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After World War I, hundreds of thousands of Americans were dead and the war had cost around 22 billion dollars. Although America lost something, the war boosted the American industry and economy. The Roaring Twenties was the period between 1920 to 1929 that led America into a new experience of culture, society, and economy. At the same, there were voices of conflict between the new and past generations about these changes. The most important changes in America during the 1920’s were transportation, women’s roles, and Prohibition because they pushed the country to become economically powerful, free, and socially equal.
To begin, transportation was one of the most important changes in 1920 because it grew the U.S economy and made people's lives
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easier. Transportation not only meant there was a different way for products and people to arrive at their destinations, it also provided a private area where people could do anything whatever they liked. From 1920, there was a main source of transportation that Americans liked to use in their daily life, automobiles. It provided a private area for the car owners. After they owned a car, they didn’t need to follow the bus or train schedules which were affected by the weather, so their journey became free and enjoyable. As a result, automobiles became a necessity for everyone with owned one. “During the 1920s, somewhat more than eight million autos were registered; in 1929 the number was more than twenty-three million. This increase represented not only cars but gasoline, road construction, traffic control signals and a host of other products that came into being because of the motor vehicle.” (AC, p.180) According to the quote, Americans owned cars because they believed and trusted that their country had a good transport development on road construction and traffic signals so that could safely drive on the way. Additionally, transportation raised lots of job opportunities and American economy grew. When people had jobs, they earned money, then they bought a car. Once people had cars, it also meant they could work further away from where they lived. So, transportation was an important change because it provided the job opportunities, a free area, and it raised the country economically. The change in Women’s roles was another one of the important changes of this time period.
American women had a new lifestyle and role. There were three different ideas about the identity of women. These included the 19th Amendment, the flapper, new opportunities, and family during 1920. In 1917, women’s organizations started to fight for their freedom, right to vote, and equality. The 19th Amendment passed in 1920, was the best result for women to get the first step on a new role. It represented that women had the same rights as men and they were no different. The flapper was the new word and showed young women how to embrace a new style of clothes, image, and behavior. During the 1920s, women had short hair, wore skimpier skirts, smoked, and talked about sex. All of these changes surprised and shocked the previous generation. “Along with all this, the younger generation discovered sex. It was hardly unique to their generation, but they had the automobile in which to experiment.” (AC,p.180) These 10 years, it changed the ideas people had about women. The traditional style no longer existed and they had a new style of sexual freedom and fashion. There were also new job opportunities for women. Many of them got professional jobs after they graduated colleges, such as a nurse, teacher or typesetter-“By 1930, 10 million women were earning wages: however, few rose to a managerial job, and whatever they worked, women earned less than men.”(textbook p.442)Although women earned less than men, it proved women had a specific level in society. In the same way, it changed the idea that only men had responsibilities to support their families financial needs. At those points, women’s role became freedom and equal as
men. Finally, prohibition was one of the most important changes during 1920. Prohibition was the 18th Amendment that made alcohol illegal to manufacture, sell, and transport on July 1, 1919. Reformers thought that drinking too much led problem, such as accidents on the job. Reformers hoped to stop this situation with prohibition. Even though alcohol was illegal, the law couldn't stop Americans from drinking. They had a lot of ideas to collect and drink. They would keep the alcohol in a hot bottle in their necks or go to speakeasies. Speakeasies were a place that sold alcohol and provided a place for people to drink illegally. "By the middle of the decade, there were thought to be 100,000 speakeasies in New York alone." (FC, p. 160) Even though the alcohol was illegal, there was still an illegal organization to manufacture it. In that case, the 18th Amendment couldn't attain its result and decreased the population of drinking alcoholic. It is the only amendment that has been abolished in the U.S history. It shows the power of Americans that they could cancel the amendment. In conclusion, the most important changes were transportation, women’s role and prohibition in the roaring 20’s. The major transportation was automobiles, it increased the opportunities of job and strengthened the road construction of the country. Women’s role were changing when the nineteenth amendment issued in 1920. Women could vote, cut short hair and get paid for work. The change made women became more important to existing in the society and more equal as men. Prohibition showed that Americans had the power to abolish the law of U.S.women became more important to existing in the society and more equal as men. Prohibition showed that Americans had the power to abolish the law of U.S.
From coast to coast people were reading the exploits of a new type of woman called flapper. Prior to World War 1 Victorian ideals still dictated the behavior of American women and girls. Frederick Lewis Allen describes the traditional role of women. Women were the guardians of morality. They were made of finer stuff than men. They were expected to act accordingly. Young girls must look forward in innocence to a romantic love match which would lead them to the altar and to living happily ever after. Until the right man came along they must allow no male to kiss them. Flappers did the opposite. Flappers danced the Charleston, kissed their boyfriends while they played golf and sat behind the wheels of fast cars. The liberated usually young female disdained the traditions of her mother and grandmother before her. Flappers would smoke and drink alcohol, she cut her hair and wore short dresses. They also changed their views on courtship rituals, marriage, and child rearing. With these they could have the same freedom as men could. The time period also saw a highly physical change in women’s lives like how they dressed and looked. For the first time in American history women could choose to be free from long hair and voluminous clothing. Before the women changed they wore very restrictive clothing consisting of long skirts with layers of petticoats over tightly laced corsets that produced an hourglass figure with wide hips and a narrow waist.
World War I had placed great strains on the economies of the most European nations that were involved in the conflict. With trade agreements with countries like Britain, France and United Kingdom America’s economy flourished, as they forced these countries to accept goods in exchange for debt. The economy of America soared to new heights. America’s abundant natural resources and technological advances were used to become leaders in manufactured exports. (Encl) Usually the general public would opposed big business owners to partner with government, but as the lifestyles of many Americans elevated these relationships were accepted. By the end of the decade, 1910 to 1919, annual incomes rose from $580 to $1300 setting the stage for the “crazy years” known as the “Roaring Twenties”.
As a nation coming out of a devastating war, America faced many changes in the 1920s. It was a decade of growth and improvements. It was also a decade of great economic and political confidence. However, with all the changes comes opposition. Social and cultural fears still caused dichotomous rifts in American society.
After World War I, America was going through an uplifting time of good fortune and prosperity. This period of freedom, known as The Roaring Twenties was a time for fun and disobeying rules. The 1920s brought new and exciting things to American culture. Music, entertainment, pop culture, and fads were greatly impacted during this time in history. The effects of each of these areas still influences America today.
Some people hated this idea of the Flapper and they blamed the war for these women’s new behaviors. After World War I, young women and young girls started to act free and go against their families. “Some people in society blamed the war for triggering this rebellion of youth and they claimed it had upset the balance of the sexes and, in particular, confuse women of their role in society and where they truly belonged” (Grouley 63). Some people hated the idea of the flappers and these women had become. These women, the flappers, in the 1920s felt free after the 19th amendment was passed. “Since the early twentieth century, the sexual habits of these American women had changed in profound ways” (Zeitz 21). Flappers drank, partied, and had romantic evenings with men. All of which were illegal for women. In addition, they were an embarrassment to society and they were able to get away with anything. “Flappers were a disgrace to society because they were lazy-pleasure seekers who were only interested in drinking, partying, and flirting” (Dipalo 1). For instance, Flappers went to clubs, drank, and hung out with men and were too lazy to do anything. Therefore, one consequence of the war was the creation of a new woman and this led to a movement like no other.
Throughout history, many things had a great and lasting impact on America. The Roaring Twenties was a time of great social and economic growth to the economy. Many people saw this as an ideal way to live, others thought that it was irresponsible and just a phase. Well those others were right, America has many similarities taken from the 20’s today, but also things have changed and people are more responsible now. America’s history was impacted by the Roaring Twenties because of the great economic boom, the change in how women were viewed, and also the many advances in technology that were made. The twenties will forever be an age to remember.
The 1920's was a time of change in the United States. “The Roaring Twenties” had an outstanding impact on the economy, social standards and everyday life. It was a time for positive results in the consumer goods industry and American families, because of higher wages, shorter working hours, and manufacturing was up 60% in consumer goods. But it was also a time of adversity and opposition for others, such as immigrants and farmers. Immigrants had lots of competition when they were looking for work and they weren't treated fairly by Americans, depending on where they came from and what they believed.
During the Roaring Twenties, women changed their actions. The 1920s was an explosion of color and a period of escapism. The young women began to set themselves free. The changing role of women was a result from all the work they did during World War I. The younger generation rejected values and customs of their parents’ generation. The young women no longer wanted to be the guardians of morality, dressing in a modest way and refraining from drinking, dancing, and smoking. They wanted to have the freedom to wear short skirts and ride in cars with their boyfriends. Because of all the deaths of World War I, the new generation felt the need to live freely and enjoy life. Young women and men who returned from the war experienced cultures with different customs and standards.
Before the 1920s men and women were thought to have two separate roles in life. People believed women should be concerned with their children, home, and religion, while men took care of business and politics. In 1920 there were significant changes for women in politics, the home, and the workplace. When the 19th amendment passed it gave women the right to vote. “Though slowly to use their newly won voting rights, by the end of the decade women were represented local, state, and national political committees and were influencing the political agenda of the federal government.” Now a days it’s normal for women to be involved in politics and it’s normal for women to vote. Another drastic change
The roaring twenties represented a time of great conflict which led to some forces promoting change and other forces resisting change. Document E, Harding’s campaign speech tells of America needing to return to normalcy. In order to do that we must promote change yet also resist change. The main areas of conflict leading to promoting or resisting change are: morals, immigrants, women, economics, religion, and race. The areas promoting change were critical because it shaped the years to come. On the other hand the areas resisting change were also important because it decided what things needed to remain unchanged.
Time flew by and as the war ended in 1918, the 1920’s decade of change soon approached. The year was famously known as “The Jazz Age” and “The Roaring 20’s” because of the newly found freedom, social and political changes, and the time of prohibition. Among these powerful new changes was the freedom that women were finally able to vote and enjoy what was about to come. Instead of being confined at home, the women joined labor forces, worked with wages, and experimented with different types of behavior that would have been unreasonable a few years back. Along with these dramatic changes were their fashion styles. This style changed their rights and relationships with others completely. With that change, a new woman was born. There were not many ways for women to stand up for themselves and what they believed in. They had no voice but in the 1920’s, women found a way of freely expressing themselves and changing their relationships with others all with the start of fashion.
The 1920s in America, known as the "Roaring Twenties", was a time of celebration after a devastating war. It was a period of time in America characterised by prosperity and optimism. There was a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity and a break with traditions.
Because the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote, women saw this as an opportunity to adopt new lifestyles. They were granted new jobs and different roles in society. The Roaring Twenties was a time where women gained major confidence, which led to their change in attitude and style. Some began smoking cigarettes, drinking and dancing in public, and dressing less modestly as an attempt for equal status with men. These women were known as flappers and often even cut their long hair into a short, boyish bob. These women’s defiant actions, ones that would have ruined their reputations not many years before, were an example of how morals loosened within this time period. Traditionalists in churches and schools protested the new casual dances and women’s acceptance of smoking and drinking. They did not agree with the flappers’ attempts at embracing personal choice and modernist
The 1920s were a time of great change in the United States. World War I had just ended and everyone was joyous that it was over. Women had assumed new roles as the men were gone, but as they returned, the women were meant to go back to their old lives. Instead of doing this, they created a new style that came with new attitudes, to celebrate life. Not only did those that survived the war have reason to celebrate, but the survivors of the Spanish Influenza had reason to celebrate life as well. It was at this time that the flapper came about with her hair cut in a bob style, wearing shorter, more revealing dresses, and walking around with a bold new confidence. The flapper soon became a symbol of the changing times