Chapter 21: The Roaring Live of the 1920’s Final Terms

Changing Ways of Life 21.1 Rural and Urban Differences – The New Urban Scene: hustle and bustle of big cities NY, Chicago, etc. Lure people for entertainment, jobs, living, etc. – The Prohibition Experiment: Manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages made illegal – Speakeasies and Bootleggers: Speakeasies – hidden saloons and nightclubs in penthouses, cellars, office buildings, rooming houses, tenements, hardware stores, and tearooms Bootleggers – smugglers carrying alcohol in the legs of boots – Organized Crime: Al Capone – gangster whose bootlegging empire netted over $60 million/year out of Chicago.

Changing Ways of Life 21.1 Science and Religion Clash – American Fundamentalism: Protestant movement grounded in literal, or nonsymbolic, interpretation of the Bible. – The Scopes Trial “Monkey trail”: Crime to teach evolution in schools. John T. Scopes biology teacher in Dayton TN charged with crime. Clarence Darrow Lawyer who defended Scopes. William Jennings Bryan Prosecuting attorney. Result: Scopes found guilty and fined $100 Pictured from R-L Darrow then Scopes

The Twenties Women 21.2 Young Women Changed the Rules – Flappers – an emancipated young woman who embraced new fashions: Close fitting felt hats, bright waistless dresses 1” above the knees, skin-toned silk stockings (nylons), sleek pumps, strings of beads, no more corsets (binding bras), & clipping their hair short. – Double Standard: granting more sexual freedom to men than to women. Casual dating vs. courting only when marriage is in the cards.

The Twenties Women 21.2 Women shed old Roles at Home and Work – New Work Opportunities Men return to work after WWI booting working women out, who were expected to return to homes. However, women continue to seek employment instead. – Women Professions for College educated women: teachers, nurses, Librarians – Other jobs: Clerical – typists, filing clerks, secretaries, stenographers, and office-machine operators. – Changing Family Margaret Sanger opens first birth control clinic for women. Stores have ready made clothes for purchase. Inventions help house wives become main shoppers, money managers, shift attention to homes, husbands, children, and Past- times (recreational activities). Women juggling work and family – Day care centers – rebellious adolescents – teens spend more time with each other and less w/ family

Education and Popular Culture 21.3 Schools and the Mass Media shape Culture – School enrollments: Schools cater to college bound students as well as providing trade training. – Expanding News Coverage: increased literacy due to schools results in mass media, increased newspaper circulation, books, etc. – Radio comes of age: for news, entertainment, music.

Education and Popular Culture 21.3 America Chases New Heroes and Old Dreams – Lindbergh’s Flight: Charles A. Lindbergh – first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.  – Entertainment and the Arts: fame given to music composer George Gershwin when he blended traditional elements w/ Jazz.  – Writers of 21 st Century – F. Scott Fitzgerald coins the term “Jazz Age” to describe the 1920’s.  Ernest Hemingway became the best-known expatriate (wounded in WWI) author, b/c he criticized glorification of war. 

The Harlem Renaissance 21.4 African-American voices in the 1920’s – The Move North: to big cities to find jobs – Goals: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) campaign to reduce violence/lynching – Marcus Garvey and the Unia: M.G. from Jamaica believed that A-A should build their own Societies – message of black pride.

The Harlem Renaissance 21.4 The Harlem Renaissance Flowers in New York Literary and Artistic movement celebrating A-A Culture – African-American (A-A) Writers: Langston Hughes movement’s best known writer/poet describes difficult lives of working class A-A. – A-A performers: Singing and acting careers beginLangston Hughes Louis Armstrong – A-A and Jazz: Musician trumpet player Louis Armstrong joined Oliver’s group known as Creole Jazz Band. He made personal expression a key part of Jazz.  Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington Jazz pianist and composer led his 10 piece orchestra at the Cotton Club in NY. Bessie Smith was the outstanding female Blues singer of the decade.