Dissension and Disillusionment: America in the 1920s

The 1920s were characterized by some by the term disillusionment. High cultural expectations failed to be met at the end of World War I, which gave rise to what Gertrude Stein referred to as the “lost generation.” Within the 1920s, America was home to conflicting thoughts and ideals. Dissension emerged in the decade following the Great War; differing ideas manifested in cultural conflicts surrounding immigration and Prohibition as Americans attempting to impose their personal beliefs in the mainstream cultural through legal means. As Europe experienced a time of instability in the early 20th century, a record amount of Southern and Eastern European immigrants made their way to America. These “new immigrants” differed from the “old immigrants” of Western Europe in that they struggled to speak the English language, did not come from traditionally democratic nations, and had minimal education. These differences hampered the assimilation of new immigrants. Instead of mixing into America’s mainstream culture, they tended to inhabit certain parts of urban areas in particular ethnic neighborhoods. Nativist organizations were well

This cultural conflict of immigration boiled down to those of