the USA achieved a degree of prosperity never seen before
it was the age of the ford motor, jazz, cinemas, the stock market boom and consumerism
however prosperity only reached half the population
poor workers like blacks and farmers had lifestyles that were greatly in contrast to the rich
society was divided and increasingly violent through activites of groups like ' the KKK' and gangsters during prohibition
key words:
prohibition: the period from 1920-1933 in the USA during which the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol for consumption were banned
great depression: the largest worldwide economic downturn that started with the wall street crash in the USA in 1929
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isolationism and its effects
when WW1 started the USA stayed neutral
the war was regarded as a distent event and nothing to do with USA
in the late 19th centry and early 20th USA became a melting pot for a mixture of immigrants mostly vor europe
loyalties would certainly be divided
the USA democrat president woodrow wilson hated the idea of war
in early 1917 germay in desperation started its policy of unrestricted subs warfare in the atlantic
meaning USA was forced to join the war in its own defence of its shipping
it took a long time to train the US troops and organise essential equipment
so it was only summer and autum of 1918 that they played an important part on the western front
over 100,000 american soldiers, sailors and airmen were killed
when the surviving troops started to return they were greeted as heroes but they painted a very different picture of fighting conditions from the romanticised version popularly believed by civilians
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American refusal to joining the League of Nations
Wilson was committed to USA playing a leading role in policing the treaty of versailles through active involvement in the league of nations
however the mood of USA was rapidly changing
most americans wanted to end the entanglements in european affairs not commitments towards keeping the peace in a divided continent
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the consequences for the USA
in the 1920 presidential election Warren Harding the republican candidate was elected with 61% of the vote (the largest marjority in american history)
his campaign included arguments in favour to return to normalcy a term he coined
however it also defined the mood of many people who wanted life to return to what it had before the war
in his opening speech he said 'we seek no part in directing the destinies of the world'
the USA never joined the League of Nations a decision that had major consequences for europe
America resumed its policy of isolationism(remaining aloof from european political commitments)
not until august 1912 did USA offically declare the war which with Germay would be over
during the 20's relations with most european countries were not good
many of the victorious ones resented the fact that USA had taken so long to come to their aid
during the war even when offically neutral until 1917 US business had sold armaments and food to britain and france
the USA was able to export to areas of the world controlled by european colonial countries whilst those countries were totally focused on war
by the end of the war USA had overtaked germany in the supply of chemical products
US businesses also took the opportunity to develop new materials using plastics
the old euopean intustrial countries took time in the 20's to refocus on international trade and then found thast USA had captured some of their markets
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Tariff policy: the Fordney-McCumber Tariff 1922
Wilsons policy of encouraging free trade with USA was ended in 1922 when the Fordney-McCumber tariff put high traiffs (taxes) on all foreign-made goods sold in the USA
this meant that american goods were cheaper and this helped american industries
it also restored the high rates imposed before WW1 but also included farm products
this helped to end the traditional opposition from farmers to the policy of protection
the acts gave the president the power to raise and lower the rate as they thought necessary
of the 37 time the rate was varied Harding and is successor Calvin Coolide raised it 32 times
Harding wasnt the only american president to show faulty understanding of economics he stated og one occasion 'we should adopt a protective tariff of such a character ads will help the struggling industries of europe to get on their feet'
european countries soon retaliated by putting tariffs on american made goods
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