The First Red Scare and Immigration

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Questions and Answers

What was the main reason the government was suspicious of labor organizations?

They wanted to restrict workers' rights.

They wanted to promote privatization.

They were in competition with labor leaders.

They believed they were communist fronts. (correct)

What was a significant outcome of the general strike in Seattle?

It demonstrated the power of coordinated worker actions. (correct)

It led to increased federal funding for labor.

It caused the fall of the city’s economy.

It resulted in immediate labor law reforms.

Who was targeted by one of the bomb blasts on June 2, 1919?

Labor organization leaders

The ACLU headquarters

A. Mitchell Palmer (correct)

J. Edgar Hoover

What organization did A. Mitchell Palmer dispatch agents to raid?

Labor organizations and radicals Signup and view all the answers

What was J. Edgar Hoover's position when he began overseeing the raids?

Director of the Radical Division of Justice Department Signup and view all the answers

What is the mission of the ACLU?

To defend civil liberties and the Bill of Rights. Signup and view all the answers

What does the resurgence of the KKK in the 1920s signify?

Increased threats perceived from Catholics and Jews. Signup and view all the answers

Civil liberties include which of the following?

Freedom of speech and equal rights. Signup and view all the answers

What concern did the government have regarding hyphenated-Americans during the war?

Their loyalty might lie with their homeland. Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Committee on Public Information (CPI)?

To promote government propaganda about the war. Signup and view all the answers

How did public attitudes toward Germans change during the war?

They experienced increased animosity. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Espionage Act target?

Interference with the draft and disloyalty. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Sedition Act of 1918 criminalize?

Providing disloyal advice about government policies. Signup and view all the answers

What was the public perception of the IWW during this time?

They were seen as closely tied to socialism and anarchism. Signup and view all the answers

What happened to Eugene V. Debs as a result of the Espionage Act?

He was imprisoned for expressing his opinions. Signup and view all the answers

What was the fate of Big Bill Haywood after his conviction?

He was exiled to a foreign country. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The First Red Scare and Immigration

The U.S. government, concerned about loyalty during WWI, established the Committee on Public Information (CPI) to promote pro-war sentiment.
The CPI engaged in propaganda efforts targeting "hyphenated-Americans" to ensure their allegiance.
Post-WWI, anti-German sentiment was redirected towards communists, anarchists, and socialists.
Propaganda campaigns demonized these groups. Examples include renaming food items like sauerkraut to "liberty cabbage" and hamburgers to "liberty sandwiches".
The Espionage Act of 1917 and Sedition Act of 1918 escalated during WWI, criminalizing criticism of war efforts.
Eugene Debs, a prominent labor leader, was imprisoned under these acts.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was viewed with suspicion due to ties with socialist and anarchist movements.
Big Bill Haywood, a leader of the IWW, was a target of government surveillance. After being convicted of violating the Espionage Act, he escaped to Russia and remained there.
Labor organizations in general faced government distrust due to perceived connections with radical groups.
The Seattle General Strike of 1919, demonstrating worker solidarity, alarmed both the government and businesses. Workers coordinated a strike affecting various fields.
Anarchist bombings in June 1919 caused widespread fear, targeting a prominent government official, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer.
This led to a crackdown on radical groups, with J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Radical Division, supervising raids.
The ACLU, a product of the Red Scare, works to defend civil liberties.
The rise of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the 1920s broadened its target groups to include Catholics and Jews, along with African Americans, spurred by increased immigration from Europe.
The Immigration Act of 1924 significantly restricted immigration, favoring those from northern and Western European countries, limiting immigration from other regions.
The Immigration Act of 1924 had a substantial impact on immigrant populations from Italy and Russia.

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Description

Explore the impact of the First Red Scare on U.S. immigration and societal sentiments during and after World War I. Learn about the propaganda efforts by the Committee on Public Information and the criminalization of dissent through the Espionage and Sedition Acts. This quiz delves into the anti-communist fervor and its effect on various immigrant groups in America.