While reactivating prior knowledge about the Roaring Twenties and Harlem Renaissance, we read about the backlash that rapid modernization during the era created, especially in rural areas. This was evidenced by the limits the government put on the number of immigrants who could come to the U.S. We discussed Fundamentalism, the religious movement which believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible (Creationism). We briefly discussed the verdict in the Scopes Monkey Trial, with which Ben was familiar - along with the name most associated with it - Clarence Darrow. We concluded reading about prohibition. Subject-specific vocabulary included the terms socialism, creationism, speakeasies, bootleggers, and expatriate. Ben was able to accurately explain the terms in his own words. He sympathized with the many intellectuals and creative people such as the writers, Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who were disillusioned by consumerism and war and known as American expatriates of the "Lost Generation."

We continued our discussion of the roaring twenties and how the increase in people's leisure time allowed them to listen more to the radio, and follow the lives of celebrities, from sport stars (like Babe Ruth) to pilots (like Lindbergh and Earhart). Women were voting, better educated, and working. We discussed other new aspects of pop culture (art deco architecture and dances like the Charleston) and jazz, which was so popular that this decade is also called the Jazz Age. We discussed the great migration and the Harlem Renaissance - an intellectual and cultural revival of Black art, literature, fashion, music, and politics. We noted some of the more prominent names of this movement, which included writers like Langston Hughes and jazz artists such as Duke Ellington. We saw how people began fighting for civil rights, including some of the groups that were founded and some acts that were passed (e.g., the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted full citizenship to Indigenous Americans). Ben was well-informed and contributed a lot of additional information to supplement and, in some instances, refute those put forth in the text. We discussed his idea to change government by diversifying it, which Ben strongly believes would go a long way to fixing some of our current problems. It was an interesting tangent to our discussion.

Today, we focused on President Harding's belief in a small government and the corruption in his office; one of his appointees was convicted of accepting bribes for rights to drill on government land, in Teapot Dome, Wyoming, which became known as the Teapot Dome Scandal. We then read about the next president, Coolidge's beliefs and what he is best known for - the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928, which made war illegal. It was interesting to learn that the first women governors were elected when Coolidge was reelected. We read that consumerism was again on the rise and since people had shorter work days, more leisure time, and a 'live-for-today' attitude, the excitement and modernity of the period gave it the nickname, 'The Roaring Twenties.' We will discuss the specifics of this culture in radio, film, and art when we reconvene for class tomorrow.

We began Chapter 33 covering the Roaring Twenties. We discussed the economy when soldiers returned home from WW1 and the problems of unemployment which occurred when the government didn't need extra workers to make supplies for them anymore; labor when prices went up after the war but wages didn't, which led to strikes. We also discussed the reason natavism and racism rose because of immigrants taking jobs, and read about 'the Red Scare,' the Palmer Raids, and the blaming of communists and socialists for bombings that took place across the country. We concluded today's session discussing the trial and execution of Sacco and Vanzetti. Ben was well-informed and engaged; he shared plenty of his opinions freely about the topics discussed. Next week we will learn why this era was referred to as 'The Roaring Twenties.'

We discussed the climate in Europe and around the world that resulted in militarism; building a strong army and spending money on new war technology led to an arms race. At the same time, there was a rise in nationalism across Europe and alliances formed increased tensions. Ben was well-informed about the Central Powers and the Allied Powers and we examined a map which clarified their involvement. We discussed the reasons for US's involvement in 1917 when President Wilson asked Congress to declare war, read about the 1918 influenza pandemic, and the purpose of the League of Nations, and why Congress rejected the Treaty of Versailles.

As it was the first day back for Ben, we reviewed the material covered in Chapter 31 which discussed the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt. We were reminded how he used his presidency as a powerful platform to advance his political agenda, and learned why he earned the nickname "trustbuster." Ben did not mince words talking about Roosevelt and set the story about him and the bear he hunted straight saying it had been distorted, romanticized, and glamorized because it was political propaganda. We discussed how in his bid for reelection, he ran on a platform that every American deserved a "Square Deal, which included controlling corporations, fighting corruption, protecting consumers, and conserving natural resources. We refreshed our memory as to the rift between Roosevelt and Taft that resulted in Woodrow Wilson being elected president. Ben astutely noted that the priorities and values of the Democratic and Republican political parties have changed since these were established in the late 1700's. We ended our time reviewing progressivism under Wilson and his policy of moral diplomacy.

We read about Teddy Roosevelt's rise from governor of New York, to Vice President during McKinley's second term and then president at 42 years of age, the youngest in history, when McKinley was assassinated. We read why he became the inspiration for the teddy bear. We also read about the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century and the meaning and symbolism behind Roosevelt's famous quote," speak softly and carry a big stick."

We continued to read in Chapter 30 and reactivated prior knowledge about the Spanish-American War and the rebellion in Cuba. We discussed the events that started the Philippine-American War, and reviewed the arguments for expansion. We also read what happened to the island nations that Spain ceded to the United States. Subject-specific vocabulary included the terms protectorate, armistice, and an explanation of what it means to be a territory (governed by the US).

We discussed how the Spanish-American war began and why the Cuban revolution worried people in the US. We also discussed reasons why the Ametican newspapers sensationalized the conflict in Cuba and why people were supposed to remember the ship, the USS Maine, which was to remind the Americans why the US needed to fight Spain. We continued to read in Chapter 30 about the Rough Riders,The Treaty of Paris, and discussed what happened to the Spanish Empire during the Spanish-American War. We ended our session examining the reasons why the Anti-Imperialist League opposed expansion and the arguments for and against it.

We were to begin a new unit (Chapter 29) focusing on expansion and imperialism today but returned from an emergency drill practice, one of which required that we walk to Juno Park, so in the few minutes left of class, Ben shared his thoughts and opinions about school safety practices and gun control. We then watched a video about China's economic growth, entitled, "China's New Industrial Plan." It explained China's progress in technology and manufacturing and noted that it has now become the world's largest manufacturer and exporter. Ben was very interested in this information and interjected several comments about the change in their economic system over the years and what it might suggest for the future.