Reviewing both Source B and K I have identified that black Americans, especially in the Southern parts of America had no opportunity and looked as if there was no progress. They both remind us of ‘Lynching,’ like the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. We are reminded that most blacks who were killed were wrongly accused with either an unfair trial or were just innocently killed. The black families were poor and I’m sure many other black citizens were and because of the white supremacy had to live scared and as a result, poverty arose and the Klu Klux Klan made sure that black Americans were there last priority and got away with it as if nothing happened.
Source C is from an American newspaper, from 1928, before the Wall Street Crash, and was the highest point in which the Boom took place. The heading “NATION-WIDE FEVER OF STOCK SPECULATION ,” tells us that stocks were once growing, it also reads below, “Eager buying has reached all classes of people throughout the country and has set new records,” this provides evidence that many people of any classes were owning stocks and shares and making a quick buck. It also tells us that many ordinary people bought the shares in the 1920’s but in the late 1920’s this was when many more different classes of people took that risk and became speculators and gambled there way to profitable heights.
The next Source, Source D is also evidence of the stocks and shares. It tells us the cycle of how people would go about buying shares, and is told by John J. Raskob, who is America’s best known businessman in the 1920’s and he tells us that a man begins a saving account with “ $15 a month…. If he invests in common stocks.” This tells us a man has invested in shares and says in the source towards the end that he’ll make “at least $80,000 ,” but we know that towards the end of the 1920’s the Wall Street crashed and many speculators and businesses became poor or closed down. Both Source C and D both fit together as they tell us that there is an opportunity to make money. We see this clearly as both Sources talk about stocks and shares and is progress in the eyes of shareholders.
But looking overall at Sources C and D I feel this was a defiant opportunity for all Americans to get rich in the 1920’s but then as we know in 1929 the Wall Street crashed and many speculators including ordinary people, banks etc. lost money and become poor as a result. But looking at the big picture we can see there was opportunity for Americans to get rich.
Source E shows us a picture in the 1920’s of two young ladies on motor cycles. These ladies are young and look as if they have stopped on the side of the road and paused to smoke a cigarette. Below the picture it states that ‘Two flappers,’ were on motor cycles. I feel the picture shows us that women were becoming more like men and trying to get across that they are as equal to men. But it was women that had the money who would be able to do this kind of thing, and it was mostly seen in rural areas because in the country side it wasn’t as popular and they wouldn’t have got across their point. The word ‘flapper’ in the year 1890 meant a young prostitute, but in the 1920’s refers women as a young boyish figure and that they were far from being normal. ‘Flappers’ were women who tried changing the law, and change it so that women were respected as equal as men. Making a judgment on Source E is difficult but I feel it gave progress to America, and women in the 1920’s.They expressed there feelings and if wasn’t for them, these day’s men would have been higher up them women and the live were living today would be so different.
Source F is a statement from anti-evolution law in the state of Tennessee it is law that asks every teacher in the state to obey to the law set. This was enacted by the Tennessee law and if the teacher was guilty had to pay between 100 dollars to 500 dollars, this made many teachers abide by the rules otherwise they new what punishment they faced. I feel the law was based on Charles Darwin’s judgment. I feel there’s no opportunity or progress because the kids that were trying to learn in the classes weren’t being the truth and therefore there work suffered.
The next Source is a leaflet which was published by the Anti-Saloon League in 1919. The leaflet has a picture of a married man paying with his and his family’s weekly wage. The husband of the family is buying alcohol and making the “speakeasies” owner rich. In the corner of the leaflet we can see the married man’s family, who is poor and have no food. We find out that mostly men were addicted to drinking and that the family suffered as a result we see this because the father is spending all the families’ money and therefore they become poor. In clear bold letters at the top of the leaflet it says “The Poor Man’s Club.” I feel this is used very well as it shows us that the bar belongs to the “man” and that they are poor as a result of drinking. This leaflet supported prohibition. But I feel the leaflet was used with propaganda on the mind and many people gave up the drinking as a result.
Both Sources F and H show us conservative and backward attitudes. We see this in both sources
In Source G a lawyer is commenting on the judge of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. I believe the lawyer as he starts by saying “I have known Jude Thayer all my life,” and to me sounds trustworthy. The lawyer then goes onto say, “he is a half educated man,” and also says he’s “unintelligent.” His views of the judge are clear and he feels he can’t do his job probably, and from the views of the lawyer we can accuse the final judgment of ‘Judge Thayer’ in the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. Many people feel the decision was based on racism and later on Sacco and Vanzetti were both were hung and many people all white and part of the white supremacy cheered and celebrated. I feel the judge was forced to make his decision on white supremacy and if he didn’t he may have been killed so his decision I feel was made on false accusations. I feel this is an example of intolerance towards the immigrants and Black Americans and they knew they were always second best.
It’s not only the Sacco and Vanzetti trial that shows us prejudiced views in America, there was another source of information that I’ve studied and I feel shows racism. This source talks about immigrants. It starts with “Italians were reluctant to live alongside people with darker skins,” they also classed “Mexicans” as “Negroes.” This shows that Italians were against blacks and when mixed with Americans they became racist. We get the hint when someone asks an Italian in Italy “you would not be prejudiced against Mexicans because of their colour,” they replied no, but he also said “we are becoming Americanized.” That last quote can be linked with the first source in which a half-educated judge wrongly accused black people and therefore we see racism from Americans. The hierarchy of immigrants also suggests that the longer you had been in America the more American you were and at the bottom of the hierarchy we see the Italians and Mexicans. This suggests they have been in America for the shortest time and referring back to the last source shows us racism, as a historian tells us that both the Italians and Mexicans refused to associate with each other after they had been in America for some time. I feel that when mixed with Americans the immigrants became racist and americanized. I am aware that this source shows us signs of racism but I also feel that there is still progress being made as both the Italian and Mexican migrants that have moved to America, still have the chance to get along with each other as the years move on. Both Sources G and J have prejudice views towards immigrants and is key evidence that many original Americans were narrow minded towards immigrants and black Americans. But it did also depend on where you lived in America and how long your ancestors lived there for which depended on the amount of criticism they received.
The next Source, Al Capone comments on the attitude of Americans views towards illegal alcohol. The first line he speaks he says “I make my money by supplying a public demand,” from the first line of the Source we can tell that Al Capone was a businessman and by saying that he supplies “a public demand,” shows us that he feels that he helps the economy and coming back to the question I feel Al Capone had an opportunity as an immigrant to get rich and gives an insight to us what many immigrants just like him wanted to do.
After studying every Source I feel that America was most defiantly a land of opportunity. I conclude this because in the first Source, the statue if Liberty is a symbol of opportunity and the poem written by Emma Lazarus which was carved at the base specifically in 1886 just for the statue of liberty with the words they have in the poem obviously with a shadow of doubt shows that America was a land of opportunity and still is today. Although Source B gives no opportunity for black Americans, especially in the Southern parts of America where the black Americans had no chance of making something of there lives. They were poor and because of the white supremacy had to live scared and as a result poverty arose and the Klu Klux Clan made sure that black Americans were there last priority. Looking at both Sources C and D, these both talk about stocks and shares and do give both Americans and black Americans a chance to work. I feel Wall Street gave all Americans a chance to be in the big bucks especially poor people who had like everyone else a chance to make a profit in the stocks and shares trade. Source E isn’t showing opportunity for me I feel it is showing progress because the ladies in the picture known as ‘flappers’ are trying to change the eyes of both the government etc. and to show them they can be like men. Making a judgment on Source F is difficult, I feel the way the Tennessee law worked and the law they enacted they felt they wanted to progress in the way Charles Darwin’s theory spoke. The next Source, which we hear of an American lawyer who speaks of ‘Judge Thayer’ in the Sacco and Vanzetti trial who he feels, makes incorrect judgments. I felt the decision was based on racism but gives many black Americans the chance to hid or flee especially for those who live in the Southern states. The work of the Anti Saloon League in 1919 was very successful, printing over one hundred million leaflets like the ‘Slaves of the Saloon’ leaflet worked. It was like many other Sources and gave Americans an opportunity to change, that’s why I feel it was very successful. Source I speaks of Al Capone who has opened a number of illegal ‘speakeasies’ and he feels he supplies a public demand and therefore feels its okay to do so. But he feels he gives Americans an opportunity to forget their worries and drown there sorrows. Sources J and K are both racist evidence in the 1920’s and both show they have the chance if you like to change there thoughts and stop racism.
My overall contrast on all the sources I have spoke about, is that mostly every Source has the opportunity to change. From stocks and shares to migration, every Source gives that opening in they way that anyone can change. I feel overall America was a decade of opportunity and I have supported my conclusion with evidence that clearly clarifies my judgment of America in the 1920’s.