Alex Ding
3/22/15
Period 6

APUSH DBQ 11
The key areas that have defined the United States since its creation were business, industry, and trade. After all, people first began settling in the United States looking for new opportunities. The industrial North, although different in many ways, worked with agrarian South in the early start of the creation of America, building up to an eventual world­class, top economy based on the foundations of trade and business.
Even though the American economy experienced ups and downs, its economy would prove to surpass various hardships it faced, eventually leading the country to becoming a world superpower in a short span of less than two centuries. Calvin Coolidge’s ideals on business values and benefits were shared by the large majority of the American people as businesses would, through time, prove to be beneficial to society in the grand scheme of things.
In the early 1900’s, still recovering from the largest war in the nation’s history,
America’s people gave rise to what was known as the “red scare”. Businesses and the government worked against communism, because by definition under communism, businesses would not be allowed to function normally as people would have different standings in society. Thus, anti­communist sentiment was popular. Another reason that businesses were well supported and perceived to be a benefit to society was due to
America being isolationist at the time. In attempt to try and protect domestic industry, the government increased tariffs to discourage the purchase of foreign products.
Document A demonstrates the benefits of businesses, as stated by Earl Purinton, “The
Rewards are for everyone, and all can win” (Document A). Purinton then goes on to say

Alex Ding
3/22/15
Period 6

that businesses aren’t only good for the individual, but they also benefit society as a whole by raising living standards. This drastically improved living conditions as businesses provided their workers with stable (fair) salaries and other life benefits.
Through Document A, Purinton demonstrates that businesses are good for both the individual and the society.
Document B
, “Babbitt”, written by Sinclair Lewis, demonstrates the Lewis’ concerns of how the booming twenties would be a time in which thoughts were being imposed upon the everyday citizens. Through this document, Lewis outlines the increasing power and social influences of major groups on everyday people. Lewis notes that, “...the priests of the Presbyterian Church determines his every religious belief...the senators who controlled the Republican Party decided in little smoky rooms in Washington what he should think about disarmament, tariff,” (Document B). Different from the other documents provided for this DBQ, Document B doesn’t take a specific stance on industrialization, but instead simply states the effect that it has on the general population.The advertisements created by the major corporations inflicted too much on the public mindset. Lewis, from his tone throughout the passage, would strongly disagree with Coolidge’s opinion (almost the opposite) regarding businesses benefiting society. The reality was, that the profits and benefits of businesses were not experienced by all Americans, meaning the benefits were only reaped by the upper class, and people with low paying jobs lacked them. With a booming economy in the early 1920’s, there was a spike in demand for steel and resources needed to mass­produce in order

Alex Ding
3/22/15
Period 6

to sustain the mass consumption. To maximize profit, the U.S. Steel Corporation tried to drive down costs of producing steel by cutting the wages of workers to a bare minimum.
Document C
, unlike document A and B, takes a stance against big industries and corporations. Workers had to work long hours while having rates cut along extra benefits, such as overtime pay, taken away from them. This resulted in one