The Roaring Twenties!

DONOW:WHATDOYOUTHINKLIFEWASLIKEINTHE1920S?MAKEANEDUCATEDGUESSINABOUT3SENTENCES.

“The Roaring Twenties”aka the “Jazz Age”

Adecadeof“lettingloose” afterreturningtonormalcyattheendofWWI:◦Normalcy:toreturntoatimewhenthingsweresimpler- didn’twanttoworryaboutwarorotherproblems

◦ politicsbecamemoreconservative (ashiftbacktoanisolationist policy),butsocietywasmoreliberal

◦ Jazzmusicandartcultureflourish

Prohibition:abanontheproduction,sale,distributionandconsumptionofalcohol.

Allwet Totallywrong

bird 1- odd2- a

woman

dame Awoman keen Attractiveor

appealing

Andhow! I agree!

bootleg Illegalalcohol;fake

doll Anattractivewoman

neck kissing

Balledup confusedbreezer A

convertiblecar

Dolledup All dressedup

nifty Great,excellent

Bologna/baloney nonsense

Bumpoff Tomurderorkill

Don’tknowfromnothin'

Don’tknow/

don’thaveinfo

On thelam

Ontherun(frompolice)

Beatit! Scram;getlost

caper AcrimeDouble-cross Tocheator

stab intheback

Onthelevel

legit

Bee’sKnees

Reallyawesome

Carryatorch

Tohaveacrush

dough money pill Acrab;anunlikeableperson

Beef Acomplaintor problem

Cat’smeow

Somethingstylish

Dryup Shutup,getlost

Pipedown

Bequiet

Beeswax businessciggy cigarette ducky Verygood Rag-a-

muffinMessyordisshevele

dindividual

Bellbottom

Asailor clam Adollar flapper Astylish,modernyoungwoman

razz Tomakefunof

Bigcheese

Theboss copaceticWonderful,

fine,alright

Hotsy-totsy

pleasing scram Getlost

1920s:TheJazzAgehttp://pbskids.org/chuck/index.html#/jazz

Businessescanmakegoodsfasterandin

greaterquantities

Neededmoreworkersfortheassemblylines

Priceofgoodscanbelowered

becauseproductioncostsarelowered

Reducedpricesandmoreworkleadstomorepeoplewhocanbuyluxuryitems

Businessescontinuetomakemoney

Theassemblylineleadstoaconsumersociety

InstallmentBuying•”Buynow,paylater”

•Smallpaymentsupfront(downpayment)andthensmallmonthlypayments(installments)untilthecostplusinterest ispaidoff

•HelpspeopleaffordthingsNOWthattheywouldotherwisebeunabletoaffordimmediately

•Problem:wrackedupalotofdebt

TheStockMarket

§Stock =ashareofabusiness

§stockholder/shareholder/investor=someonewhohasinvestedmoneyintoacompanyandnowownsapartofthebusiness§ Businessesneedaninvestorsmoneytohelpthebusinessgrow(newsupplies,biggerbuildings,moreemployees,newtechnology.Etc…)

§ Themoneyfromstocksisputintothecompanytohelpitgrow

§Ifthebusinessdoeswell=investorsearnprofits$$$

§Ifthebusinessfails=theylosetheirinvestment

§StocksareboughtandsoldinaStockMarket

§Buyingonmargin: likeinstallmentbuyingofproducts- gettingastockonapaymentplanandnotpayingforitinfullupfront.Notaproblemifthestockissuccessful-theinvestorearnsmoneyquicklyandpaystheirdebt.§Butwhatifthestockfails?

TheStockMarketBULLMARKET BEARMARKET

PresidentWarrenG.Harding•29th president- wanteda“returntonormalcy”•Preferredisolation andlaissezfaireeconomics-supportedpro-businesspolicies

•Presidencybecameknownforcorruptionandscandal:• ”TheOhioGang”-membersofHarding’sCabinetwhowerefriendsandtookadvantageoftheirpower

• TeapotDomeScandal: AlbertFall,SecretaryoftheInterior,acceptedbribesfromoilcompaniesandallowedthemtodrillonfederallandinTeapotDome,Wyoming.BecamethefirstCabinetmembertogotoprisonforacrime.

• HardinghimselfwashonestandnotcorruptbuthemadebadchoicesforhisCabinet

• Hardingdiedofaheartattackin1923- VicePresidentCalvinCoolidgetakesover

PresidentCalvinCoolidge•30th President- “SilentCal”•Veryfrugal(tightwithmoney)andreserved

•Goal:tobringhonorbacktothepresidencyafterthescandalsofHarding’sterm• ForcedtheOhioGangtoresign,setupaspecialcommissiontoinvestigateotherscandalsandpunishoffenders

• Ranandwaselectedin1924• LikeHarding:verypro-business,supportedalaissezfaireeconomicpolicyandareturntoisolationism

TheAutomobileAssemblylineproduction reducesthetimeandcosttomakeproducts(includingcars)– theycanbeofferedcheaperthaneverbefore,andtheaverageAmericancannowownone

Otherindustriesexperienceaboom,too:• Steel,rubber,paint,glass,oil,• Leadsto:pavingnewroadsandparkways,gasstations,cardealerships,roadsiderestaurants,mechanicshops

Prohibition- the18th Amendment“TheNobelExperiment”

Prohibition:abanonthesale,productionandconsumptionofalcohol

Purpose:reformersbelievedthatitwouldreturnAmericatoamoretraditional,wholesome,moralwayoflifeWoman’sChristianTemperanceUnion(WCTU): bigsupportersofprohibition

1919:TheEighteenthAmendmentwaspassed,officiallyestablishingprohibition

TheVolsteadAct: Allowedfederalandstategovernmentstopunishpeopleforviolatingthe18th Amendment

LifeDuringProhibition

Bootleggers: peoplewhosmuggledalcoholillegally

Bathtubgin:nicknameforillegallymadealcohol

Speakeasy:illegalbarsthatservedalcoholduringProhibition

rum-runner: peoplewhocollecteddebtsandmadedeliveriesofalcohol

Prohibitionisrepealedin1933withtheTwentyThirdAmendment

TheRiseofOrganizedCrimeGangs of criminals who operated like a business- protecting territory and engaging in illegal activity, mainly alcohol

Usingtheweb,definetheeffectsthatthe18th AmendmenthadonAmericanculture.

Video!http://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-prohibition

https://youtu.be/_CE4u6jI_rc

19th Amendment: gavewomentherighttovote(suffrage)LeagueofWomenVoters: EstablishedbyCarrieChapmanCatttoorganizeandeducatevotersandtoguaranteeadditionalrightsforwomen.Duringthe1920s,womenservedasdelegatesforpoliticalconventionsandwereelectedtostateoffices.AlicePaul lobbiedforanEqualRightsAmendment toaddressotherformsofdiscriminationagainstwomen.ItwaspassedbyCongressbutneverratifiedbythestates.

SocialChangesforWomen

WomenworkoutsidethehomeafterWWIingreaternumbers:

TheFlapper

Flapper:nicknameforawomanwhodidn’tfollowtraditionalfemaleroles;woreshorter,tighterclothing,makeup,drank,smoke,wasmoreliberalthanpreviousgenerations

NativisminAmericaNativism: ThisbeliefthatAmericashouldbereservedforonlythosewhitepeoplewhowerebornhere

TheGreatMigration: 500,000AfricanAmericansmovetothenorthforfactoryjobswhilesoldiersareatwar.Mostly,themorediversecitieswereembracedbymany;however,noteveryoneagreed:• TheKuKluxKlan(KKK) re-emergesduringthe1920s:attackedAfricanAmericans,Jews,Catholics,immigrants.

• “OneHundredPercentAmericanism”- KKK’sbeliefinastrict,traditionalAmericanwayoflife- non-whiteswereruiningthislifestyle

MarcusGarvey: AfricanAmericancivilrightsleaderwhounifiedblacksunderthefirstAfricanAmericannationalistmovement.Encourageda“BacktoAfrica”movementthatwasunsuccessful

”TheInvisibleEmpire”

ADecadeofFear:Capitalismvs.Communism

CAPITALISM

Individualcitizens haveownershipofbusinessesandresources

Individualcitizensearnprivatewealth- doesn’tneedtobeshared

”Freemarket”

COMMUNISM

Thegovernment hasownershipofbusinessesandresources

Wealthisshared andthereisnoindividualwealth,nosocialclasses

“Collectiveownership”

“TheRedScare”•Anationwidefearofcommunistsandother“extreme”groups

•Fueledbyfearandnativism•Targetedmainlyatimmigrantsandgreatlyaffectedlaborunions

•FederalBureauofInvestigations(FBI):newofficeestablishedbyMitchellPalmerandheadedbyJ.EdgarHoovertohuntdownsuspectedanarchistsandcommunistssuspectedofplottingrevolutions

•PalmerRaids: Over6,000peoplearrestedanddeported;ultimatelynoevidenceofarevolutionwasfound

LimitingImmigrationinthe1920s•AfterWWI,manyEuropeanswantedtostartoverinAmerica

•ManyAmericansfearedtoomanynewcomers

•EmergencyQuotaActof1921:AllowedonlyacertainnumberofpeoplefromeachcountryintotheU.S.- only3%ofthepeoplefromanationalityalreadyinthecountryin1910couldbeadmitted• FavoredNorthernEuropeans,especiallytheBritish

• DiscriminatedagainstEasternEuropeans

SaccoandVanzetti•TwoItalianimmigrantsandadmittedanarchistswhowereaccused,convictedandeventuallyexecuted-robberyandmurder

•Verylittleevidenceagainstthem,prejudicedjudge-convictionfueledbyfear

•HighlightsthelengthstheU.S.wouldgotoinlimitingConstitutionalrightsduringtheRedScare

Traditionalistsv.ModernistsTRADITIONALISTSBELIEVED:

•America’sproblemswerecausedbyabusingalcohol,accesstonewinventionsthat“spoiled”people

•Wantedtoreturntoatimewhenthingsweresimple,moretraditional,moremoral

•Weremostlyolder,fromruralsmalltowncommunities,Christian

MODERNISTSBELIEVED:

•Inmoreliberalideas,moretolerantofbehaviorsthattraditionalistsfrownedupon-gambling,drinking,casualdating

•Wereoftenfromcities,moreexposuretodifferentcultures,languages,thearts

TheScopes“Monkey”Trial1925:JohnScopes,ascienceteacherinTN,putontrialforteachingthetheoryofevolution• Thebeliefthatplantsandanimalsevolved,ordevelopedfrom,lowerformsoflife

• IllegaltoteachbecauseitcontradictedtheBible

• WilliamJenningsBryan- prosecutoragainstScopes

• ClarenceDarrow- Scopes’defenseattorney

• Convicted,buteventuallyoverturned.Trialhighlightedthemajordifferencesbetweentraditionalistsandmodernistsofthedecade

TheHarlemRenaissanceRenaissance:rebirth

Harlem:neighborhoodinNYC’sUpperWestSide

Originallybuilttobeawealthywhiteneighborhood,butwastoocongestedandpropertyvaluesfell.Blacksmovedininstead,anditbecameahubforAfricanAmericanculture:• Writers,artists,musicians,painters,sculptors,scholarsallflockedtotheneighborhoodtobepartoftheexchangeofcultureandideaswithintheAfricanAmericancommunity

LangstonHughesPoet,Author

I,too,singAmerica.

Iamthedarkerbrother.

Theysendmetoeatinthekitchen

Whencompanycomes,

ButIlaugh,

Andeatwell,

Andgrowstrong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,“

Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

This poem was written in the 1920s after Hughes was

denied passage on a ship because of the color of his

skin

Jazzofthe1920s•AculturalcombinationofAfrican,French,SpanishandEnglish

•RhythmicAfricanbeatswithEuropeaninstruments

•BeganinNewOrleans,LAandmigratedwithAfricanAmericanstocitieslikeNewYorkandChicago

•DukeEllington,LouisArmstrong

•http://pbskids.org/chuck/index.html#/jazz

•https://youtu.be/BB_DmFz6Xoc