History of the United States
The United States
stayed out of World War I until 1917. But then, German acts of
aggression convinced most Americans of the need to join the war against
Germany. For the first time in its history, the United States mobilized
for a full-scale war on foreign territory.
A new place in the world (1917-1929)
The decade following
World War I brought sweeping changes. The economy entered a period of
spectacular--though uneven--growth. The booming economy and fast-paced
life of the decade gave it the nickname of the Roaring Twenties. But the
good times ended abruptly. In 1929, a stock market crash triggered the
worst and longest depression in America's history.
World War I and the peace
The United States in
the war. After World War I began in 1914, the United States repeatedly
declared its neutrality. But increasingly, German acts of aggression
brought America closer to joining the Allies. On May 7, 1915, a German
submarine sank the British passenger ship Lusitania. The attack killed
1,198 people, including 128 Americans. Woodrow Wilson won reelection to
the presidency in November 1916, using the slogan, "He Kept Us Out of
War." But three months later, German submarines began sinking American
merchant ships. This and other acts of aggression led the United States
to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.
The American people
rallied around their government's decision to go to war. Almost 2
million men volunteered for service, and about 3 million were
conscripted. On the home front, the spirit of patriotism grew to a fever
pitch. Americans willingly let the government take almost complete
control of the economy for the good of the war effort.
World War I ended in
an Allied victory with the signing of an armistice on Nov. 11, 1918.
The peace conference
and treaty. In 1919, the Allies held the Paris Peace Conference to draw
up the terms of the peace with Germany. Wilson viewed the conference as
an opportunity to establish lasting peace among nations. But the other
leading Allies were chiefly interested in gaining territory and war
payments from Germany. They adopted the Treaty of Versailles, which
ignored almost all of Wilson's proposals.
The Treaty of
Versailles did make provision for one of Wilson's proposals--an
association of nations (later called the League of Nations) that would
work to maintain peace. But the U.S. Senate failed to ratify (approve)
the Treaty of Versailles. Thus, the Senate rejected U.S. participation
in the League of Nations.
Life during the Roaring Twenties
In many ways, the
1920's marked the point at which the United States began developing into
the modern society it is today.
The role of American
women changed dramatically during the 1920's. The 19th Amendment to the
Constitution, which became law on Aug. 26, 1920, gave women the right to
vote in all elections. In addition, many new opportunities for education
and careers opened up to women during the decade.
Social change and
problems. Developments of the 1920's broadened the experiences of
millions of Americans. The mass movement to cities meant more people
could enjoy such activities as films, plays, and sporting events. Radio
broadcasting began on a large scale. The car gave people a new way to
get around. Cinemas became part of almost every city and town. The new
role of women also changed society. Many women who found careers outside
the home began thinking of themselves more as the equal of men, and less
as housewives and mothers.
The modern trends of
the 1920's brought about problems as well as benefits. Many Americans
had trouble adjusting to the impersonal, fast-paced life of cities. This
disorientation led to a rise in juvenile delinquency, crime, and other
The 18th Amendment to
the Constitution, called the prohibition amendment, caused unforeseen
problems. It outlawed the sale of alcoholic beverages throughout the
United States as of Jan. 16, 1920. Many otherwise law-abiding citizens
considered prohibition a violation of their rights. They ignored the law
and bought alcohol provided by underworld gangs.
all Americans saw the changes brought about during the Roaring Twenties
as being desirable. Many people yearned for a return to old American
traditions, a trend that was reflected in many areas of life. In
politics, it led to the return of a conservative federal government. In
his successful presidential campaign of 1920, Warren G. Harding used the
slogan "A Return to Normalcy." To many people, returning to "normalcy"
meant ending the strong role of the federal government that marked the
early 1900's. It also meant isolation, a turning away from the affairs
of the outside world.
In religion, the
trend toward tradition led to an upsurge of revivalism (emotional
religious preaching). Revival meetings were most common in rural areas,
but also spread to cities.
The Ku Klux Klan had
died out in the 1870's, but a new Klan gained a large following during
the 1920's. The new Klan had easy answers for Americans who were
troubled by modern problems. It blamed the problems on "outsiders,"
including blacks, Jews, Roman Catholics, foreigners, and political
The economy--boom and bust
During the 1920's,
the American economy soared to spectacular heights. Wartime government
restrictions on business ended. Conservatives gained control of the
federal government and adopted policies that aided big business.
But in spite of its
growth and apparent strength, the economy was on shaky ground. Only one
segment of the economy--manufacturing--prospered. Business executives
grew rich, but farmers and labourers became worse off. Finally, in
1929, wild speculation led to a stock market crash.
The American people grew tired of the federal government's
involvement in society that marked the Progressive Era and the war years. They
elected to Congress conservatives who promised to reduce the role of
government. Also, all three presidents elected during the
1920's--Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover--were Republicans
who agreed with the policy.
American manufacturers to develop new products, improve existing ones,
and turn out goods much faster and more cheaply than ever before. Sales
of such items as electric washing machines, refrigerators, and radios
soared. But the manufacturing boom depended most heavily on the growth
of the car industry. Before and during the 1920's, Henry Ford and others
refined car manufacturing to a science. The cost of cars continued to
drop and sales soared. In just 10 years between 1920 and 1930, the
number of cars registered in the United States almost tripled, growing
from about 8 million to 23 million.
labour did not share in the prosperity. A reduced market for farm goods
in war-torn Europe and a slowdown in the U.S. population growth led to a
decline in the demand for American farm products. Widespread poverty
among farmers and labourers cut into the demand for manufactured goods,
a contributing factor to the forthcoming depression.
speculation, and the crash.
The economic growth of the 1920's led more
Americans than ever to invest in the shares of corporations. The
investments, in turn, provided companies with a flood of new capital for
business expansion. As investors poured money into the stock market, the
value of shares soared. The upsweep led to widespread speculation, which
pushed the value of shares far beyond the level justified by earnings
investment practices led to the stock market crash of 1929. In late
October, a decline in share prices set in. Panic selling followed,
lowering share prices drastically and dragging investors to financial
ruin. The stock market crash combined with the other weaknesses in the
nation's economy to bring on the Great Depression of the 1930's.