The Jazz Age 1920s
Jazz Age Slang 1-Cat’s Meow 2-Gatecrasher 3-Blind Date 4-Big Cheese 5-Bump Off 6-Cake Eater 7-Flat Tire 8-Giggle Water 11-Gams 12-Heebie Jeebies 13-High Hat 14-Flapper 15-Gyp 16-Darb 17-Gin Mill 18-Bee’s Knees 19-Sheba 20-Carry a Torch
Jazz Age Slang 1.Cat’s Meow= Fantastic 2.Gatecrasher= Someone who “crashes” a party 3.Blind Date= Date with someone you’ve never met 4.Big Cheese= Important person 5.Bump Off= Murder 6.Cake Eater= A lady’s man 7.Flat Tire= Dull, boring person 8.Giggle Water= Alcoholic drink 9. Gams= Woman’s legs 10. Heebie Jeebies= Jitters 11. High Hat= Snob 12. Flapper= “New Woman” of 1920s 13. Gyp= Cheat 14. Darb= Great or Wonderful 15. Gin Mill= Speakeasy 16. Bee’s Knees= Superb person or think 17. Sheba= Young sexy lady 18. Carry a Torch= Suffer from unrequited love
Jazz Age Slang Cont. How does this new vocabulary reflect the culture of the Jazz Age? What role does slang play in your life today? Is the way we talk a reflection of our society today, if so, how?
Nativism Preference for native born people Limit immigration Normalcy People felt threatened by immigrants
Sacco and Vanzetti Immigrants and anarchists Blamed for the murder and robbery of two men Found guilty and executed
Eugenics Improving hereditary traits Inequalities are inherited Don’t breed with “inferior” races
KKK Resurgence during the 20s Targeted African Americans as well as Jews and other immigrants Pledged to preserve America’s white, Protestant civilization
New Morality Encouraged youth and freedom Women in the workforce Cars= independence Flapper= unconventional woman Drank prohibited liquor Smoked Clothing was too revealing Charleston
Prohibition Banning alcohol Eighteenth Amendment, 1920 Speakeasies= secret bars Bootlegging= illegal production and distribution of alcohol Organized crime fostered speakeasies Al Capone= dominated organized crime
Prohibition How do you get people to stop doing something that isn’t good for them? Do the lessons of Prohibition apply to drugs? Some people say we should make it legal to buy drugs; then criminals could not earn big money selling drugs. Others say that would encourage people to use drugs. What do you think?