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The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Change

The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Change. The term “Roaring Twenties” signifies the dramatic social changes that went on in the country over the course of the decade. Fact # 1: The 1920s was the first time…. MORE PEOPLE LIVED IN CITIES THAN ON FARMS OR IN TOWNS!

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The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Change

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  1. The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Change The term “Roaring Twenties” signifies the dramatic social changes that went on in the country over the course of the decade

  2. Fact # 1: The 1920s was the first time… • MORE PEOPLE LIVED IN CITIES THAN ON FARMS OR IN TOWNS! • Many cities around the country exploded, due to new job opportunities created during and after WWI • Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Boston, Philadelphia all saw their populations increase • But they paled in comparison to… New York City, circa the late 1920s

  3. New York City during the 1920s: The Age of the Skyscraper

  4. Fact # 2: Speaking of New York, there was a Renaissance going on in… • HARLEM. • THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE WAS A TIME PERIOD OF CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS. • This included, literary, artistic, and musical achievements

  5. Musicians Bessie Smith was widely regarded as one of the best singers in the United States Edward Ellington, called by his nickname “Duke,” was a famous band leader and piano player during the 1920s The Cotton Club , located on 142nd Street in Harlem, was the most famous “jazz” club, where people came to listen to famous artists and dance

  6. I, too, sing America.I am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchenWhen company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.Tomorrow,I'll be at the tableWhen company comes.Nobody'll dareSay to me,"Eat in the kitchen,"Then.Besides, They'll see how beautiful I amAnd be ashamed--I, too, am America. Langston Hughes • Was the most famous African American Poet during the time period • Famous work: Weary Blues • Used poetry to describe the hardships, discrimination, and strengths of blacks in America

  7. Fact # 3: There was lots of alcohol being drunk during the 1920s… • AND EVERYONE WHO WAS DRINKING IT WAS BREAKING THE LAW. • THE 18TH AMENDMENT, PROHIBITION, MADE BUYING, SELLING OR CONSUMING ALCOHOL ILLEGAL • *WHEN THE GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE PEOPLE’S LIVES, THEY ARE OFTEN MET WITH RESISTANCE.*

  8. Organized crime increased! • Because there was a great demand for alcohol still, people broke the law and sold alcohol. • “Bootleggers” were people who made and sold alcohol illegally • “Speakeasies” were illegal bars, that also provided other “vices” (prostitution, gambling, etc)

  9. Soon, the “Mob” was in control of many American cities. Feuds between different gangs led to violence in the streets of many cities. The most famous gangster was Al Capone, whose nickname was “Scarface.” Capone controlled Chicago-bribing many judges, police officers and other public officials. Capone imported alcohol from Canada. Even cities like Kansas City in Missouri, had a large crime syndicate that controlled the local politicians who had been elected to run the city.

  10. Fact # 4: The Scopes Trial of 1925 put Curious George on trial…well sort of. • The Scopes Trial dealt with whether or not it was legal to teach the theory of evolution in schools. • John Scopes, a biology teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, was arrested for teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in school, which stated that humans and monkeys had evolved from a similar ancestor. • Hence the reason why it was called the “Monkey Trial”

  11. Scopes continued… • The Scopes Trial showed many things in America come into conflict with each other: • Modern vs. traditional thinking • Religion vs. science • Urban vs. Rural • Although Scopes was still found guilty, this case was one of the first times where religion was questioned by science in the U.S. • By the 1950s, 1960s, many states allowed evolution to be taught in their schools. William Jennings Bryan, former Presidential nominee and witness for the Prosecution. A devout Christian, he admitted on air that some things in the bible shouldn’t be taken literally. Clarence Darrow, defense attorney. His questioning and arguing opened the eyes of many Americans who heard the trail on the radio.

  12. Fact # 5: Women experienced a new found sense of freedom and liberation. Oh and they cut their hair too. Rather, women enjoyed to go out and enjoy themselves. Dancing, partying, and even going on dates were all things adopted by some women during this time period. After working in wartime industries during WWI, many women felt a sense of independence Some women during the 1920s rebelled against the “traditional” views of women, i.e. getting married, having children, and up keeping the house. A “flapper” was a “modern” woman, who cut her hair, showed off more skin, wore make up, drank, smoke, went out on dates, etc

  13. Not every woman was involved in this new “fad.” Many women, mainly in rural areas of America, stayed true to traditional roles, and criticized flappers for their openness and lack of morals.

  14. Fact # 6: Americans didn’t like new people or new ideas. • During the 1920s, the United States saw a huge increase in both acts of Nativism and the rise of the K.K.K. • This was mainly because: • Many wanted to close our borders and stay isolated after WWI • Many feared that immigrants brought RADICAL ideas that would overthrow the government (anarchism, communism)

  15. Nativist Legislation • Up until 1920, the United States had an OPEN immigration policy. • However, after WWI, the U.S. shut its’ borders. The National Origins Act of 1924 set up QUOTAS (or limits) to how many immigrants could come from each country to America. • Immigration from Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe came to a screeching halt

  16. To capitalize on this, the K.K.K. now began to hate strongly against immigrants, Catholics, Jews, as well as African Americans. This led to a huge increase in their membership.

  17. In 1917, there was a revolution in Russia that removed the Czar from power, and set up a COMMUNIST government. Fact # 7: Americans also didn’t like the color red. The Red Scare The U.S.A. was scared of communism because it goes against everything the country was based on This fear, called the “Red Scare,” led the rights of individuals to be violated during the years of 1919-1920.

  18. Suspected communists (or other radicals like anarchists) saw their rights violated, as they were arrested or questioned sometimes without cause. Other times, federal agents would enter in the homes of these people and ransack their homes to see if their was any evidence of foul play. These investigations were called “Palmer Raids.”

  19. Fact # 8: A new type of economy emerged during the 1920s… • A CONSUMER ECONOMY. • People began to spend money on items that were no longer accessories during the 1920s-these are called consumer goods • Toasters, refrigerators, the radio (the most purchased item during the 1920s), • When people didn’t have the money, they began to use CREDIT (uh-oh). This was cooler than an IPOD back during the 1920s

  20. All these consumer products were made possible by… • MASS PRODUCTION-the making of large quantities of goods to be sold at a quicker pace. • Usually, these goods are made on an assembly line. This was an idea created by Henry Ford to help make cars quicker, and more affordable. • It worked. Ford’s cars went from almost a 1000 dollars in 1910, to less than 290 by the middle of the 1920s

  21. Ford created the Model T- a cheaper car for the average Americans. By the 1920s, so many Americans had cars that the government poured millions into building roads in states across the country

  22. Fact # 9: A man attempted to fly across the ocean…and survived! • The 1920s was a time period where people idolized celebrities throughout the country. Whether it was sports, entertainment, or writing, these people experienced success almost never seen before in the U.S.A. Babe Ruth-Yankee slugger who was the most famous baseball player in the world Charlie Chaplin-the most famous movie star in the world (silent films up until 1927) Writers F.Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby) and Ernest Hemingway (The Sun Also Rises) were part of the Lost Generation, a group of disillusioned writers who had lived in Europe after WWI. Their books sold many copies and are read by English students like yourselves even to this day. Jack Dempsey-heavy weight champion of the world from 1919-1926

  23. These other celebrities couldn’t compare to Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. It took almost 34 hours, but after he landed in France, he became the most an American hero and icon.

  24. Fact #10: Everyone seemed to experience prosperity during the 1920s except… • FARMERS, who still suffered from overproduction and low prices on their crops.

  25. As they say, “All good things must come to an end.” For many, the prosperity of the 1920s would never come to an end. But, like the rollercoaster that it was, the 1920s would come to a tragic halt with the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and the arrival of the Great Depression during the 1930s. 1929 1930 1920

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