1920s Social Change and Prohibition
Objectives Identify the causes and effects of the Eighteenth Amendment. Explain how the Nineteenth Amendment changed the role of women in society. Describe how the automobile, radio, and movies changed American culture. Explain why tension and unrest lay beneath the surface during the 1920s.
Terms and People prohibition – a total ban on alcoholic drinks bootlegger – liquor smuggler speakeasy – illegal tavern that served liquor
How did social change and conflict mark the 1920s? The political changes of the 1920s were accompanied by far-reaching social changes. Women gained voting rights. Alcohol was made illegal for over a decade. America developed a new mass culture.
Reasons for Prohibition In 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment made it illegal to make, sell, or transport alcohol. This began a period of time known as Prohibition. Reasons for Prohibition Conserve grains used to make alcohol Reduce drunkenness and family violence
Prohibition had several effects on American society. Saloons shut down. Arrests for drunkenness declined. People consumed less alcohol.
This caused a rise in organized crime. Prohibition failed because it could not be enforced. Bootleggers made huge profits smuggling liquor from Canada and the Caribbean. Every large town had speakeasies where illegal liquor was served. This caused a rise in organized crime. In 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition.
Women gained new rights in the 1920s. However, they still lacked full equality. In 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment gave women voting rights. Women were still barred from many universities and from serving on juries. Women joined political parties and were elected to offices. Married women were not allowed to keep their earnings.
Many younger women in the 1920s shocked the older generation. These “flappers” did not seem interested in women’s rights. Their attitude and style came to symbolize women in the 1920s.
Three inventions led to the emergence of a new mass culture in the 1920s. Automobiles Commercial Radio Movies
Automobiles symbolized freedom and independence. The automobile greatly changed American life. Families could easily move to suburbs. Rural residents became less isolated. New businesses were opened along highways. Americans began to travel more. Automobiles symbolized freedom and independence.
Radio and movies revolutionized entertainment in the 1920s. Almost any family could afford a radio. People nationwide listened to the same music, news, sports, and radio dramas.
Many Americans went to the movies weekly. Movies provided an escape, and action films and comedies were very popular. Movie fans began to worship celebrities.
Some Americans feared that rapid social changes would destroy their way of life. This fear was reflected in the Scopes trial of 1925. High school teacher John Scopes taught evolution. This violated Tennessee law. Scopes was put on trial.
The trial encapsulated the conflict between modern, urban Americans and traditional, rural Americans. William Jennings Bryan, a three-time candidate for President, prosecuted Scopes. Clarence Darrow, a famous Chicago lawyer, defended Scopes. Scopes lost his job. Laws against teaching evolution remained but were rarely enforced.
Violent race riots broke out in several cities. Fear of social change also caused racial tensions. Violent race riots broke out in several cities. Many African Americans served in World War I. They hoped to gain equality in America. Great Migration Many moved to northern cities. This was called the Great Migration.
Organizations formed in response to the rising racial tensions. Marcus Garvey formed the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). The Ku Klux Klan scorned blacks, immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. UNIA promoted black pride and unity. Several scandals in the late 1920s caused the Klan to lose support.