Chapter 18: The Roaring Twenties

1920-1929

Introduction: To Do (34 pts):

Define 7 terms

“Top 10” people – identify / what were they famous for?

5 ways cars changed the economy

18.1: A TIME OF PROSPERITY

Terms

Assembly line: a system in which each worker does a different job in putting together a product

Installment Plan: the payment of money over time toward the total cost of the item

Mass Media: the communications that reach large numbers of people

Remember?

The US had just exited WWI… Nation was at peace Economy was healthy

Americans = starting to enjoy the good times

A short Term as President

Warren G. Harding (1920) Ordinary man Could return the US to prewar times From OHIO

Cabinet selection: Some were honest and capable Some were chosen because they were friends

What’s the problem with hiring friends?

A short Term as President

1923: Congress examining friends’ actions Harding was worried, but became ill August 2, 1923 – Harding dies

Calvin Coolidge becomes President

Scandal uncovered: Albert Fall Secretary of the Interior Two oil executives had bribed Fall to get secret

leases Land in California, Teapot Dome in Wyoming Found guilty, went to jail

Cars Change the Economy

Americans wanted to build a rich country Congress began passing laws

Let businesses grow larger Salaries went up / prices went down

People were able to buy more things

Model T. Ford = “Tin Lizzie” = Henry Ford Worked used an assembly line Cars could be built faster

Lower cost More people could afford

Cars Change the Economy

Steel, rubber, glass, oil industries all grew Meet the needs of automobile builders

Americans found new jobs Selling, repairing, parking, driving cars

Miles of new roads were built New businesses were built

Diners, motels, stores, gas stations People began to move to the suburbs

Did not have to live where you worked

Americans Spend More

Assembly line revolutionized the economy Washing machines Toasters Refrigerators

Some products cost more than people could afford

Enter in: Installment Plans Let everyone be able to purchase more

Down payment / monthly payments

Americans Spend More

More industries grew Advertising

Consumers NEEDED certain products New products make everyone happier

Began appearing in mass media Radios Billboards Magazines Newspapers

To Do

Pg. 337 (1-3) USE COMPLETE SENTENCES FOR FULL CREDIT

Pg. 338 (1-2)

Exercise 75

18.2: GOOD TIMES FOR MANY

Terms

Jazz: a kind of music created by African Americans in the South in the early 1900s

Renaissance: a time of new interest and activity in the arts

Prosperity:

1920s: Time of prosperity / change for many people

More people had wealth / luxury

High hopes for the future

Should sports stars / celebrities be role models?

Popular Entertainment

1920s was a time to enjoy life Carefree times = “Roaring Twenties”

Also known as the Jazz Age

Music Jazz gained popularity

Drums, piano, banjo, horns – all used Went from New Orleans to Chicago / New York Louis Armstrong Jelly Roll Morton Bessie Smith

Music was popular with African Americans and whites

Popular Entertainment

Radio KDKA – 1st radio station

Pittsburgh, PA 1922: +500 radio stations

1st – mostly music News reports Sports reports Children’s stories

Movies California’s climate was ideal

for movies Hollywood became movie

capital of the world

People went once a week to the movies

Westerns Romances Adventures Comedies

1st – No sound Background music Lyrics were written on

cards / shown on screen

1927: 1st talkie “The Jazz Singer”

Popular Entertainment

Books and Magazines Many writers were horrified by WWI Criticized Americans for caring too much about

money and fun Some even moved out of the US Became expatriates

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby Characters were always looking for wealth and

success Ernest Hemmingway, The Sun also Rises

Wartime experiences, sports, travel

Popular Entertainment

Books and Magazines Many magazines were 1st published in the

1920s Time – read for news Saturday Evening Post – read for stories

Popular Entertainment

Sports Boxing = Jack Dempsey Swimming = Gertrude Ederle College Football = Red Grange Baseball = Babe Ruth

Greatest hero of the decade: May 1927 – Charles Lindbergh (Lucky Lindy)

Flew alone across the Atlantic Ocean New York to Paris with no map, parachute, or radio Opened the door to new flying possibilities

The Harlem Renaissance

African Americans moved North in the 1920s Often came to Harlem (in NYC) Were free to express themselves

Harlem Renaissance Used literature and art to show racial pride Spoke out against racial discrimination

The Harlem Renaissance

Countee Cullen Won prizes for his poetry

Experiences of African Americans Taught in a Harlem high school

The Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” – published after

high school Best known poet of the Renaissance

Encouraged African Americans to be proud of their heritage

Protested racism and violence against African Americans

Wrote poems, plays, short stories, essays

The Harlem Renaissance

Claude McKay From Jamaica Condemned lynchings

and mob violence after WWI

Zora Neale Hurston Novels, essays, short

stories Tried to preserve

folklore Traveled to collect folk

takes, songs, prayers Mules and Men

The Mass Culture of the 1920s

Women in the 1920s

New freedoms Turned away from traditional roles

Cut hair short Wore short dresses Began smoking / drinking in public

Women in the 1920s

Why these changes? 19th Amendment – women had the right to vote

in all elections Women could hold public offices

Nellie Tayloe Ross (WY governor) Miriam A. Ferguson (TX governor)

Women kept working outside of the house New appliances made lives easier

Books / music / art helped them to think differently More decided to go to college

Women in the 1920s

Women were still not treated the same as men Employed?

General belief – would work until married Women were not trained for some jobs Were paid less than men

Women still became doctors / lawyers Hospitals and law offices refused to hire women

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Alice Paul: Noted women still lacked many legal rights (earning

control) Proposed the ERA Complete equality of rights across the United States

Some thought the ERA would cause women to lose some legal protections

Amendment passed, never ratified

To Do

Pg. 342 (1-2)

Pg. 343 (1-3)

Exercise 76

Bonus points (complete sentences): When was the first radio broadcast? What was announced?

18.3: A TIME OF CHANGE

Terms

Inflation: a sharp rise in the price of goods

Deport: to force a person who is not a citizen to leave the country by government order

Discussion

Should returning veterans be able to get their jobs back?

1920s still had problems Many Americans were without jobs Prices were rising Fear of immigrants led to violence Violence against African Americans continued

in the South

Economic Problems

Veterans returned home after WWI Jobs were already filled

Factories also did not need as many workers No more need for military supplies

Other problems People were eager to spend money – businesses

could not keep up with demand Prices began to rise (fewer goods) Bad feelings between owners and workers

Workers wanted wages to keep up with inflation

Growing Fears

Economy was growing worse Feared workers who went on strike Strikers? Under control of Communists

Communists – had taken control of Russia in 1917 Government should control all businesses and

property Was there going to be a Communist takeover in the

US? 6,000 people were arrested in 1920

Growing Fears

Arrested? Communist (true or false…) Hundreds were deported

Immigrant hatred: Were taking jobs from Americans People called for laws limited immigration

1921: only 357,000 immigrants permitted per year The door to the US was almost shut

The Great Migration

1910-1930: African Americans moved North Settled in cities: New York, Detroit, Chicago,

Philadelphia Left because:

Unfair working conditions Sharecroppers had to pay for the right to farm lands

Farming was difficult Floods / long spells of dry weather

Segregation laws Separate schools, restaurants, restrooms, drinking fountains

The Great Migration

Hoped for a better life in the North Higher pay in factory jobs

Still made less than white workers

Violence: Ku Klux Klan – terrorist group

Spread fear among African Americans Men in hoods attacked in the South, Midwest, West

Fought back: Formed groups to increase racial pride

Churches, social clubs, businesses

To Do

Pg. 345 – critical thinking – Sacco and Vanzetti

Pg. 347 (1-3)

Exercise 77