Section 1
The New Era
By Boundless
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The 1920s marked a new era of postwar economic growth in the U.S., fueled by electricity and oil but marred by controversies.
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In the 1920 presidential election, Republican Senator Warren G. Harding soundly defeated Democratic Governor James M. Cox.
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Harding took office in the middle of a postwar depression and enacted policies to encourage the nation's return to prosperity and progress.
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Known as the "Ohio Gang," President Harding and his political associates caused financial and political scandals in the 1920s.
Agriculture underwent a revolution in the 1920s as heavy equipment enabled rapid expansion but also hurt small farmers and caused a migration to urban areas.
A postwar decade of decline weakened unions and decreased membership due to a strong economy and anti-union practices by corporations and the government.
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The great industrial output of the 1920s saw the automobile, petroleum, chemical, radio, and film industries skyrocket.
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During the New Era, flourishing businesses moved abroad and the U.S. signed a treaty to promote peace and aid the economy.
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Republican Calvin Coolidge benefited from a split within the Democratic Party in winning the 1924 presidential election.