Roaring 20s Changes

The Roaring 20s was an era of drastic political and social change within the United States. With an influx of money coming in from WWI the United States started to turn into a “consumer society,” which ultimately caused immense damage in America. People often times think of the Roaring 20s as a time of parties and scandals, however, there was much more to this era. Books such as The Great Gatsby have made the 20s look like something it really was not. During this era society adjusted their views on women’s rights, new rules, and new technology. People in America started to change how they lived and this changed was ultimately sparked in the 1920s.

To begin, the advances in technology during this time were immense. During the 20s, it became

unheard of for people to not possess a car, telephone, and a radio. With mass consumption of new goods, society vastly grew as a consumer culture. People had an attitude of simply wanting to “enjoy their lives.” Many thought that buying more goods would fulfill their desires. Along with cars, telephones, and radios, people invested in the housing market as well. More and more people started buying homes during this time. As a result of more families buying homes, that created a whole new market for home goods. Such as refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, etc. The economy vastly grew, WWI was extremely beneficial for America.
In addition, the way society viewed women started to shift during this time.

During WWI, women were thrown into the workforce and expected to keep society together while the men were away at war. However, as soon as the war ended women were required to step away from the workforce and run the household yet again. Many women took this hard. The war was viewed as an open door for women to join the workforce. Yet, after four years, that open door was slammed right in their face. This is where there is a common misunderstanding. People often times assume that women looked to wild behavior. Such as dancing, drinking, and or becoming flappers. On the contrary, many women fought for more rights within society. Many groups gathered together and led parades and rallies to fight for equal rights. Although little change occurred in the 1920s, women experienced a major milestone on August 18th, 1920. That was the very day the 19th amendment was ratified and gave women the right to vote. The 19th amendment: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Getting the 19th amendment was not an easy task. With the help and leadership of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton this movement was made possible. This was a huge milestone for women, and despite the fact that many believe that women lived on the wild side, women did so much more during this

time.
Next, with Woodrow Wilson in office, new rules were placed onto society.

We start to see the theme of politics and power here. Congress and the President used their power in an interesting way during the 20s. One rule that caused corruption in the United States was the prohibition in the United States. The prohibition was a nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcohol from 1920 to 1933. The reasoning behind this ban was to reduce crime, corruption, and minimize taxes. Nevertheless, this caused an uproar in society. Illegal bars referred to as “speakeasies,” were born. People smuggled alcohol into the bars and this created a new secret society. Eventually this ban bursted at the seams, “Alcohol became more dangerous to consume; crime increased and became “organized”; the court and prison systems were stretched to the breaking point; and corruption of public officials was rampant,” (Thorton 1). People protested this amendment and would stop at nothing until the ban was lifted. After years or chaos and protesting, the amendment was lifted and it became the first amendment to be repealed. This event is vital to revealing the truth about the “Roaring 20s,” because this event unmasked how corrupt society was during this

time.
Some may argue that the 1920s was a time of partying. The upper class became unimaginably rich after WWI. With new money comes huge parties. The people who gained what was known as “new wealth” after WWI, people wanted to flaunt their wealth. Although people did party more during this time, there was so much more depth and change happening at this time. The majority of the United States population still had to face problems like harsh working conditions, unfair wages, and unjust laws.
To conclude, during the 1920s society adjusted their views on women’s rights, new rules, and new technology. The economy rapidly expanded and changed during this time. This era holds immense significance due to the fact that so many people view it as a time of partying and corruption. The truth is that the 20s was a time of change. People changed, society changes, etc. Women paved the way for changes and new laws revealed the shifting attitude of United States citizens. This era can teach us so much about why we are the way we are today. Technology rapidly grew during this time and that has bled into the growth of technology in society today. Not only do we see politics and power, we also see change over time, and culture and society all take hold of this time.