Quiz 22: The New ERA

Throughout the 1920s,the performance of the United States economy A)saw ten straight years of continuous growth. B)struggled with a persistent high rate of inflation. C)saw per capita income flatten while manufacturing output soared. D)saw nearly uninterrupted prosperity coupled with severe inequalities. E)experienced a severe recession in 1923 that lasted two years.

In the 1920s,the development of practical radio communication was furthered by A)the theory of modulation. B)the use of vacuum tubes. C)enthusiasts who built their own sets at home. D)both the theory of modulation and the use of vacuum tubes. E)All these answers are correct.

During the 1920s,airplanes A)were used extensively for commercial travel. B)had no practical use. C)were used almost exclusively for military purposes. D)saw the development of the first experimental jet engines. E)were largely a source of entertainment.

During the 1920s,products that grew dramatically in use in the United States included A)synthetic fibers. B)plastics. C)home appliances. D)electronics. E)All these answers are correct.

During the 1920s,Thomas Hunt Morgan was one of the American pioneers in A)analog computers. B)genetic research. C)automation. D)robotics. E)relativistic physics.

During the 1920s,the trend toward industrial consolidation A)was most pronounced in the large-scale,mass-production sector. B)was slowing considerably throughout the decade. C)encouraged new competition. D)was most rapid in industries less dependent on technology. E)bypassed the steel and automobile industries.

A great worry for industrialists during the 1920s was the fear of A)the overproduction of goods. B)a shortage in the number of skilled workers. C)the rising bargaining power of labor unions. D)a shortage of consumer credit. E)inflation.

Most American industrial workers during the 1920s experienced all of the following EXCEPT A)a rise in their standard of living. B)income levels at the "minimum comfort level." C)little control over their economic interests. D)few opportunities to join a company union. E)employers trying to keep their labor costs low.

In the 1920s,"welfare capitalism" A)encouraged employees to form single-industry labor unions. B)was a paternalistic approach used by corporate leaders on their workers. C)gave workers a measure of control over their industry. D)required corporations to provide some relief for unemployed workers. E)forced workers to donate much of their salaries to the less fortunate.

During the 1920s,wages for American workers A)generally enabled a working-class family to thrive on a single income. B)rose most quickly for unskilled workers. C)generally ran well below the growth of the economy as a whole. D)equaled or exceeded the rate of production growth. E)generally decreased as the labor market became tighter.

During the 1920s,when $1,800 was considered the minimum annual income for a decent standard of living,the average annual income of a worker was approximately ________. A)$700 B)$1,100 C)$1,500 D)$1,900 E)$2,400

During the 1920s,the American Federation of Labor (AFL) A)decided to shift away from craft unions. B)created a partner organization,the Congress of Industrial Organizations. C)used strikes in an attempt to organize unskilled workers. D)became more radical after the death of Samuel Gompers. E)believed workers should be organized on the basis of skills.

In the workplace,the "open shop" meant A)no worker was required to join a union. B)skilled workers were required to join a craft union. C)labor unions had the right to organize that particular industry. D)workers had no right to join a union. E)workers would be allowed to come and go as they pleased.

During the 1920s,all of the following immigrant groups were increasing their presence in the labor force in the West and Southwest EXCEPT the A)Filipinos. B)Chinese. C)Japanese. D)Mexicans. E)Issei.

The agricultural economy of the United States during the 1920s saw A)a large decrease in the area of cultivated land. B)demand for farm goods rise faster than production. C)a sharp decline in farmers' incomes. D)farmers oppose using hybrid plants and chemical fertilizers. E)the need for a larger labor supply.

In the 1920s,the idea of agricultural "parity" was A)to match crop production with demand. B)to ensure farmers would at least financially break even. C)strongly opposed by Congress. D)to equalize the average farmer income with the average industrial worker income. E)invalidated by the passage of the McNary-Haugen Bill.

In the 1920s bestseller,The Man Nobody Knows,Jesus Christ was portrayed as A)embodying Republican values. B)a 100% American. C)a capitalist. D)a prophet who would oppose consumerism. E)a salesman.

The first commercial radio station to broadcast in the United States,in 1920,was in A)Cleveland. B)New York City. C)Philadelphia. D)Pittsburgh. E)Chicago.

In the 1920s,"behavioral" psychologists argued A)maternal affection was sufficient for successful child-rearing. B)mothers who sent their children to nursery school and kindergarten hurt their development. C)mothers should rely on trained experts for advice in raising children. D)women had an instinctive capacity for being mothers. E)midwives rather than doctors should aid in childbirth,for the emotional health of the child.

A growing interest in birth control among middle-class women in the 1920s resulted from A)the desire to delay childbirth to pursue a career outside of the home. B)the attitude that sexual activity should not be for procreation only. C)the desire to maintain a rigid,Victorian female "respectability." D)both the desire to delay childbirth to pursue a career outside of the home,and the attitude that sexual activity should not be for procreation only. E)All these answers are correct.

During the 1920s,birth control in the United States A)was limited to physical methods such as abstinence and withdrawal. B)included legal abortion in most states. C)was strongly opposed by moralists such as Margaret Sanger. D)was among the major causes of poverty and distress in poor communities. E)was illegal in many states.

The "flapper" lifestyle in the 1920s A)had a particular impact on lower middle-class and single women. B)was largely reserved for upper-class women. C)was largely rejected by upper-class women. D)was simply a clothing fad. E)was applauded by most progressive suffragists.

During the 1920s,the National Woman's Party campaigned primarily for the A)Nineteenth Amendment. B)Prohibition Amendment. C)Equal Rights Amendment. D)Balanced Budget Amendment. E)Disarmament Amendment.

The Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921 A)promoted the establishment of daycare centers for the children of working women. B)provided federal funds for child health-care programs. C)was criticized for its promotion of birth control. D)was promoted by the American Medical Association. E)was promoted by the National Women's Party.

Artists and intellectuals in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s A)sought to create civil disobedience to further racial justice. B)drew heavily from their African heritage. C)included writers Edna Ferber and Ezra Pound. D)both drew heavily from their African heritage and included writers Edna Ferber and Ezra Pound. E)None of these answers is correct.

In the 1920s,the "noble experiment" referred to A)the equal rights amendment for women. B)laws to restrict child labor. C)political isolationism. D)female suffrage. E)the prohibition of alcohol.

During the 1920s,as a result of the Eighteenth Amendment, A)there was a substantial reduction in the consumption of alcohol. B)there was considerable violation of the laws banning the consumption of alcohol. C)organized crime gained exclusive access to an enormous,lucrative agency. D)there was both a substantial reduction in the consumption of alcohol and considerable violation of the laws banning the consumption of alcohol. E)All these answers are correct.

During the 1920s,the greatest sustained support for the Eighteenth Amendment came from A)middle-class progressives. B)rural Protestants. C)urban workers. D)immigrants. E)Catholics.

The National Origins Act of 1924 A)entirely banned immigration from East Asia to the United States. B)discriminated against northwestern Europeans. C)was designed to alter the sources but not the overall number of immigrants. D)included a quota system for the first time. E)set a rigid limit of 150,000 immigrants a year.

During the 1920s,the Ku Klux Klan A)was largely centered in the South. B)was focused on intimidating African Americans. C)opposed the existing diversity of American society. D)officially renounced the use of violence. E)was a male-only organization.

The Scopes trial of 1925 was a legal battle between A)blacks and whites. B)urban and rural society. C)nativists and immigrants. D)U.S.Steel and the Amalgamated Steelworkers' Union. E)creationism and evolution.

As a result of the Scopes trial of 1925, A)John Scopes was found innocent. B)fundamentalists reduced their participation in political activism. C)the conflict between fundamentalists and modernists subsided. D)anti-evolution laws were repealed in most other states. E)William Jennings Bryan decided to run one more time for president.

In the election of 1924,among the political parties, A)the Democratic Party was seriously divided. B)the Republican Party was seriously divided. C)the Progressive Party was seriously divided. D)both the Democratic Party and the Progressive Party were seriously divided. E)None of these answers is correct.

Which of the following statements regarding Al Smith is NOT true? A)He was governor of New York. B)He was supported by urban Democrats. C)He lost the 1924 nomination to William McAdoo. D)He was an Irish Catholic. E)He won the 1928 Democratic nomination.

Al Smith lost the 1928 presidential election,in part,because A)he failed to carry the South. B)of a financial scandal within his campaign. C)of his close connections to the oil industry. D)he both failed to carry the South and maintained close connections to the oil industry. E)All these answers are correct.

As president,Warren Harding A)never abandoned the party hacks who had brought him to success. B)sought a revival of progressive reform. C)proposed the United States join the League of Nations. D)saw his administration end with his defeat for reelection in 1924. E)had no sense of his own intellectual limits.

During the Harding administration,the Teapot Dome scandal involved A)the illegal sale of timber rights. B)transfers of national oil reserves. C)graft in federal construction contracts. D)political blackmail. E)the secret sale of armaments to Nicaragua.

Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge were similar in A)their passive approach to the presidency. B)ethics. C)their personalities. D)both their personalities and their passive approach to the presidency. E)None of these answers is correct.

Calvin Coolidge A)claimed that Theodore Roosevelt was his political role model. B)believed the federal government should actively promote the social welfare of Americans. C)lost his party's bid for another nomination in the election of 1928. D)had no political experience prior to becoming vice president in 1920. E)was less active a president than Warren Harding.

Throughout the 1920s,the federal government A)isolated itself from the business community. B)supported the right of workers to organize as unions. C)experienced a decrease in its budget yet an increase in its debt. D)saw leaders of business take prominent positions in the federal government. E)saw an increase in the budget and the national debt.

In the 1920s,Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon succeeded in A)cutting taxes on corporate profits and personal incomes. B)eliminating half of the federal debt. C)dramatically trimming the federal budget. D)both eliminating half of the federal debt,and dramatically trimming the federal budget. E)All these answers are correct.

As secretary of commerce,Herbert Hoover considered himself A)a champion of business cooperation. B)a believer in passive government. C)a paragon of conservative America. D)an internationalist in the tradition of Woodrow Wilson. E)an enemy of wealth and privilege.

To Herbert Hoover,"associationalism" meant A)states and the federal government working together to restrain business. B)Congress and the president working together on economic legislation. C)the formation of federal boards to oversee various aspects of industry. D)businesses being run by a governing board of management and labor representatives. E)the creation of national organizations of businessmen in particular industries.

To be most effective,the trade associations of the 1920s worked best in small industries.

The theory of modulation was pioneered by Canadian scientist Reginald Fessenden.

In the 1920s,airplanes were largely curiosities and a source of entertainment.

Most working-class Americans saw their standard of living decline during the 1920s.

The practice of "welfare capitalism" in the 1920s involved most industrial workers.

The American Federation of Labor began turning away from the idea of craft unions.

During the 1920s,union membership fell by more than 40 percent.

In the 1920s,as agriculture brought millions of acres of new land under cultivation,three million people left the farm sector.

Champions of parity for farmers urged high tariffs against foreign agricultural competition.

By the end of the 1920s,there were 60 million automobiles in the United States.

During the 1920s,most employed women were nonprofessional,lower-class workers.

Feminists such as Alice Paul championed the Sheppard-Towner Act because it provided federal funds for child health care.

H.L.Mencken,Sinclair Lewis,and F.Scott Fitzgerald are all examples of writers who promoted a return of the progressive reform spirit in American society.

When prohibition went into effect in 1920,it had the support of not only most middle-class Americans,but most progressives as well.

Prohibition did substantially reduce drinking in some parts of the United States.

The nativism of the 1920s was confined largely to the issue of immigration restriction.

The film,The Birth of a Nation,glorified the early Ku Klux Klan.

During the 1920s,the Ku Klux Klan grew increasingly focused on southern segregation.

To the great alarm of modernists,fundamentalism was gaining political power during the middle of the 1920s.

The Scopes trial of 1925 resulted in a guilty verdict,but it also put fundamentalists on the defensive.

More so than the Republicans,the Democrats of the 1920s consisted of a diverse coalition of interest groups.

In 1928,Democratic candidate Al Smith did quite well in large cities,but he was the first Democrat since the Civil War not to carry the entire South.

During the 1920s,the federal government enjoyed a supportive relationship with the American business community.

Both Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge took essentially passive approaches to the presidency.

Both Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge failed to serve out their presidential terms.

The election of Herbert Hoover in 1928 was seen as a blow to the interests of progressives.

Contemporaries referred to the 1920s as the "New ________."

Researchers at MIT in the early 1930s,led by ________,created the first analog computer.

Thomas Morgan's experiments with ________ revealed how genes were arranged along the chromosome and could be transmitted together.

Henry Ford pioneered ________,which called for a shortened workweek and higher wages.

The practice of not requiring a worker to join a union is called the ________.

________ immigrants increasingly took the place of the Chinese in low-paying jobs on the West Coast.

American-born children of Japanese immigrants were called ________.

Genetic research led to the introduction of hybrid ________ in 1921.

President Coolidge vetoed the ________ Bill,which was designed to achieve parity for the American farmer.

Advertiser Bruce Barton's best-selling book,________,described Jesus Christ as a "super salesman."

The pioneer of the American birth-control movement was ________.

During the 1920s,Alice Paul of the National Woman's Party pressed a campaign for the ________.

At the end of World War I,American writer Gertrude Stein referred to the generation of young Americans who lived through the Great War as the "________."

F.Scott Fitzgerald attacked the American obsession with material success in his 1925 novel,________.

The poet ________ captured the spirit of the "Harlem Renaissance" in his statement "I am a Negro-and beautiful."

The National Origins Act of 1924 banned immigrants from ________ entirely.

D.W.Griffith's 1915 film The Birth of a Nation glorified the ________.

The fledgling American ________ Union sided with defendant John Scopes in 1925.

The contending attorneys at the Scopes trial in 1925 were William Jennings Bryan and ________.

The Democratic candidate for president in 1928 was ________.

The most spectacular scandal of the Harding administration concerned oil reserves at ________ Dome.

The most prominent member of the cabinets of Harding and Coolidge was ________.

As Commerce Secretary during the 1920s,Herbert Hoover championed the idea of business ________.

Why was American economic production and growth so successful during the 1920s? What were its strengths and weaknesses?

What were the major achievements in technology and science during the 1920s and how were they applied to society?

In what ways were working Americans of the 1920s better off? How were they worse off?

How did the status of organized labor change between 1919 and 1929?

Describe how the 1920s could be considered both "roaring" (progressive or liberal)and "nervous" (reactionary or conservative).

Describe the many factors that resulted in America becoming more of a consumer society during the 1920s.

What were the psychological effects on both individuals and society at-large that resulted from increasing consumerism in the 1920s?

Compare the ideas and social commentary of artists and writers in the 1920s with the artists and writers of the 1820s-1850s.

Who were the prominent American writers in the 1920s? Why did a number of these writers express negative views of society?

Describe the status of women in the 1920s.What aspects of their activities and behavior showed significant change,and what remained the same?

Why did rural America have reason to be concerned about the course of events in the United States during the 1920s? How did they respond to these events?

Compare the political philosophies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson with those of Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge.