Final answer:
The social climate in Indianapolis in 1922 reflected wider national tensions, with a mix of new liberal social attitudes and a resurgence in nativist, racist ideologies fueled by the Second Ku Klux Klan. The year also saw political corruption exposed through the Teapot Dome scandal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The social climate in Indianapolis, and broadly in the United States in 1922, was characterized by a transition towards more liberal social attitudes, known as new morality, while simultaneously experiencing a resurgence of conservative and nativist sentiments. This period saw a return to normalcy, a campaign promise made by President Warren Harding, which aimed to bring back pre-World War I social and economic dynamics. However, the fabric of American society was being tested by events like the Scopes Monkey Trial, and an increase in racial violence, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre a year prior.
The Second Ku Klux Klan was expanding its influence nationwide, targeting not only African Americans but also Jews, Catholics, and immigrants, illustrating the xenophobic and racial divides of the time. The Immigration Act of 1924 reflected these tensions by imposing strict immigration quotas favoring old-stock Americans.
Despite President Harding's efforts, the period was far from tranquil. The Teapot Dome scandal, for example, brought political corruption to the forefront, revealing deep-seated problems within the government.