AIM: How did American life change in the 1920s?

The Roaring 20’s, the “Jazz Age,” the “Golden Twenties” War is over- let’s party!!!

Prohibition (18th amendment) Create speakeasies (secret bars that illegally sold alcohol)

Organized Crime Bribery of police The “Mafia” (gang) Mafia wars sought control of the booze market Chicago

Organized Crime Al Capone -gangster who made millions from bootlegging: illegally selling alcohol

Prosperity (wealth) of the 1920s Cars: more people buying inexpensive cars Electricity: created new household products like appliances Vacuum cleaners! Washing machines!

Mass-Consumption Advertising  make people want more and more! Buying on “margin” : credit cards “Buy now, pay later!!!”

Leisure Activities- Have fun! Sports Babe Ruth (baseball) Jack Dempsey (boxer)

Planes (Aviation) Charles “Lucky” Lindbergh (1927) 1st to fly over the Atlantic Ocean from LI to Paris

Mass Media & Communication Radio-Created a “national culture” everyone listens to the same thing

Mass Media & Movies! Hollywood & movie stars are made Silent films Charlie Chaplin “Talkie” films 1 national culture Immigrants learn English from the movies!

The Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance New attitudes- party on! URBANIZATION 1920 census revealed that more than ½ the population lived in urban cities

Women Greater sense of equality working Changes in manners and morals Question traditional roles as mothers

Flapper Short skirts Bobbed haircut Listened to jazz Drank and smoked in public “liberated” (free)

The Jazz Age Celebrating African-Americans New rhythms and improvisation Jazz clubs- “Cotton Club” in NYC

Harlem Renaissance pride in A.A. culture “rebirth” = Renaissance new demands for equality Langston Hughes (poet): I, Too, Sing America

Youth Culture “Fads” Flagpole sitting Marathon dancing The “Charleston” dance

The “Lost” Generation New group of writers after WWI Questioned American morals F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby showing how people waste money

How did American life change in the 1920s? 2. Did the 1920s “roar” or was it more of a “yawn?”