The Roaring Twenties by Cassie Collins

EQ1: Why did the modern culture of the 1920's cause some people to think that traditional society and morality were under attack?

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:00:44 UTC

The Ku Klux Klan used threats and violence towards african american's and also targeted Catholics, Jews, immigrants, and other 'un-american' groups. After winning the right to vote in 1920, women wanted to break free of their traditional roles. "They fought for child-welfare legislation, pure food and drug laws and conservation of natural resources to ameliorate the consequences of rapid industrialization and urbanization of American life." (SIRSDecades).Their attitude towards things like marriage changed drastically, adding the ideas of romance, pleasure, and friendship. Workforce also changed because women began to take more jobs to support their families. People responded to all this change by joining a religious movement, fundamentalism. They believed that everything in the bible was accurate and there were no errors, and they believed in creationism. A biology teacher John T. Scopes disagreed with these ideas and decided to teach evolution to his students. He was arrested, and the Scopes Trial took place. "The monkey trial, as it came to be known, set up a courtroom battle between renowned defense attorney Clarence Darrow and conservative political leader William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution." (SIRSDecades). He was found guilty but the trial was later overturned on a technicality. Alcohol also became an issue during the 1920's, and prohibition was encouraged. "Rather than eliminating alcohol from American culture, Prohibition stimulated an underground economy that provided illegal, often home-brewed alcohol--"hooch," "bathtub gin" and "moonshine"--to consumers" (SIRSDecades).

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:03:10 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:03:38 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:04:12 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:04:39 UTC

EQ2: How did new industries and a consumer society contribute to the Roaring Twenties?

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:05:32 UTC

Mass production had increased supply and reduced costs. Workers were then paid more money and goods costed less. Several new goods had come onto the market such as new innovations like electric razors, facial tissues, forzen foods, and home hair coloring. "In an effort to differentiate their products from the competition and win customer attention, companies employed aggressive and sophisticated advertising." People had also begun trying to build an airplane capable of carrying a human being. " In 1918, Post Office pilots flying War Department planes began to deliver mail between New York City and Washington, D.C., with a stop in Philadelphia." After many attempts and failures, in 1927 a man named Charles LIndbergh made a transatlantic solo flight. The radio industry contributed to the 20's because it was then possible to transmit sound via radio. In 1926, the NBC set up a network of stations that would broadcast daily. Individual borrowing had grown rapidly during the economic boom in the 20's. People's attitude towards debt changed, beginning to believe that they could gradually pay them off, thus introducing credit.

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:07:01 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:08:24 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:10:15 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:11:56 UTC

EQ3: How did popular culture, the arts, and literature change in the 1920's?

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:12:25 UTC

European art movements had widely influenced American modern art. For example, painter John Marin, drew on nature and New York urban dynamics. " Fashion transformed during the decade from function to a symbol of personal expression and social status." (SIRSDecade). Poets also changed the decade because they spoke to the people with their writings and expressed the faults in modernism. "Families were instantly connected to a national community as they gathered to listen to news, sporting events, speeches, comedy shows, and music." (SIRSDecade). T.S. Eliot claimed the world to be filled with empty dreams. Something called the mass media- did more than just entertain the audience of movies and radio shows- they broke down patterns of provincialism. " Americans also sought personal experience in religion and filled venues to hear charismatic evangelists like Aimee Semple McPherson and Reverend Billy Sunday." (SIRSDecade). A man named Babe Ruth, a baseball star, highly impacted the 20's. He became a national hero, hitting hundreds of home runs. He was not only considered a baseball player, but a "worldwide celebrity".

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:22:42 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:27:55 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:30:25 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:33:14 UTC

EQ4: How did African Americans influence Americans in the 1920's?

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 21:33:34 UTC

Hundreds and thousands of African Americans joined the Great Migrations from the south to industrial cities in the North, seeking to escape southern segregation. "As a result of these attitudes and restrictions, foreigners coming to America during the 1920s often had to endure harassment and abuse from the moment they arrived." (SIRSDecade). Also, "Business owners and economy-watchers believed that decreasing immigration rates led to increased labor costs and reduced productivity." (SIRSDecade). This resulted in an abundance of African American arts, the Harlem Renaissance. Claude McKay was a writer who influenced American's by writing about the shock of American racism. He expressed a defiance and bitter contempt towards racism. A native, Louis Armstrong, introduced an early form of jazz music. Armstrong and a few other musicians formed the "Hot Five". Armstrong was the first great cornet and trumpet soloist in Jazz. "Some jazz bands were even integrated; however, audiences tended to remain segregated." (SIRSDecade). A group named the "NAACP" fought against segregation and discrimination against African Americans. The group eventually defeated Judge John J. Parker's nomination to the supreme court, becoming their greatest political triumph.

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 23:50:59 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 23:52:21 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 23:53:09 UTC

ccoll049 — 2015-03-01 23:54:10 UTC