).
Prohibition, Speakeasies and Bootlegging
The issue of prohibition illustrates the polarity of sentiment felt by many Americans during the Twenties. Many believed that alcohol was the cause of a significant number of social evils and that its eradication would permanently erase those evils (Rumbarger 11). After prohibition went into effect, many urban dwellers began to frequent 'secret' clubs known as speakeasies where they could illegally purchase and consume alcohol. Many rural residents began to make their own alcohol, known as moonshine (Ibid 24).
The federal government was unable (and in many cases unwilling) to effectively enforce prohibition, which allowed the rise to the prominence of the modern organized crime syndicate, also known as the 'mob.' The mob became proficient at bootlegging alcohol into the speakeasies and other locations (Ibid 27). Thus, mobsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, became national figures and organized crime became romanticized in American culture. Also, the use of customized automobile engines of bootleggers in the south directly led to one of America's most popular pastimes, NASCAR auto-racing.
Business and the Workplace
National Business and Capitalism
The 1920s were in fact an economic boom time for some and there was a chance for upward mobility greater than in previous generations. Tremendous consumer demand and increased factory productivity created industry captains, while the rise in finance and insurance industries created new wealth for others. The rise of big cities and big skyscrapers in New York and Chicago conjured the image of what was the 'Roaring Twenties' for many.
Workers, Farmers and Other Destitute Groups
For a far greater number of people, slice of the pie did not increase significantly. Labor Unions took a major step back during the 1920s. Unions suffered a number defeats in major strikes that left them dramatically weakened (Zinn Chapter 15). Also, because unions were long associated with radical, socialist and communist ideology, unions and labor leaders grew increasingly unpopular after World War I, as the country longed for its 'return to normalcy' and embraced a collective capitalist and laissez faire doctrine (Ibid.). As a result, the working class lost much of its economic clout gained during the Progressive era.
American farmers were perhaps the hardest hit economically in the 1920s. Advances in machinery decreased the demand for manual laborers at the same time that food prices dropped (McDean 79). Thus the farm laborer found his services were not needed or profitable and many were lured to the industrial boom towns. Without labor or the capital needed to purchase the new farming equipment, the small independent farmer was not to compete with larger farms. Small farms could no longer remain independent and many farmers were forced to merge into cooperatives in order to remain viable (Ibid 82). Also, President Coolidge declined to sign a bill which would have granted relief to thousands of farmers (Ibid 85). During the 1920s while this transition was taking place, many small farmers suffered enormous hardship.
While women did make gains in terms of acceptance in the workplace, many lost their factory and industry jobs to returning soldiers after the war. African-American women were particularly hard hit, finding employment opportunities mostly limited to the areas of field work and domestic servant work. The one really bright spot for women, and all working class laborers, was that there were plenty of jobs available as a result of the industrial growth.
Transportation and Communications
The United States became a smaller place as automobiles and telephones became readily available for many Americans in the 1920s. While not found in every household, these items were no longer limited to only the wealthiest as in previous years. Henry Ford's assembly line production in his Detroit plant paved the way for American production for the remainder of the century. As the automobile and telephone increased in popularity and availability, the modern day United States infrastructure began to develop. As highways and Interstate highways and telephone lines connected the country to both coasts, electrical lines, indoor plumbing and sewer systems brought the American lifestyle firmly into the 20th century.
One new innovation that roared during the Twenties was that of air flight. While invented prior to the start of the decade, passenger travel became a reality through the skies during the Twenties. The world hailed Charles Lindbergh as he completed the first solo-transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Robert Goddard discovered rocket propulsion which laid the foundation for the space program in the 1950s.
Entertainment and Culture
Entertainment saw one of the bigger transformations in American...
Moving forward to 1920s, the documentary will then talk about the social, cultural, and technological developments that influenced American society and culture during this period. Special focus must be given to the working class, relating their social mobility to their economic success and consumption lifestyle. To illustrate the men and women of the Roaring Twenties, each group would be discussed in relation to a specific social issue that is considered
Prohibition/Repeal and the Roaring Twenties Prohibition and the Roaring Twenties According to the films, how did prohibition come about, what was it trying to accomplish and why? The concept of alcoholism never stood at ease with many factions throughout the industrialized world. Even in Europe, the thought of alcohol related to drunken brawls and non-covert prostitution. The United States was no different, and by the 1840s to the roaring twenties, alcohol had become
It is noticeable, however, that despite illustrating the image of 'good life' among American consumers, it seemed that these ads were catered only to white Americans, which are often depicted as belonging to the elite to middle social classes. Further analysis also showed that apart from the under representation of minorities in these ads, white American women were the 'staple' elements contained in an ad. Although some of the ads
In "Winter Dreams," Dexter's ideal of success is characterized by wealth and social status. The opportunities provided by the new century motivate young men and women of the 1920s to dream of success from early ages. This is also the case of Dexter who, working at a local golf course, envisions himself becoming a golf champion. His dreams of success are fueled by his love for Judy Jones who becomes
Great Gatsby Reading the highly-acclaimed novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, is an excellent way in which to learn about New York City and about America in the 1920s through literature. Certainly there are scenes, characters and quotes that are exaggerated and enhanced beyond what the real world at that time represented -- which is the license that writers of fiction are afforded. But the big picture of The
history of the 1920's, a colorful era of tycoons, gangsters, bohemians and inventors. Areas covered include the arts, news and politics, science and humanities, business and industry, society fads and sports. The bibliography includes fives sources, with five quotations from secondary sources, and footnotes. The 1920's are commonly referred to as the 'Roaring Twenties', an appropriate title for a decade that did indeed roar out of the Victorian Era. Gone
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