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The Roaring 20’s was a time of change in America. From new inventions to Prohibition, America was evolving into a type of country the world had never seen before. Although there were many pros and cons of the 1920’s, the general public believed the 20’s was a great era. On the contrary, I disagree with this belief. I think the Roaring 20’s was a drug that went on to plague America into the Great Depression. After WWI was wrapped up, the American public was thrown into a state of national pride having defeated the great world power of Germany. With the new-found American confidence, the US economy basically exploded at the turn of the decade. The stock market was as active as ever, as foreign investors flooded Wall Street to put their money …show more content…
in the “sure to win American steed”. Stockbroking became a huge job industry, creating the ideal American richman. Inventions and innovations also pushed America into the modern age. Penicillin and refrigeration were the biggest invention of the age, greatly contributing to the medical field and sanitation. There were also a number of innovations made in the electrical field, including new types of wires that made electrical currents safer for the standard home. The 19th Amendment was also passed, giving women the right to vote. This really sparked the ideal of the independent woman, creating the Flappers. Flappers were women that bobbed their hair and wore short skirts. They were often humorous and very flirtatious. From the first stages of the 20’s you would think there’s no way this era would be America’s downfall.
The main reason for that was Prohibition. Prohibition banned the manufacturing, selling and transport of alcohol in America. This was the result of temperance movements across the nation by women, religious groups and all types of other groups. Alcohol was seen by many as the reason many families were destroyed and was thought of as the source of evil. People assumed it corrupted men and caused them to have rages of abuse upon their family. It also led to people making terrible decisions while being intoxicated or under the influence, causing them to be involved in some sort of …show more content…
crime. The real problem began when the demand for alcohol rose. Many of the mafias and smugglers found a way to make money off of illegal liquor transport. They soon became known as bootleggers. In cities, traces of illegal alcohol was everywhere. Underground or secret bars called speakeasies were places alcohol was freely consumed. Detectives and the police force looked to close these places down. Towards the late 20’s, Prohibition was becoming more of a problem than a solution.
Crime rates in cities like Chicago and NYC were at an all time high. The bootleggers and gangsters were terrorizing cities with their organized crime. In Chicago, the famous gangster Al Capone came to power during this time. He controlled half of the city’s police force and even the mayor, showing just how far the power of alcohol stretched. The peak of the crime occurred in 1929, on Saint Valentine’s Day. Six men from another gang were mowed down by men with machine guns while disguised as policemen. Although it was never confirmed, many assumed it was Al Capone’s
men. From all the hype of the early stages of the 20’s, you could compare that late stages as a hangover. After all the partying, alcohol consumption, and crime, America was done. With the collapse of the stock market in 1929, Prohibition was only dragging us down even more. Eventually, it was repealed by the 21st Amendment and is probably one of our biggest mistakes as a country. After our loud and boisterous era, we slumped down into a tired, quiet depression. America had drugged itself with its own poison. From what I’ve found, I think the Roaring 20’s was exactly like it’s name. It was loud but had no bite. It was more than it seemed and through carelessness and overconfidence, we spiraled down and sunk our own ship. America was eaten from the inside out by organized crime and political corruption. Even though we repealed Prohibition, it was too late to correct our mistake. While it may have seen like an era of change and prosperity, it was far from it.
The 1920s or the roaring twenties was post World War I and before the Great Depression. Unfortunately, not everything was pleasing for the 1920s, as this time period experienced social, economic, and cultural alterations that affected the lives of Americans. One reason I would not enjoy living in the 1920s was because during this time a law prohibition was passed abolishing the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol and liquors which led to bootlegging and high crime.The 20’s were a very time changing era. Personally, I think things were to uncontrolled and especially for young women living the cities of America. They could now
American prohibition act comes into effect (1920). Height of success is achieved in early 1920s when imports are cut off from the outside. Conclusion: The 1920s was characterized by abrupt and extreme changes, the spirit of the Roaring Twenties was marked by a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity, and a break with tradition. prosperous years for Canada and Canadians. Wages were up, unemployment was down and memories of the First World War were slowly being left behind.
The start of this decade was an economic boom. With the war over and done, people were happy and rich. This did not last long. By the end of the century the Great Depression would begin.
The United States and our government has been shaped entirely from its past. We have learned right from wrong, what has worked and what has failed. The 1920s was a time in our country where the government created a law that upset the people. This decade is often referred to as The Roaring 20’s, The Jazz Age, The Prohibition Era, The Cocktail Era, etc. All these names perfectly describe this time, but it was also a time to learn from the mistake of creating a law that prohibited alcohol. This law played such a huge role in the decade, and has been forever remembered. The Great Gatsby is a romance novel that also hints on the time of prohibition. F. Scott Fitzgerald talked greatly about alcohol and the part it took in The Roaring 20 's. Though
During the 1920's America experienced an increase like no other. With the Model T car, the assembly line, business skyrocketed. Thus, America's involvement in World War II did not begin with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Starting in October 1929, the Great Depression, the stock market crashed. It awed a country used to the excesses of the 1920's.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of production, it was the age of destruction, it was the epoch of nativism, it was the epoch of racism, it was the season of skepticism, it was the season of anti-communism, it was the spring of gain, it was the winter of loss – in short, it was the 1920's. Indeed, the decade of the 1920s was a truly “roaring” and prosperous time, but at the same time, it was a period of chaos and conflict. The events that happened during this decade influenced the world as we know it today. More importantly, the thought that the 1920’s was an era of major change in the United States, both positive and negative, is indeed fascinating and it deserves thorough examination.
The decade after the First World War saw tremendous change. Progressivism was a leading factor of World War I and in the 1920’s the evidence can be seen. Industries were making their products at an increasing rate. Products that were not populous before World War I were now used by millions of Americans. The automobile was only used by less than ten million of Americans and by the end of this post war decade that number has climbed to over thirty million. Also many new inventions were coming through making life for Americans much more comfortable. Radios, vacuum cleaners, irons, washing machines, and refrigerators were among the new necessities Americans just had to have.
World War I may not have made the world safe for democracy, but it did help to lay the groundwork for a decade of American economic expansion. The war began in Europe in 1914, and the United States entered the fray in 1917. The 1920s saw the growth of the culture of consumerism. A significant reason for United States involvement in the war was the nation’s economic links to the Allied Powers, and especially to Great Britain. American soldiers returned home in May 1919 with the promise of a prosperous decade (Baughman 197).
History is an abundance of movements that demonstrate the changes in societal ideals and beliefs, it also conveys the struggle many people had to maintain conservative ideas. The 1920s was a major time frame when many changes occurred and began, it is the epitome of the struggle between a changing nation and the Conservatives who want it all to stay the same. The power struggle between the Conservatives and the rebellious members of society had been going on for years but it was the passing of the Volstead Act, which had kicked started the Prohibition, that created an explosive change throughout the society. Drinking became fashionable, everyone wanted to do it because it was forbidden. With one law being broken people began to break the societal norms; woman drank and smoked in public, blacks were becoming popular in society, and even the accepted religious facts were called into question. This disregard for the norms caused an uproar throughout society and were the main tensions between old and new ideal; the tension stemmed from the ideals about women, blacks and religion.
“Prohibition did not achieve its goals. Instead, it added to the problems it was intended to solve.” On 16th January 1920, one of the most common personal habits and customs of American society came to a halt. The eighteenth amendment was implemented, making all importing, exporting, transporting, selling and manufacturing of intoxicating liquors absolutely prohibited. This law was created in the hope of achieving the reduction of alcohol consumption, which in turn would reduce: crime, poverty, death rates, and improve both the economy, and the quality of life for all Americans. These goals were far from achieved. The prohibition amendment of the 1920's was ineffective because it was unenforceable. Instead, it caused various social problems such as: the explosive growth of organized crime, increased liquor consumption, massive murder rates and corruption among city officials. Prohibition also hurt the economy because the government wasn’t collecting taxes on the multi-billion dollar a year industry.
Prohibition in the 1920s America sits for its portrait through an era of wonderful nonsense as stated in the book, This Fabulous Century 1920-1930, describes the Roaring 20s, which was a frivolous, free wheeling decade when ladies. wore flapper gowns and bobbed their hair. Men started to engage in business affairs, such as the Stock Market and many sports events. held like a derbie. Many new dances like the Charleston were invented.
“The Roaring Twenties were the period of that Great American Prosperity which was built on shaky foundation”. This quote came from an anonymous person describing the great life in the 20’s. It’s very true because it was a great time of social and economic growth, but it was a very unstable and random way of living, which didn’t end up lasting as long as some had hoped. As time goes by in history, many things make America what it is today. The roaring twenties were the most important years contributing to the change in America. First off, the twenties made such an important impact because this was a time for the economy to boom and reform, also during this time women’s rights became more focused on, and lastly due to the many advancements in technology the twenties was a time of great prosperity and wealth. The twenties made life seem so easy, until reality sets in.
Prohibition made plethora of people furious at the government for passing the Eighteenth Amendment. Not only people were mad but also beer companies were mad. In this time of Prohibition citizens did not want to follow the governments laws. They wanted to drink alcohol. The citizens rebelled and they started buying it illegally. However, The Eighteenth Amendment did not directly state it was illegal to consume or have private possession Alcohol .
Women's groups like the WCTU felt alcohol oppressed them through men; big businesses saw drunkenness as a reason for inefficiency and danger in the workplace. The prohibitionists were very powerful, and the First World War helped this. During the war grain was needed for food, so people felt it was patriotic to not have a drink. Also, sobriety was seen as part of the 'brave new world' to be created after the war. These fact... ...
Alcohol was viewed as a sin in the 1800s. It was seen to cause destruction to health, danger to families, and lack of productivity in the workplace. Because of this, many Americans worked towards moderation, and ultimately eradication of alcohol consumption. Most