The Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties

The 1920’s are commonly called the Roaring Twenties in the USA. The

name suggest a time of wild enjoyment, fun, loud, crazy and a musical

age. The Twenties showed a revolution in art, literature and music,

which greatly reflected the nations changing values. The economy was

prosperous, there was a widespread of social reform, new aspects of

culture were established, and people found better ways to improve

their lifestyle and enjoy life, such as the motor industry. The motor

industry boomed in the 1920s. Henry Ford's use of assembly lines to

produce his Model T car this meant prices fell. The car had cost $850

in 1908 but by 1925 Model T car cost only $290. By the end of the

1920s the motor industry was America’s biggest industry. As America’s

industries expanded many people had an opportunity to become employed.

Glass, leather and rubber were all required to build the new vehicles

therefore more and more industries were required to obtain materials

to construct. More and more families owned a car, and these became an

increasingly common sight on the streets of America.

In the Twenties, Jazz was becoming very popular. Americans sang and

danced to all of their favourite songs. With jazz becoming big,

Americans veered away from traditional song and began exploring other

types of music such as the blues. Jazz was introduced by the black

people who had migrated to America. Along with Jazz went new dances

such the ‘Charleston’.

Prior to the big boom, the industries in America had expanded

therefore more and more millionaires. In 1914 there had only been 7000

millionaires however in 1928 35,000 Americans had beca...

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...section of American society. In fact

they were one of the largest. About half of all Americans lived in

rural area, mostly working on farms or in business which supplied

goods to farmers. Problem in farming therefore directly affected

millions of Americans. As farm income fell, the situation of many

rural communities was quite desperate. Six million rural Americans

were exiled off the land in 1920s. Many of these workers migrated into

other cities, hoping for a job.

The Twenties was a fabulous decade outlined by a booming economy, and

big business finding new ways to become bigger. New stores were

popping up all over the nation and stores that were already around,

grew into chains which stretched the length of the United States. All

of these out standing events were overshadowed by the Stock Market

Crash in 1929.