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Society
Huge trusts were nearly appearing in every industry. The growth of industries led businesses to look for more help from new groups like immigrants, women, and children. The availability of these unskilled factory jobs led to decrease wages. Class divisions arose throughout the nation. Health and safety conditions in the workplace were extremely poor. Federal laws did offer some protection like the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. However, poor work and wage conditions led to a few labor union revolts.
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Culture
Nativist ideology and the Fear of immigrants: Nativist collapsed in the the 1920s however, many feared the true loyalty of citizens like immigrants.
Doubt of government: Because of all the misfortunes beginning in the twentieth century, many Americans feared that the nation was unable to protect them |
Politics
Quota act of 1924: Limited the number of immigrants allowed to enter into the United States.
FBI: originally created in 1908 during the Roosevelt administration. Created as the Bureau of investigation to allow the attorney general to investigate his staff within his own Justice Department. Sacco and Vanzetti: two Italians convicted of robbery and murder. Later proven innocent. |
Economy
Because of the crash of the stock market in 1929 many Americans were left homeless, hungry, and unemployed. Due to what experienced in the Great Depression, communism didn't seem like such a bad idea to many Americans. The Great Depression led the communist party to gain support.
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Foreign Policy
Formed relations with Russia.
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Society
Americans were fearful due to the spread of communism in Europe, China, and Korea. Because of the Soviet Union’s closed society the CIA’s solution based on advanced technology.
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Culture
Fearful that foreign communists were secretly working around them, plotting against the U.S (spies).
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Politics
Encouraged Loyalty Review Boards such as the Executive Order 9835 (“Loyalty Order”), which was the first loyalty program in the U.S., designed to seek out communist influence within the federal government ((Led to California’s Levering Act)). Encouraged the Central intelligence Agency (CIA) which assisted in anti-communist efforts such as getting information from the Soviet Union. It pushed for American Nationalism. A person was believed to be “pro-American” if they were anti communist. It also greatly affected the younger generation. Because of the Red Scare the fear of communism was at its high. This led America to intervene in other countries to try to stop the spread of communism. The nation’s involvement in such countries was highly controversial amongst the “baby boomers.” It led the younger generation to try to speak out against the government by pushing for a protest for peace.
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Economy
America began the space race against Russia. The Russian satellite, Sputnik surprised many Americans. The establishment of a new frontier led the nation to join the race. The space race led to greater inventions and innovations for the American society.
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Foreign Policy
Alien Registration Act (Smith Act) which made it a crime to “knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise or teach the duty, necessity, desirability or propriety of overthrowing the government of the united states by force or violence”; all foreign nationals were required to register by Federal requirements. Although the Smith Act was principally against communists, it was also used against right-wing political threats such as the German-American Bund and the perceived racial disloyalty of the Japanese-American population.
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continuity
The Red Scares of the 20th century, although sparked by different sources, were essentially the same. Both scares were fearful experiences caused by outside ideologies that conflicted with the american way of life. Russia, the primary source of fear, was the biggest threat to the USA. The U.S. tried keeping an isolationist policy during the World Wars until it was brought into war for various reasons. During both red scares America was allied with Russia, for foreign matters. Although their opposing views on communism vs democracy eventually led to a Cold War. The stereotype Americans projected onto foreigners and aliens has remained the same even through the 21st century. Back in the 1920s nativism developed due to the fear of foreigners, in the 1950s the accusations of anyone who did not believe in democracy (anarchist, socialist, communists), and in present day anyone from a middle eastern country is looked at with fear. Due to occurrences that threatened Americans and their safety thereafter to present day citizens look at everyone who reminds them of those situations are discriminated.