The Impressionists at the end of the 19th century, who championed landscape painting and revolutionized technique and the use of color, helped to open the floodgates for the movements that would evolve in the early 20th century. These, in turn, mirrored the economic and social changes occurring throughout Europe at the time.

The first two decades of the 20th century were marked by enormous industrial, economic, social and cultural change. International trade brought with it increasing growth and prosperity, along with a rise in poverty and slums in major cities. Urbanization, architectural advances, increases in technology and the spread of goods and information were markers of the times. Competition between nations was reflected in attempts to show off advances in technology, business, and architecture, among other things. Advances in science included Einstein's Theory of Relativity and Freud's development of modern psychology.

Most entertainment industries believed that the hype about films wouldn’t sustain itself and eventually die down, like many other inventions had done. However in about ten years time, film had become one of the largest industries in entertainment. Film studios were being built as early as 1897. The form of visual entertainment had progressed somewhat, now being several minutes long and including several shots and scenes.

As the popularity of films increased, it allowed producers to have a larger budget when shooting. This lead to special effects, more actors, and generally higher quality productions. They could even hire artists to manually paint in colours onto the film frames!

The art of film had developed significantly in just the first decade of invention. Actors began appearing in the credits of the features, as opposed to just the writers, directors, and producers. In Australia in 1905, the first “feature length” film (over an hour long) was being shown in theatres and was spread across multiple film reels. Soon an early permanent theatre showing only films was constructed, under a name that may be familiar, “The Nickelodeon”. It was called this because at the time it cost 5 cents, or a “nickel” to view a film.

On March 1, 1932, shocked Americans learned that the 20-month-old baby of the world's biggest celebrity and hero, Charles Lindbergh, had been abducted. The dead baby was found near the Lindbergh's home a month after the first, secret ransom payment was made.

A trail of cash used to pay the ransom eventually led to a German immigrant carpenter named Bruno Richard Hauptmann. The subsequent trial was a prime candidate for "the trial of the century." Hauptmann was all but convicted by the newsreels and public opinion before the jury's verdict was read. Despite some holes in the prosecution's case, Hauptmann was convicted and executed in 1936.

Automation and mechanization also changed agricultural practices. The combined traction steam harvester built by Stockton J. Barry on his California ranch was one of the machines that changed the way produce was harvested. Mechanized canning changed the way fruit and vegetables were processed and preserved, and made out-of-season produce available year round.

As workers nationwide adjusted to an increasingly mechanized workplace, good working conditions took on new importance. Workers in several industries formed unions to promote safer working conditions and limit maximum working hours.