By the 1920s, Americans wanted to get on with their lives, forget about foreign affairs, and stay out of wars. Warren G. Harding understood this when he promised "normalcy," a return to the values and practices of the past. However, the United States was now too involved in world affairs to return to isolationism.
President Harding and his Republican successor, Calvin Coolidge, eased restrictions on business and supported business interests. These pro-business policies seemed to work as the growth of new, urban industries fueled an economic boom during the 1920s. Growing prosperity was a key factor in the decline of labor unions' strength.
Major social changes and cultural achievements occurred during the 1920s. Prohibition fostered a crime wave. The success of radio advertising increased the demand for consumer goods. The automobile affected more than just the economy; it seemed to change the American way of life. Along with their newly won suffrage, American women demanded economic opportunity. In the "Harlem Renaissance," African Americans reflected a new spirit of pride and protest.
After World War I, however, feelings against immigrants led Congress to severely restrict all immigration into the United States.
