The 1920s carried much change in society. Some of these changes were more rights for women, jazz music, and prohibition. The people of the 1920s were disillusioned by society lacking in idealism and vision, sense of personal alienation, and Americans were obsessed with materialism and outmoded moral values (The Roaring Twenties).Cultural changes were strongly influenced by the destruction of World War I ending 1918. America needed to recover and with it youth rebelled against the norms of the older generations.
The Declaration of Independence of 1776 asserted that all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, the exhaustion of farm land by poor agricultural planning and the introduction of the assembly line reversed the flow in the 1920s. They helped to turn the migration of the people back to the city. Many farmers returned to the cities to work for such leaders of industry as Ford and Rockefeller. The American Dream indicated not about a better life but about wealth. Historians called the 1920s, roughly the period between the end of World War I and the Great Stock Market Crash of 1929, as the Roaring Twenties or a period of remarkable changes. Over half of all Americans resided in cities and the growing affordability of the automobile forced people to be a lot active. While the decade was known as the era of jazz and flapper fashions, a lot of domains still remained quite conservative. In the novels of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Stein, the 1920s were also the time of deep disillusionment, the era of the lost generation. Drawing upon my knowledge of the 1920s, I would evaluate the validity of this stereotype by historical
The flapper represented the “modern woman” in American youth culture in the 1920’s, and was epitomized as an icon of rebellion and modernity. Precocious, young, stubborn, beautiful, sexual, and independent, the flapper image and ideology revolutionized girlhood. The term “flapper” originated in England to describe a girl who flapped and had not yet reached maturity. Middle-class, white, adolescent girls embraced the symbol of the flapper and the development of change and innovation. It is important to note not all young women embraced the flapper’s rebellious movement and adhered to traditional pre-World War I morals and values. Young women who joined the flapper movement would no longer abide by pre-conceived conventional expectations
The 1920s, also known as the “Roaring Twenties”, was an exhilarating time full of significant social, economic, and political change. For most Americans, it was full of the prosperity and peace that followed World War I. Middle-class life was full of leisure and class. For others, this time period was filled with hardships and challenges. Many immigrants and African-Americans faced discrimination and segregation from the rest of the United States.
The 1920s was a time of great change. From fashion to politics, this period is known as one of the most explosive decades in American history. After WWI, America became one of the world’s most formidable superpowers. The rise to power prompted the 1920s to become a decade of evolution for women’s rights, African American’s rights, and consumerism.
The 1920s, commonly referred to as the “Roaring Twenties”, is generally viewed as a time period of economic prosperity and extravagant living. However, these stereotypes were not the reality for many Americans and such illusions hid the deep cultural conflict that was bubbling beneath the surface. New, liberal ideals began to rise to the surfaces that conflicted with the traditional, conservative beliefs held by many Americans. The 1920s became a “cultural battlefield”, to quote Professor Mintz, with people clashing over such issues as immigration, alcohol, race, and evolution. A “cultural civil war” ensured as some supported the resulting “liberation” from America’s past, while others objected to the “decaying” morals that supposedly accompanied such changes. Although Americans conflicted over a number of different issues, they were especially divided over three issues in particular: immigration, alcohol consumption, and race. The cultural clashes over the issues of immigration, race, and alcohol consumption fueled the “cultural civil war” of the 1920s and deeply divided Americans, the remains of which can still be seen to some extent today.
Feel the smooth jazz notes go through your body and straight into your feet, and before you know it you’re dancing in a dimly lit speakeasy while the colorful band plays a lively tune. Your date, a flapper, is smoking and drinking right next to you, along with important political leaders of your city. The room is full of promise, and devoid of concern, alcohol is illegal to everybody, yet everybody is drinking. Your back out onto the dance floor, and dancing the night away spending your time doing something perfectly illegal. That is what a normal weekend night consisted of for most adults during the era called The Jazz Age, more commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties.
The 1920s appeared to be a period of turning inward for Americans, as they had been disillusioned and damaged by World War I. President Warren G. Harding had coined the term ‘a return to normalcy’, which was a nostalgic vision of American society with traditional values and roles, and was widely accepted and eagerly embraced by the population. It was during this time that America experienced “The Roaring Twenties”, an outstanding period of prosperity. There was also a significant shift from an agrarian society to an industrial society, which as a result, caused tremendous tension between traditionalists and modernists. The 1920 census was a momentous one, as it distinguished a trend
The roaring twenties was a time when the nation's wealth doubled between the years 1920 to 1929. Men and women celebrated this time by enjoying parties and gatherings every so often. Women also were ecstatic since they were able to vote due to the 18th amendment. However, since the economic growth there were many conflicts rather than celebration.
The Roaring Twenties was a prime era for women. Because of the toils of many strong women, ideals were flipped on their head, to America’s benefit. In the late 1800’s, two women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, quickly realized that women would not be able to share their political views unless given the right to vote. Because of the fact that women had basically no other societal roles besides housework, they were not respected during this time period. So the two women teamed up and spent the rest of their lives fighting for the women’s suffrage movement. Several campaigns, petitions and an arrest later, the 19th Amendment was finally ratified. However, this surprisingly did not have a great affect the lives of Americans
“It was in the 1920s, when nobody had time to reflect, that I saw a still-life painting with a flower that was perfectly exquisite, but so small you really could not appreciate it” (Georgia O’Keeffe). The 1920’s was a decade that was associated with outrageousness. Where America changed as they recovered from World War I, they had to come up with new ways of thinking and behaving. The 1920’s were full of ups and downs. The 20s were full of cheer, rioting, and depression.
After World War 1, the 1920s was often referred to as the Roaring ‘20s. It was known as this because of the sustained economic prosperity during this time period. Consequently, with the economic prosperity came with major political, social, economic, technological, and cultural developments of the 1920s. The “Roaring Twenties” can be considered as a time of many advancements that helped shape the lives of Americans on a large scale.
There are always particular decades that people are drawn into, and for many it is the Roaring Twenties for its scandalous, radical and golden moments. 1920s is known as the age of dramatic social and political change, resulting in the birth of many cultural institutions we recognize today. One of the most groundbreaking achievement being women given the right to vote, a game-changing gesture which opened so many possibilities for women in playing their roles in the field of career and culture in general.
Molly Mangan Mrs. Dati Social Studies 27 March 2017 The “Roaring” Twenties In the 1920s our country boomed, women got more rights, people could buy more expensive goods with installment buying, and cars became more affordable. With all these changes people had more leisure time. With their extra time people went to movies, participated
Since early ages, mothers have always criticized the ways their daughters acted. In the 1920s criticisms were taken a step further by the flappers, who completely revolutionized the view on females. Flappers in the 1920s had an impact on women for the future. Who they were, what they wore, and what their morals were was how their impacts changed the future for all the females.