Essential Questions: How did small-time life and city-life differ? Why did Prohibition fail to eliminate alcohol consumption? What were the goals of the Klan?
I. Rural and Urban Differences
A. The New Urban Scene
1. 1920 census proved that for first time more Americans lived
in cities
a. Cities meant workers, cars, theaters, gambling, drinking,
noise and pollution
2. Urban-industrial America spreading its consumer culture to
countryside
3. Rural Americans showed ambivalence toward cultural
invasion.
a.Worried that doing so would expose countryside to atheism, immorality,
and radicalism.
b. However, most eager to participate in consumer marketplace
B. Prohibition
1. Initially, Prohibition supported by large and varied
constituency
2. Soon became apparent that Prohibition was encouraging law-
breaking
a. This caused many early advocates of Prohibition, especially in the cities,
to withdraw their support
b. Rural, white Protestants remained committed to prohibition
C. Ku Klux Klan
1. New Klan created in 1915
2. By 1920s, expanded focus from loathing of blacks to general
hatred of Jews and Catholics as well
3. Sought to restore �Anglo-Saxon� racial purity, Protestant
supremacy, and traditional morality to national life
4. Drew members from north and south, cities as well as rural
areas