Flapper Women In The 1920s Essay

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The 1920’s in the United States was identified as the Roaring Twenties for its exuberant and dynamic characteristics. It was a time of economic prosperity that allowed individuals to pursue an unrestricted lifestyle. The new styles of clothing and dancing that arose encouraged young women to abandon traditional standards. According to Gilder Lehrman, “The 1920’s heralded a dramatic break between America’s past and future.” There was not one single event that contributed to the adjustment of society, but many social changes and influences as well. Though this decade is commonly known for the prohibition of alcohol, the flapper women were a major component of the culture at the time. As stated by B. DiPaolo, “In the early 20th century, a new …show more content…

For the duration of the war, many women were urged to enter the workforce and take the jobs that were left vacant by male soldiers in combat. As a result, many women found a sense of freedom that they had never experienced before. In the past, women were typically engaged in dependent relationships and were not permitted to have an occupation outside of the home. Many women secured jobs while the men were away because society could not function properly without certain positions being filled. Although women earned far less than men, they were still able to support the extravagant flapper lifestyle that many of them desired to live. The war also had an emotional impact on many of the people in the younger generation. According to Ellen Welles Page, a flapper at the time, “The war tore away our spiritual foundations and challenged our faith.” (Lehrman 4) Consequently, many young people lost their faith in family and religion, which led them to accept a wilder way of life. Along with this, their conventional perspectives on life began to vanish. These young men and women transitioned from a particularly conservative manner of life to something that was completely opposite of that. Rather than staying within their homes, they frequently went out with other women to engage in the entertainment that the nightlife had to offer. They abandoned many morals that society had in place for young women at the …show more content…

The prohibition began in 1920 when the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect. This was a time in which the United States government made an effort to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol across the country. The prohibition ultimately failed because many people found illegal methods to obtain alcohol. The Eighteenth Amendment was then finally repealed in 1933 with the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment. In addition to alcohol being prohibited, the flapper people were rebellious and attended parties that took place in underground establishments. Private establishments were very popular and known as speakeasies. The young people spent large amount of time at these places to consume alcohol and enjoy the nightlife. Alcohol was served in teacups to disguise and hide it from the law enforcement. Due to the fact that the alcohol was illegal, many flappers found partying and drinking to be exhilarating. This type of criminal behavior appealed to the flappers and simply led them to participate in it more often. Flappers were often characterized by their inclination to break from traditional thoughts, actions, and

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