Freedom in America from World War I to the 1950s

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Freedom After World War I

The years following World War I were very different than the ones leading up to it. Between the years of 1920 and 1953, America was undergoing many different changes in its society. Beginning with the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, moving into the New Deal Era, and finally the wartimes, the meaning of freedom changed frequently for the people living on the American land. The boundaries of peoples' freedoms changed as well. For the better or for the worse, due to changes in the American society and ways of life, people living in America during these 33 years experienced living differently than they had lived years prior to these.

Before the 1920's, life for women was very different. Women were unable to enjoy the privileges that men had and they were looked down upon and known merely as domestic workers. Now, during the 20's, life for women changed drastically. With new technology and appliances being created, women were left with a lot of free time to spare. They began seeking personal pleasure and expressing their individual and sexual freedom. Many took on the title as a "flapper;" dressing provocatively, smoking and drinking in public, and practicing birth control methods. Even better, on August 26th, 1920, Amendment 19 was passed giving women the right to vote. The 1920's truly allowed women to be looked at like human beings, rather than slaves to men like they had been in the past.

For blacks living in America during the 1920's, life was surprisingly getting better as well. Many of them migrated north seeking ways to prove their usefulness to society. Blacks united in ghettos, cities, and many ended up in Harlem which caused the sprouting of the Harlem Renaissance....

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...d frequently. After World War I, before American entered World War II, the boundaries of freedom for different people expanded. Especially for women and blacks, the definition of freedom allowed them to experience life in different ways than they had before World War I. Once America entered World War II and the Cold War began, the boundaries of freedom again narrowed. During wartime, basic freedoms were denied. People literally got arrested and were put on trials during the Cold War if they expressed any signs of loyalty to communism. The meaning of freedom and boundaries of freedom will never stop changing. It is impossible to live in a society where every single person is treated equally. Until this does become possible, some groups of people will experience the freedom they've always dreamed of, while other groups of people will never have that chance.

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