Cause and Effect
Groups like the KKK had a lot of influence on people's minds, and they contributed to the immigration restriction at the time. The Russian Revolution and subsequent establishment of the Soviet Union and its communist government led to the Red Scare. Xenophobia led to the outcome of the Sacco and Vanzetti Trial.
Change and Continuity
In the 1920s there was a lot of xenophobia, which was evident through the laws and practices of that time as well as the KKK. While it is to a lesser degree, we are still today struggling with xenophobia within such areas as race and sexuality. We are no longer afraid of things like communism because we've seen firsthand how it worked out. We also have faith in our capitalist system. Things like the Sacco and Vanzetti Trial cannot happen today because without the proper evidence, people can get in trouble for discrimination.
Turning Points
The 1920s was a major turning point in history. It was the clash between the old traditionalism, like the biblical creationism belief and the new science-based evolution theory in the Scopes Trial.
Using the Past
We still have major xenophobia, perhaps because it has been taught to us by those that we look up to early in life, like our parents. It is changing more and more in recent years, though. The changes are coming through the younger generation. The past can teach us a lot about the things that intolerance and suspicion can do. The Red Scare and the outcome of the Sacco and Vanzetti Trial are due to the intolerance and suspicion of the decade, and we are now more careful about problems like race and sexuality.
Through Their Eyes
People were afraid of communism, which impacted how they acted during the Red Scare. They were also racist, which contributed to the formation of the KKK. In order to succeed in the 1920s, a person had to be white and protestant and literate, and others were discriminated against.