102: HIST 29 March *N.B.-The major theme to take away from the 1920s is the culture clash between traditional values and modern values* (For example-the new woman, the new negro, new morality, new view of marriage, *religion*) Religion in the 1920s -Changes /advancements in science lead to the questioning of religious beliefs and Christianity -Darwin's Origins of Species published in 1859 -Einstein's Theory of Relativity -German theologians set out to prove the veracity of The Bible (1880s), yet (to their dismay) discover that they are unable to prove the accuracy of The Bible in history. -Conclude that while the stories of The Bible cannot be proved, they can still be believed through faith. -The conclusion of the German theologians leads to the rise of Liberal Protestantism, in which Christians do not take The Bible literally. -About half of the population refused to believe that The Bible was not 100% accurate. -In reaction to the rise of "unacceptable" Liberal Protestantism, a leading Princeton theologian devised a series of pamphlets known as"The Fundamentals" (1900) . -"The Fundamentals" espoused the following: 1. There are no flaws in The Bible, The Bible is God's word written down. 2. Adam and Eve were not symbolic; they existed as described in Genesis. 3. There was, in fact, a virgin birth 4. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 5. Jesus was physically resurrected, as were his disciples. 6. Miracles actually occurred as described in The Bible. -"The Fundamentals" gave birth to Christian Fundamentalism. -Christian Fundamentalists argued that if one thing is wrong in The Bible, then how do we know that more is not wrong? Therefore, everything in The Bible must be accurate. *Arguments between Liberal Protestants and Christian Fundamentalists are INTERNAL arguments WITHIN Christianity* -THIS is the biggest culture clash in the 1920s -Christian Fundamentalists were scared of how quickly Liberal Protestantism spread. -In the U.S., the focal point of this argument becomes the teaching of Darwin and evolution in the public school system. -1925-Tennessee passes a law banning the teaching of evolution (the first state to do so) called The Butler Act. -The Butler Act leads to the Scopes Monkey Trial (arguably the most famous U.S. court case) in July of 1925. Scopes Monkey Trial -In Dayton, TN: The ACLU has offered to pay for anyone who is able to prove evolution to be true. -In turn, John Thomas Scopes, a public school teacher in Dayton, TN is accused and arrested for teaching evolution in his classroom. -The charges are a misdemeanor. -Clarence Darrow, the leader of the ACLU and an atheist, represents Scopes during the trial.
-Clarence Darrow is very close friends with William Jennings Bryan (Cross of Gold speech, 3 time presidential and candidate former Secretary of State) who is the leader against Liberal Protestantism. -Darrow brings Evolutionary scholars into TN to defend Scopes and the theory of biological evolution, but the Judge does not allow him to introduce the experts. -The Judge explains that the trial is not about whether or not evolution is a valid theory, but rather it is about whether or not Scopes broke the law. -After much negotiation, Darrow convinces the prosecution to allow William Jennings Bryan to be cross examined by Darrow in court. -Darrow destroys Bryan on the stand -Darrow questions The Bible and Bryan's biblical knowledge. -Examples include "How did Cane get his wife?" (if there were no other people on Earth) "When God created the Earth in 6 days, how do you know there were 6 `days' if the Sun and Moon were not in existence for all 6 of the days?" -Bryan cracks under some of the questioning -Afterwards the newspapers report that Christian Fundamentalism had been proved to be full of fools and `rubes'. -The Judge ordered Darrow's questioning of Bryan to stop, in order to end Bryan's humiliation. The judge concludes that the questioning is not pertinent to the case. -It took the jury 9 minutes to find Scopes guilty. -Bryan dies believing that he testified well and gave a good account of The Bible. He dies 5 days after his cross-examination. -The public wrongly believes that Bryan died as a broken man. -Evolution does not appear back in the public school system until the 1950s. -The Great Depression allowed the fight for evolution to disappear for a time, the stock market crash in 1929 preoccupied the public. -Agricultural areas were already suffering in 1925 and 1926. Spring and Summer 1931-1932 Bonus Army compiled of WWI veterans -Congress stipulated to give a $1000 bonus to WWI veterans, not to be distributed until 1945. -Veterans were desperate and wanted the money that they were due much sooner. -They marched on Washington, Hoover calls the `insurrectionists' -The Bonus Army camps out in D.C., in the already existing `Hoover Villes' -The U.S. Army is sent to burn them out of the Anacostia Flats and ends the Bonus March *Reminiscent of Coxey's Army* The Great Depression *The Stock Market Crash DID NOT cause the Great Depression, the Great Depression was a symptom of other causes* -The weak economy causes the Great Depression. -Stocks lose half their value -The Dow Jones Industrial Average drops from 452 to 58 -It will take 10 years for the market to recover -Despite brief recovery, the market tanked -Banks collapse and business fail -$14 billion in paper losses Bull Market (market goes up) since 1924
-U.S. caught in wave of speculation -Everyone ignores indicators -Housing construction low -industrial production down -Inventories up