George Custer was born on December 5, 1835. Despite him graduating last in his class at West Point, he became the youngest brevet brigadier general in the Union army, somewhat due to the lack of available men. He became known for his actions in the Civil War, where he was assigned to aid George McClellan, and his successes were said to be due both to his courage and audacity. Despite his successes he was known for being gallant, aggressive, and reckless
After the war ended, Custer returned to the rank of a captain and led several minor fights against Native Americans in Kansas. Twice he was punished for leaving duty, once to visit his wife Elizabeth, and once when he left the field without searching for a missing unit that had been killed.
Later in 1874, he violated the Treaty of 1868 by taking troops up into the sacred Black Hills. Later in 1876, the government ordered an attack on the Lakota, under the command of General Alfred Terry, using a three- pronged approach . However, Custer decided to disregard Terry's orders and attack the Lakota before the other two prongs arrived, a show of the recklessness that he was famous four. The result was a disaster as he and his 647 men were slaughtered by the 2,500 men of Crazy Horse. his battle later became known as "Custer's Last Stand" and has been portrayed and reenacted may times in a heroic, sensationalized, and inaccurate manor.
Sources:
http://www.biography.com/people/george-custer-9264128#battle-at-little-bighorn
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/george-armstrong-custer-1.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Friday, December 11, 2015
Prohibition & the Eighteenth Amendment
By 1916, all but two states had passed anti- saloon legislation. After the congressional elections that year, "dry" members won a two thirds majority on the topic of national prohibition. In 1919, Congress ratified the 18th Amendment, prohibiting manufacture, transportation, and sale of liquor. It was intended to eliminate crime and social problems, but really just aggravated them. The bootlegging industry and organized crime actually rose. The sale of alcohol became controlled by the Mafia and such gangs who gained huge profits from this. The mafia also bribed the police and politicians to keep quiet about the business. Al Capone from Chicago was notorious in the bootlegging industry. He had made an estimated 60 million dollars annually from bootlegging and speakeasy operations. Gambling and prostitution had also reached their heights at this time. Many Americans began to blame Prohibition for the loss of morals in American society.
Some argued that the ban of alcohol reduced the amount of jobs available during the great depression. This led to the less revenue generated by the government. The AAPA, or Americans Against Prohibition Association added to the public sentiment against prohibition. In Roosevelt's platform, he included repealing the 18th Amendment and his victory led to the end of prohibition. Congress passed a resolution proposing the 21st Amendment, which would repeal the 18th Amendment and Volstead act. Since then, local governments have largely determined liquor control.
http://www.history.com/topics/18th-and-21st-amendments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition
Some argued that the ban of alcohol reduced the amount of jobs available during the great depression. This led to the less revenue generated by the government. The AAPA, or Americans Against Prohibition Association added to the public sentiment against prohibition. In Roosevelt's platform, he included repealing the 18th Amendment and his victory led to the end of prohibition. Congress passed a resolution proposing the 21st Amendment, which would repeal the 18th Amendment and Volstead act. Since then, local governments have largely determined liquor control.
http://www.history.com/topics/18th-and-21st-amendments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition
Music In the 1920's
The beginning of Modern Music
The 1920's was the beginning of the creation of modern music. Thanks to the new inventions created and the advancements in technology, it changed the way in which music would be made and the way that it would be distributed as well. Back in 1877 Thomas Edison invented the the phonograph in which allowed people to play back recordings. Later, in the the mid 1920's the way in which music was created and distributed would changed. The process of acoustically recording, was changed with an electrical process. This new form of creating music, would improve the audio of the recording.
The new way of creating music also led to the creation of record music industry. These industries would have the popular songs be shared through sheets of music, piano rolls, and live shows.
Another invention that increased the popularity of music was the radio. At first, the radio was mainly used by the newspaper owners, radio manufactures, and department stores that would use the radio in order to advertise their products. Once the radio was popular and was a common use by the majority of the American citizens, the radio would be used in order to promote popular music for others to listen to.
Connecting back to the radio, we can see that we still use the radio and it is mainly used to listen to popular music, more than to listen to the recent updates or news.
Jazz music was another type of music that was popular in the 1920's and it first began within the African American community. Because of the popularity many of the Southern African Americans were going to Chicago in order to look for a job. Jazz music was very important because it was very influential. Jazz music influenced fashion, dances, moral standards, youth culture, and race relations.
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/20smusic.html
Immigration in the 1920s
Immigration in the 1920's
The United States is known as place for opportunity in which one can reach the American Dream and be able to reach for higher success than from the place one was born in. After the First World War there were a lot of immigrants coming into the country, and the US wanted to have control to how many immigrants could come into the US. In order to have control to the number of immigrants that were coming from other places to the United States, the Immigration Act was passed in 1924. This act limited the pass to only 2% of immigrants from each nationality, and would be provided with immigration visas.
By 1917, the immigrants that were older than 16 needed to complete a Literacy Test, in which tested the understanding of reading in any language. Not only that, but the Chinese were also denied immigration visas through the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the Japanese government, voluntarily limited Japanese immigration to the US.
Many of the people that immigrated from their country, were mainly escaping religious, political, and racial prosecution, or were in the look for something better since their economic status might not have been really good, and were in the need to improve their economic status.
Immigrants coming in the US has had been a problem to other citizens when it came to work during the Industrial Revolution, and further on. The reason that immigrants were a problem to American citizens, is because since the factory owners did not pay a well wage for the Americans, the immigrants that would come in from different countries were willing to take the job no matter what the cost was because they only know that they want to have a job. This was bigger problem when the American workers wanted to make a statement that they needed to be payed better and treated better through strikes, but the immigrant workers wouldn't know what was going around them, so the jobs that were left vacant would be taken by the immigrants.
Another problem that the immigrants encounter was during the Great Depression, only because the people that were already living in the US were having problems finding a job and the new immigrants coming in would also be encountering the same problem as the American citizens.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpim1.htm
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act
By 1917, the immigrants that were older than 16 needed to complete a Literacy Test, in which tested the understanding of reading in any language. Not only that, but the Chinese were also denied immigration visas through the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the Japanese government, voluntarily limited Japanese immigration to the US.
Many of the people that immigrated from their country, were mainly escaping religious, political, and racial prosecution, or were in the look for something better since their economic status might not have been really good, and were in the need to improve their economic status.
Immigrants coming in the US has had been a problem to other citizens when it came to work during the Industrial Revolution, and further on. The reason that immigrants were a problem to American citizens, is because since the factory owners did not pay a well wage for the Americans, the immigrants that would come in from different countries were willing to take the job no matter what the cost was because they only know that they want to have a job. This was bigger problem when the American workers wanted to make a statement that they needed to be payed better and treated better through strikes, but the immigrant workers wouldn't know what was going around them, so the jobs that were left vacant would be taken by the immigrants.
Another problem that the immigrants encounter was during the Great Depression, only because the people that were already living in the US were having problems finding a job and the new immigrants coming in would also be encountering the same problem as the American citizens.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpim1.htm
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1921-1936/immigration-act
The Changing Role of Women in the 1920's
"New Woman" in the 1920's
Women's role changed a lot in the 1920's and it would not have been possible if they didn't keep trying for equal rights like the men had. Before the 1920's women were expected to stay home and cook and take of the children, and wait for their husbands to get home. Women weren't allowed to do whatever they desired, they had to listen and obey their husband's decision and they couldn't be independent, even if they wanted to because the society that the women lived in was created so that women would need the help of a man in order to live well and not starve. Jobs were all dominated by men, since women were not allowed to work as well.
When the First World War began, this was the ticket for women to prove what they were capable of doing. Since the war required a lot of man strength many of the jobs were left vacant, so the women who stayed home would take these jobs until their husbands would come back home. Not only that, but there were women who would organize food and resources that the men needed while they were in the battlefield. This first world war allowed women to prove that they were capable of working well just like the men could.
By 1920, women were granted the right to vote; the surprising outcome was that many women decided not vote because they felt that the spheres between men and women should not be broken and mixed with. Many of the women remained housewives but 25% of the employees were women. Not only that, but women known as the "Flappers" would smoke in public, would dance to the new dances and were basically free to do what they wanted for the most part. Women's rights kept improving since the 1920's allowing them to be able to reach their dream and be successful without the aid of a man.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/usa/1920srev2.shtml
http://ncpedia.org/history/20th-Century/1920s-women
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance took place after World War One until the mid 1930s. It was a movement in literature, art music, and kindled a new African American cultural identity. Many whites became fascinated with the world of Harlem, and sought out black writers. Many of these authors wrote books of realism on the topic of black life the ghetto, and racial inequality. One of the most famous of these writers was Langston Hughes, a famous poet and social activist who is credited with being one of the first "jazz poets" who focused on the life and struggles of African Americans. The Harlem Renaissance encouraged lots of black writers, however many of them were ignored at the end of the Renaissance in the 1930's, near the start of World War Two. Many black authors regained popularity during the Civil Rights Movement.
Many Harlem artists gained inspiration from African masks, and other types of African art by creating abstract and avant-garde paintings and sculptures that brought into light the African culture that was often ,misunderstood by whites, in a new light.
The Renaissance also became a musical era of blues and jazz, with artists such as Alberta Hunter, Bessie Smith, Clara Smith, and Ma Rainey, whom had until recently been unknown gaining attention and fame. The music often expressed longings and emotions, and were written in the perspective of the black working class. Famous jazz musicians and soloists emerged, including the most remembered, Louis Armstrong. This type of music later migrated and gained popularity in Chicago from New York City.
Although black culture was embraced by both blacks and whites during this time period, racism still was still very prevelent. Interest waned in racial matters the years of World War Two, and would not comeback until the Civil Rights movements several years later.
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_harlem.html
Many Harlem artists gained inspiration from African masks, and other types of African art by creating abstract and avant-garde paintings and sculptures that brought into light the African culture that was often ,misunderstood by whites, in a new light.
The Renaissance also became a musical era of blues and jazz, with artists such as Alberta Hunter, Bessie Smith, Clara Smith, and Ma Rainey, whom had until recently been unknown gaining attention and fame. The music often expressed longings and emotions, and were written in the perspective of the black working class. Famous jazz musicians and soloists emerged, including the most remembered, Louis Armstrong. This type of music later migrated and gained popularity in Chicago from New York City.
Although black culture was embraced by both blacks and whites during this time period, racism still was still very prevelent. Interest waned in racial matters the years of World War Two, and would not comeback until the Civil Rights movements several years later.
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_harlem.html
The KKK during the 1920's
How did the Ku Klux Klan begin?
In the year of 1865, the Ku Klux Klan was founded by a group of Confederates that wanted to make a secret society, and its purpose was because they were not agreeing to all the social changes and the reconstruction that was being done in the South. During the night, the Ku Klux Klan, would attack against the African Americans and the white Republicans. They would attack them during the night through the methods of intimidation, property destruction, assault and murder as well.
The KKK during the 1920's
During the second incarnation of the KKK in the 1920's, not only did target the African Americans, but they also attacked the Jews, Catholics, and foreigners. In order for them to promote their ideas on what America should look like they used the means of bootleggers, and motion pictures to show how America looked like when it was "cleaned". They wanted to appeal to the emotions of the Americans because many were afraid/ uncomfortable of changing America's nature, since they think that technology is not good, and that they should stay in a period where it was all nature in a way. By the mid 1920's the KKK would have gained a lot of members and the secret organization would have from 3 million to 8 million members. The Klan's plan of action during the 1920's was to move to different states to dominate and state and local politics. States like Indiana and Colorado, had enough members of the Klan in position of powers to dominate the state government, and this would be known as "Invisible Empire".
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/flood-klan/
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/kkk-founded
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)