Cultural Evolution of the Roaring Twenties: Embracing Consumerism

1. Culture Changes of the 20’s

2. Increasing Consumerism • People are spending more $$$ • During the war people were thrifty but people are going to stop saving and start spending. WHY? 1. New products are going to mass marketed Including: Ford’s Model T & Model A Vacuum cleaners Refrigerators Electric irons & fans, etc. And other more inexpensive items such as wrist watches, cigarette lighters and hand held cameras.

3. 2. Advertising - Designed to convince people to spend rather than save - no longer focused on the product itself but appealed to peoples needs, frustrations and anxieties

5. 3. Installment plan (credit) Buy now - pay later With installment plans people could buy things they normally could not afford. Ex. Phonograph that was $43.50 $5 down - $5 a month PEOPLE LIVED BEYOND THEIR MEANS!

6. Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes, expressed the feeling of the Harlem Renaissance with this: • “We younger Negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn’t matter. We know we are beautiful.” This cultural rebirth can be seen through different aspects ,such as:

7. JAZZ Started in New Orleans and then moved with the migration of African Americans to Chicago and New York. Some of the most popular jazz musicians were: Louis Armstrong (Satchmo) who played the trumpet. Duke Ellington – an artist turned pianist, composer and band leader Jazz musicians wowed audiences of all races!

8. Louis Armstrong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmfeKUNDDYs

9. The Harlem Renaissance was more than just a musical awakening. Writers/Poets • Poets such as Langston Hughes became a spokesman for African-Americans • He is known for his black pride poems, stories of lowly walks of life, novels, experimental theatre pieces, an autobiography Artists • Focused on the culture and history of black americans • Laura Wheeler Waring – painted scenes of upper class African Americans • Edward A. Harleston – focused on African American servants, soldiers and hired hands • Aaron Douglas – his goal in his arts was to portray the spiritual identity and African roots of blacks in the U.S.

10. Prohibition -The outlawing of alcohol sales and consumption • Led by activists in the temperance movement because they believed that alcohol led to violence, unemployment and economic and moral bankruptcy. “No power on earth…has such influence to terrorize and make cowards of men as the liquor power. Satan could not have fallen on a more potent instrument with which to thrall the world!!!!” ---- Eliza Stewart

11. Congress agrees with Eliza and passes the 18th Amendment: outlawed the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” within the United States • not illegal to buy, possess, or consume

12. Many people found ways AROUND this amendment: • Drinking surged as people found ingenious ways to get around the law • Gave alcohol nicknames such as giggle water or hooch • Bootleggers • Hid liquor in boots/concealed in flask • Made liquor with household products • Got liquor from church wine producers/for medicinal purposes • Smuggled from Bahamas/Canada • Speak-Easies • Concealed purposes with false business fronts • Membership cards and passwords used to get in

13. People found it “glamorous” to break the law • $ to be made • $ 3.5 billion – illegal liquor trade • Crime Lords emerged • EX. Al Capone – headed a gang on the west side of Chicago ($ 40 million annual income; organization made $ 100 million annually) • Battled with rival gangs to control: illegal liquor trade, drugs, gambling, prostitution, and paid protection for “speak-easies” • Enforcement of Prohibition proved difficult • The # of Americans breaking the law was enormous • 60% of Chicago police force making $ from trade • Not enough government money to support enforcement • Lack of public support for policy • “Dry Snoops” – prohibition agents ridiculed • evil methods: smashing with axes, bursting into houses, sniffing for alcohol, arresting the innocent

14. Radios more affordable; staple in average American home Popularity of Radio & Movies More leisure time; Radios more affordable; staple in average American home • Important Dates in Radio • 1920 - First station in Pittsburgh (Presidential election results) • 1922 – 3,000,000 Americans owned radios and could listen to 508 stations • 1929 – National Broadcasting Company (NBC) was making $150 million per year • Live broadcasts instantly connected Americans to: • Nationwide events • Orchestra performances • Soloist concerts • Sports events • Politician’s speeches • Comedies • Dramatic Series featuring Orson Wells (“The Shadow”) • Offered flexibility and united Americans

15. Motion Picture Film Industry People are going to the movies because: Critics of the movies argued: Decreased church attendance Increased materialism Led to immorality • Escape from postwar recession • Enjoyed love/fight scenes, westerns • Escaped in fantasy world • Created jobs • Promoted advertising • Politicians saw opportunity to promote themselves

16. Big Industry • Hundreds of films made • 1922 – almost every community in America had at least 100-seat theatre • 10 cents to 75 cents per picture • bigger city theatres featured elaborate furnishings • by 1929 movies, theatres, and spectator sports brought in 21% of the nation’s total $4.3 billion in amusement revenues

17. Worshipped stars • Rudolph Valentino – played an Arab “sheik” who stole women into his tent • Mary Pickford/Douglas Fairbanks – married 1920 • Clara Bow – showed legs in movies and was a heartbreaker both in and out of her movies • Charlie Chaplin – comedian (laugh/cry) • Lillian Gish – “Broken Blossoms” • Mickey Mouse – introduced in the first Disney cartoon “Steamboat Willie” in 1927 Warner Brothers produced “The Jazz Singer” – 1st movie with sound (“talkies”), made $2 million

19. Steamboat Willie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REbZO82tkgw Charlie Chaplin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNseEVlaCl4

20. Sports ManiaLaws limiting work = more leisure time, so let’s watch sports!!!Sports stars became American heroes! Age of Play BASEBALL! – America’s pastime • Babe Ruth – New York Yankees; “home run king” • Yankee Stadium: “The house that Ruth built”; increased profits • Jim Crow Laws made baseball be separated by race. • Negro Leagues: • Stars : Satchel Paige, James “Cool Papa” Bell, Josh Gibson • Large fan base but lacked equipment and $$ Football • Not as popular as baseball initially • Harold “Red” Grange – “Galloping Ghost”: had power & speed • Running back for the University of Illinois • Four touchdown runs/263 yards in the 1st twelve minutes of a game • First athlete to be on the cover of Time magazine

21. Boxing • Once outlawed, now hugely popular • 2 prizefights – top of American sports interest • Jack Dempsey/Gene Tunney – Philadelphia (1926) ~ 130,000 people; made $ 2 million • Rematch – Chicago (1927) ~ 145,000 people; 40 million people heard it on the radio; conspiracy with ref’s call; made $2.6 million • 10 Americans died from heart attacks in their living rooms Minor Sports • Bobby Jones • Golfer – won many tournaments • Helen Wills • Tennis – won every match from 1927 - 1930 • William “Big Bill” Tilden • Tennis – 1st American to win Wimbeldon • Gertrude Ederle • 1st woman to swim the English Channel (2 hours faster than the men’s time; 14:31) • 1926 Olympian

22. Improved Transportation Automobile  Henry Ford -responsible for auto explosion (7 million by 1918) - Model T * assembly line production = cheaper cost ($260) * make time 14 hours93 minutes * by 1925 = new model every 10 seconds * Average American could use * big economic impact (biggest in country 1923) revolution in American way of life (mobile)  Road Improvements -created a spider-web across the country -1921 Federal Highway Act – 10,000 miles of highway -businesses grew along these new roads gas stations, restaurants, campgrounds, motels -billboards became the newest method of advertising

23. Airplanes • flying = object of national attention • WWI had pushed development • aviators from war though couldn’t get jobs • There were some pilots that wanted to keep flying • Such as Amelia Earhart took up barnstorming- touring and performing in small towns and rural areas • Charles Lindbergh • 1927- left NewYork in single engine plane headed over the Atlantic to France • 33 hours 30 minutes • Plane: Spirit of St. Louis • Made him a world hero • received $25,000 and parade

24. Changing Role Of Women • Due to WWI, women took traditionally male jobs such as: • shipment collectors • Accountants • phone operators • steel mill workers • This movement into new jobs motivated women to say: • Hey! Treat us as equals! • Pay us the same!! • AND grant us suffrage! (which by the way happened in 1920 with the passage of the 19th amendment!)

25. Yeah~ for the right to vote! But some women thought politics were boring so they moved their focus into social life! • Women’s fashion became an outlet for expression • Less modest, shorter hemlines, short hair (“shingle bob”), cosmetics (rouge & lipstick) • Danced the Charleston • Advertising made women more aware of their image • Ex. - Smoking advertisements promoted sophistication and weight loss • The number of women smoking doubled during the 20’s • Women became more self-sufficient & independent

26. Here comes a QUIZ! Look over your notes and get out a piece of paper! 