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An increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.
An increasingly pluralistic United States faced profound domestic and global challenges, debated the proper degree of government activism, and sought to define its international role.
Comparison: What are the similarities and differences among the major events of the first half of the Twentieth Century in terms of their significance relative to the shaping of American identity?
Comparison: What are the similarities and differences among the major events of the first half of the Twentieth Century in terms of their significance relative to the shaping of American identity?
6 Things to Know about Period 7
6 Things to Know about Period 7
The United States continued its transition from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy. In the 1920s, urban areas grew and employment opportunities were on the rise. However, the United States would soon plunge into the Great Depression.
Progressives across the country responded to political and economic uncertainty; they called for greater government action regarding social issues such as women’s suffrage, the prohibition of alcohol, political corruption, and economic inequality.
With new forms of mass media, modern culture was born in an era known as the “Roaring Twenties,” also dubbed the “Jazz Age.” Americans debated larger social issues such science, religion, gender roles, race, and immigration.
Major changes in migration occurred, as Americans and migrants from Asia and Europe increasingly moved into urban areas. Nativist campaigns succeeded in convincing the government to pass quotas and restrictions on immigration. The “Great Migration” saw African Americans leave the racial violence and segregation of the South and move to the North, where they sought better economic opportunities.
In an attempt to end the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt promoted his “New Deal” plan to assist the poor, provide employment, and revitalize a stalling, weak economy. Through the New Deal, Roosevelt helped define modern American liberalism and left a long-lasting legacy of political, social, and economic reform.
America fought in three major wars during this period. The United States’ victory in the Spanish-American War resulted in increased overseas territory. After a period of relative peace, America entered World War I in 1917. The U.S. then entered a short-lived period of isolationism before World War II.
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