops returned they where welcomed as heros.
  • Period: to

    The Roaring 20s: USA, 1919-29 (AQA History B)

  • Number of black americans lynched at highest

    76 where lynched in 1919 (murdered)

  • Prohibtion

    In Jan1919, ammendment to the consitution was passed saying that alcoholic drinks would be forbidden.

  • Volstead Act

    brought the force of prohibtion into act.
    Liquor was any drink that contained 0.5% of alcohol or more.
    Lasted until 1933.
    Weeks before large quantities of alcohol had been bought form liqour stores.
    Thousands of churches who had campaigned for prohibition held thanksgiving prayer meetings.

  • USA did not join LON

    Wilson wanted the USA to have a key role in the ToV through the League of Nations. However most americans wanted to end the entanglements in europe. Wilson went on speaking tour. However still not enough votes in the Senate for the ToV to be formally ratified, so as the LON was an intergral part of the treaty, it meant the USA would not join the league either. AMERICA IS IN ISOLATION!

  • Consequences for the USA for rejection of ToV and refusal to join LON

    Warren Harding elected as new president - campaign of wanting to return to normality-what american's wanted at the time.
    Relationships with most Europrean countries not good.
    European industries annoyed that USA had stolen some of there trade during the war. US had used this time to develop new materials such as plastic.

  • Emergency Quotas Act passed

    The number of people admitted into the usa in any 1 year was limited to 3% of all emigrants from that country who were resident in the USA in 1910.
    Favoured countries in Northern and Western Europe

  • USA offically decalre the war with Germany to be over

  • The Fordney-McCumber Tariff (tariff policy)

    Im 1922 high taxes where put on all foreign goods sold within the USA. This made USA products cheaper which helped the USA industries. This gave the president the power to raise and lower the rate as when was necessary. European countries retaliated by putting tariffs on American made goods.

  • Calivn Coolidge became President

  • National Origins Act Passed

    Further restrictions on immigration.
    3% reduced to 2% and year of residency moved back to 1890.
    Overall number of European immigrants was resticted to 150,000.

  • KKK scandel-start of decline in members

    David Stephenson (one of the leaders) was found guilty of kidnapping, rape and murer of a women on a chicago train. Sentenced to life in prison. After this the influence in the KKK decreased and it's membership dwindled. However racism still strong.

  • Rudolf Valentino Died

    Died in 1926 aged 31, of appendicitis. He starred in 'The son of the Sheik'. People queued for hours to see his embalmed body and thousands attended his funeral.

  • 1st man to fly solo across the Atlantic

    Charles Lindbergh- became an american hero

  • 1st "talkie" was made

    When Al Jolson starred in The Jazz Singer.
    Many actors and actresses tried to adapt their skills to the new era however many failed as there voices were unattractive.

  • St Valentine's Day Massacre

    Some of Al Capone's gang, disguisedas poilcemen, gunned down 6 members of th rival BUgs Moran gang.

  • Herbet Hoover became president

    Republican candidate

  • Effects of overproduction where felt

    Some industries cut back on production.

  • Investors warned a crash could happen

    Some investors began to worry about prices and warned a crash could happen- led to some people selling there shares.
    During sept the stock market recovered- the banks helped to restore stability by buying up vast numbers of shares.

  • Wall Street Crash

    Panic set in - millions of shares where sold on the Wall Street Stock Exchange in New York.

  • Effects of Wall Street Crash

    Big Investors lost heavily.
    Smaller investors who had used there homes as security had homes repossesd by the bank.
    Some investors committed suicide.
    Over 100,000 companies bankrupt (1929-33).
    Many banks went out of business as could not pay there investors.
    Unemployment rose to 12million by 1932.
    Homeless built shelters in parks (Hoovervilles).
    Started the cycle of Depression.

  • Investors sold their shares for whatever they could get