1. Popular Culture in the Roaring 20’s
Chapter 28

2. Consumer Culture New Products Make Life Easier
Toaster, Frozen Food, Vacuum Cleaners
Advertising Creates Demand
Used psychology to tailor ads
Change styles frequently
Buy Now, Pay Later
Credit
Installments

4. Air and Road Travel First to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
Charles Lindbergh
First to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
Planes began to be used for transportation

5. Automobiles Reshape American Life
Automobile provided sense of freedom and independence
Automobile stimulated the growth of suburban neighborhoods
In the 1920s. 98% of all cars were open to the weather.

6. The Road System
Federal Highway Act (1921) supported automobile industry
Constructed over 10,000 miles of road
Spread population westward
Expanded small business
Hot dog stands, drive-in restaurants, motor hotels, billboard advertising, and campgrounds
Supported American tourist industry: roadside plaques, battlefield sites, largest ball of yarn, etc

7. Mass Media Print Media Magazines, newspapers
People were reading the same stories
Radio
Sports, news, programs
Movies
1927: first full length “talkie”
By 1929, radio had become one of the leading industries of the American entertainment industry. The National Broadcasting Company, NBC, was making $150 million a year.

8. Comedies like “Amos and Andy” and serialized drama mysteries like “The Shadow” became a part of people’s everyday lives. Orson Wells, the voice of the Shadow, became a fixture in Hollywood with his famous radio show “The War of the Worlds.” Churches also used the radio to evangelize

9. Music: The Birth of Jazz
A New American Music
Jazz originated from New Orleans fusion of Creole, French, African, and slave music
Combined African rhythms with European instruments
Jazz intended to be improvised and danced to
Jazz musicians including Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong toured most local speakeasies
Duke Ellington composed, arranged, and played jazz in Harlem. Known as a ruthless businessman and a genius, most jazz musicians got their start in Ellington’s band

10. Sports Fever Why Sports?
Decreased working hours, increased leisure time, and more spending money
American public wanted entertainment and heroes
Developed activities which were uniquely American, not European
People reveled in individual accomplishment
Red Grange, the “Galloping Ghost was the first millionaire football player