About this Video

• Video Title: US Modern Ch. 22
• Channel: Professor Kiser
• Speakers: Professor Kiser
• Duration: 01:39:33

Introduction

This video lecture covers Chapter 22 of a US Modern History course, focusing on the "Roaring Twenties." The lecture examines the legacies of World War I, including racial and gender issues, political shifts, economic changes, and the onset of the Great Depression.

Key Takeaways

• Conflicted Legacies of WWI: The return of African American veterans, despite their service, was met with continued racism and discrimination, hindering their pursuit of voting rights and equal opportunities. A significant migration of African Americans from rural to urban areas exacerbated existing tensions.
• Racial Violence: The 1920s witnessed a surge in racial violence, including lynchings and race riots in various cities (e.g., Rosewood, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma). These events highlight the severe racial backlash following WWI.
• Progressive Women's Initiatives: Despite low voting rates, progressive women made strides in advocating for women's and children's rights, achieving the passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act, the first national healthcare law, albeit short-lived. They also actively participated in international peace organizations.
• Dollar Diplomacy and Imperialism: The US pursued imperialist policies through "dollar diplomacy," providing loans to foreign countries with the condition of American oversight and influence, often resulting in military interventions when loans were not repaid.
• Culture Wars and the 1928 Election: The 1920s saw culture wars over race, religion, and education, culminating in the 1928 presidential election between Herbert Hoover and Al Smith. Hoover's victory reflected the prevalent nativist and anti-Catholic sentiments.
• The Roaring Twenties Boom and Bust: The decade's economic boom, fueled by consumer culture and easy credit, ultimately led to the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression. The widespread use of credit and overextension contributed significantly to the economic collapse.

The provided transcript does not contain information about Urban Machines or Teddy Roosevelt. There is mention of the War of 1898 implicitly and Woodrow Wilson explicitly, but not in the context of the main topics covered in Chapter 22. The bulk of the transcript focuses on Nativist and Religious Culture Wars, and the economic conditions leading to the Great Depression.

Here's a summary of the relevant information with timestamps:

Woodrow Wilson (Implicit): The lecturer mentions Woodrow Wilson's unsuccessful attempts to pass national healthcare legislation, contrasting it with the later passage of the Sheppard-Towner Act. This is presented as a historical context for the Act's significance. (Timestamps: 14:04-14:22)

War of 1898 (Implicit): The lecturer references the legacy of World War I and the subsequent social and political changes. The War of 1898 is not explicitly discussed but is implicitly referenced as part of the historical context leading up to WWI and its consequences. (Timestamps: 0:13-1:10, and throughout lecture as a backdrop for later events)

Nativist and Religious Culture Wars: This is the central theme of a large portion of the lecture. The lecturer discusses:

• Nativism and Immigration: The fear of unrestricted immigration, targeting Catholics, Jews, and Asians, is discussed, along with the National Origins Act of 1924, which drastically reduced immigration (47:22-49:32, 51:39-52:04). President Coolidge's statements on racial mixing and the inherent superiority of Nordic peoples are highlighted as examples of explicit racism (50:07-51:31).
• Prohibition: The 18th Amendment (Prohibition) is presented as a result of nativist and religious culture wars (35:11-38:32). The lecturer notes the unintended consequences of Prohibition, including the rise of organized crime. The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 is discussed as an economic victory, contrasting with its prior presentation as a moral and health victory. (26:50-27:21)
• Education: Mandated religious teaching in schools, particularly in the South, along with the outlawing of the teaching of evolution, is explored, culminating in the Scopes Trial (38:47-43:39).
• The Ku Klux Klan: The resurgence of the KKK in the 1920s and its expanded focus on nativism, anti-Catholicism, and anti-Asian sentiment is discussed, including the role of D.W. Griffith's film "The Birth of a Nation" (53:29-58:30, 59:12-59:54).
• 1928 Election: The presidential election of 1928 between Herbert Hoover and Al Smith is analyzed as a culmination of the culture wars, with Hoover's victory largely attributed to anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentiment (58:43-1:12:09).

The provided transcript focuses primarily on the 1920s and does not contain information about the New Deal, its critics, life on the home front during WWII, the Containment Strategy, or the post-WWII suburban housing boom. These topics are beyond the scope of Chapter 22, as indicated in the lecture's introduction.

The transcript does contain information about Herbert Hoover, specifically his presidency during the start of the Great Depression and the 1928 election.

Herbert Hoover:

• 1928 Election: Hoover's presidential campaign and victory in 1928 are discussed in the context of the nativist and anti-Catholic sentiments of the time. His opponent, Al Smith, is highlighted as a Catholic Democrat. (58:43-1:06:44, 1:06:44-1:12:09)
• Presidency and the Great Depression: The lecture details Hoover's response to the Great Depression, focusing on the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) and its limitations. The lecturer notes that Hoover's actions were largely in line with what would be expected from a president at the time, but they were insufficient to address the severity of the crisis. His administration is described as coinciding almost entirely with the Great Depression (1:34:03-1:38:10).

As stated before, the provided transcript does not contain information about the New Deal, its critics, life on the home front during WWII, the Containment Strategy, or the post-WWII suburban housing boom. These topics are outside the scope of Chapter 22, which focuses on the 1920s. Therefore, I cannot provide citations related to those four topics.

Here are citations related to Herbert Hoover, taken directly from the transcript:

Herbert Hoover:

• 1928 Election and Anti-Catholic Sentiment: "in the election of twenty eight we have two people running for president here that okay the two most important people that we're going to talk about her Herbert Hoover the Protestant Republican ringer and Al Smith the Catholic Democrat..." (1:01:46-1:01:52) "...Hoover among others opposed Al Smith and made claims such as quote no governor can kiss the Pope's hand and get within reach of the White House..." (1:02:09-1:02:19). "...his victory was due in large part to the number of people who voted anti-catholic anti-immigrant sentiment..." (1:05:56-1:05:59).

• Presidency and Response to the Great Depression: "President Hoover responds very minimal response he creates the RFC or he you know Congress creates it anyway this is created to him at Congress reconstruction Finance Corporation which gives federal loans to banks railroads utilities keep them in business..." (1:34:03-1:34:16). "...his entire four years and presidents in office his entire presidency except for what about five months was the depression so his entire presidency was the Great Depression and he only got worse his entire term in office..." (1:37:13-1:37:25). "...the problem was this Depression was different than anything we've ever had before many times worse and this one required truly revolutionary action and tactics to deal with this massive catastrophe that struck our country of our own making" (1:36:11-1:36:18).

Please note that these are direct quotes; no other information regarding these topics was present within the provided transcript.