The era of 1919-1929, or the stormy era,
is marked by a period of social unrest and
conflict, highlighted with events such as the
Chicago race riot, the passage of Woman's
Suffrage and Prohibition, and a wave of strikes
that swept the nation. The wave of strikes and
of the time, as it helped to trigger the Red Scare
Fueled by the growing fear, this strike and others
overtook the nation.
The first major strike occurred in January
of 1919, when shipworkers left their jobs, joined
by workers in other industries. Such joint action
is called a "general strike." The strike had a
powerful impact to the Seattle region; all industry
and trade was halted for five days, along with its
influential effects upon the nations' population
in regards to the Red Scare.
They helped to transform that fear into action
- unions were attacked on the grounds of the
strikes being the work of communists.
Following the shipworkers strike of 1919 in
the next ten year period came the Alabama
Miner's strike, Seamen's strike of 1921, numerous
Anthracite Coal Strikes, numerous Bituminous coal
strikes, and numerous textile strikes. In 1927
the laborers received another downfall: the
execution of Massachusetts labor activists Nicolo
Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.
The executions of Sacco and Vanzettie
had a profound impact upon both the national
and international scene. While it divided the country,
it also produced international reactions since many felt
that they were innocent, or had an unjust trial due
to the fact they were anarchists and had Italian
heritage. Thus, their deaths led to increasing
debates over broad and important issues, and
Sacco and Vanzetti faced them proudly, feeling
they could do no better for society if they tried
then what they were doing from as a result of their
executions.
The Chicago race riot of 1919 were the worst of many
erupting through the U.S. On July 27th, a black youth
swimming in Lake Michigan was stoned and drowned.
When police refused to apprehend the white man,
whom observers considered to be responsible, angry
crowds gathered and began to riot, as violence surged
through Chicago for several days, leaving 38 dead and
537 injured. This had a large impact on the nation,
prompting many to launch new efforts for racial
equality. Thus, the stormy era, was indeed a very stormy
time for laborers, as well as the nation. It was a
period of violence and unrest, of strikes and riots.
All of this joined together to begin to re-iterate new
ideas of isolationism and nativism growing within
the United States, even as the nation's shape
socially and politically began to change, internally.