...The 1920s were a decade characterized by great change. Even though it was the decade after world war 1, it was almost 10 years of improvement for many Americans. Industries were still thriving in America and they were actually richer and more powerful than before World War I. So what event made the 1930’s so different? The Great Depression quickly turned those carefree years into ones of turmoil and despair. The decade after the first world war ever saw tremendous change. Progressivism was a leading factor of World War 1 and in the 1920’s the evidence can be seen. Industries were making their products at an increasing rate. Products that were not popular before World War I were now used by millions of Americans. Cars were only used by about 9 million Americans and by the end of the roaring 20’s that number had reached over thirty million. Also many new inventions were created making life for Americans much easier. Radios, vacuum cleaners, irons, washing machines, and refrigerators were the new electronics that everyone had to have. Refrigerators allowed for better production and transportation of food products. This allowed you to keep food cold and fresh making exporting food a valuable part of the economy. These new inventions were making home life easier for men and women. Not only were American families buying these new items but they also started purchasing stock in companies at an increased rate. Buying stocks was available before the war but was not really done. Soon...
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...Mount Mercy University The New Era Justine Nurre HI 115 Edy Parsons March 13, 2015 In the 1920’s America economy grew greatly. The output from the nation’s manufacturing rose by greater than 60%, inflation was minor and the per capita income grew by a third. These happened because several things like technology. Technology was the most important development in which it helped develop the assembly line. This in turn led to automobiles becoming the most important industries in the nation. Automobiles made it possible for suburban housing and that led to a boom in the construction industry. Another technological gadget that contributed to the economic growth was the radio. The first radios could only send little broadcasts through pulses, but because of the discovery of the theory of modulation the radio was able to transmit music and speech. Many people started to build their own radios to save cost and it allowed owners to stay in contact with one another. Even though the economy was doing so well in 1929, more than two-thirds of Americans lived in conditions that were described as “minimum comfort level.” Half of those Americans were either at or below what was described as “subsistence and poverty.” During the 1920’s, Americans were able to experience successes and failures. Some workers started to see their standard of living begin to increase and others saw techniques that were known as “welfare capitalism.” Welfare capitalism workers still saw...
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...The 1920’s: Baseball Uniform The decade of the 1920’s is often characterized as a period of American prosperity and optimism. This was the Jazz Age, the decade of the flappers. The 1920’s opened with an explosion of color and the wailing sounds and fast rhythms of jazz and energetic dancing. It was a time of tremendous change in America. America was one of the victors in the First World War and it enjoyed a period of great prosperity in the twenties. The Americans were opposed to anything that might drag them into another European war. Many Americans simply wanted to enjoy the prosperity that had developed in the previous decade and felt that foreign entanglements would threaten it. For the next decade America kept to herself for the most part. Most Americans enjoyed a high standard of living. Food was plentiful and cheap thanks to the vast quantity produced on American farms. More and more people bought their own houses through mortgages. Thanks to Henry Ford and mass production, one could buy a ford for $290. It was the “Roaring Twenties,” the decade of bath tub gin, the model T, the $5 work day, the first transatlantic flight, and the movie. It was the great age of popular entertainment. Among the world of entertainment, there were sports. Baseball’s growing popularity in the 1920’s can be measured by structural and cultural changes that helped transform the game. Ballparks were being constructed left and right. In 1920 the Cubs Field was opened and in 1926 re-named to...
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...A social and force in the changing roles of women was consumerism which took off in the 1920’s and continued to have an impact on women until the 60’s/70’s, which to a small extent gave women an increased sense of independence, through working and self-expression. Industrialisation and the growth of cities laid the platform for mass consumerism in America, by the 1920s, the development of downtown department stores gave accessibility to a vast array of new goods and cities became the centre of cultural change. Mass entertainment was also popular with amusement parks, dance halls and movie theatres resulting in a new visibility of women in the public sphere. The department and chain stores created accessibility to an array of new goods. Women...
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... * Women did not smoke or drink in public. * They had to go out with a chaperone (a family member) when they met their boyfriend. How did the First World War change the lives of women? * During the war, women began to work in areas like heavy industry. They proved they could work as well as men. By 1929, there were 10 million women workers; a rise of 24% since 1920. * Working gave women independence and they began smoking and drinking in public. * Women were given the vote in August 1920 but few were chosen to be actual politicians. * Production of consumer goods such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines meant women had more time for leisure activities. * Flappers emerged in the 1920’s = women from middle and upper class families from the Northern States. They cut their hair in short bobs, wore make up, short skirts and bright clothes. They also smoked and drank in public, went to speakeasies, danced the Charleston with men and listened to Jazz and drove cars and motorbikes. * BUT many groups, particularly in rural areas thought the flappers were too outrageous. * Hollywood saw the emergence of female stars such as Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson who * were female role models. * Advertising was aimed at women for the new consumer goods of the 1920s e.g in 1925 Ford introduced colours other than black for his Model T to appeal to women. * Divorce rate doubled between 1914-1929...
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...Women Changing Role’s in the 1920’s During the 1920’s women had began to change their roles in society to show that they can be more than what they appeared. Before the 1920’s women were second class citizens that came second in society, they did not have the same privileges as men did. Many women also did not have jobs which contributed to society because women were busy at home taking care of children and the house. Also the expectations of men were to be the supporters of the family which made women housewives. Women of the 1920’s were represented as well mannered and proper or a better term “Lady like.” Soon after they began to change how society portrayed them. Women’s changing roles in the 1920’s influenced other women to gain more responsibilities and show men that they are just as equal as they are, such as how they dressed, women’s patriotism, and women’s employment. Women’s roles changed because of how they dressed. Women’s fashion began to dress in a more risqué look with shorter clothing. This new fashion statement began to pick up a reputation and a name called Flappers. Flappers were women who dressed in shorter dresses showing more skin above their ankles that ended near their mid thighs. Their dresses came in various colors and styles, but what all their dresses had in common was silky material and loosely embroidered beading around each dress. Make-up was also one of the biggest and most commonly seen in flapper’s styles. “Five factors had become important...
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...The Booming Roar of The Canadian 1920’s Many Countries go through the business cycle throughout their history, and prosperity is the part of the cycle that truly roars. In 1920’s, Canada, the great prosperity roared, and it was great for all. Everything in Canada roared by 1924 and life was extremely satisfying for the average Canadian, as quality of life was at an all- time high. The future for Women began to appear to be very bright as they made many big steps for the purpose of women’s rights. There was a great deal of women who began to get involved with government. Therefore, the Canadian government recognized the change beginning, and the growing number of women who were starting to make a stand for their rights, and consequently creating...
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...extravagance. The Great Gatsby’s depiction of the connection between material goods and the American dream is still relevant today. At first glance, the movie may seem to be about the failed relationship of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. However, the major theme of the novel is the accumulation of wealth for social status and the idea of being able to reach a high level of success regardless of family history or lack of money. To understand the connection between the two it will be necessary to have an analysis of the culture values in the 1920’s, what people consider to be the American dream, and finally if there is still a strong desire to achieve the American dream in today’s society. In order to understand the connection between The Great Gatsby and the American dream it is first important to have a good understanding about the movie and motifs of the movie/novel itself. The story takes place in a post war America in the 1920’s when Nick Carraway moves to New York to pursue his career in finance. Nick soon discovers that he is neighbored to the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby, who is known for his loud, lavish parties. Jay and Nick soon become good friends and Nick begins to learn the motifs behind the parties and the flashy accessories. The motifs behind the parties were to catch Daisy Buchanan’s attention, who lives just across the bay. Nick learns that Daisy is the only thing that Mr. Gatsby wants. It then becomes a battle for Daisy’s love as she is already married...
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...In the 1890s, the Progressive Era began when the American people focused their attention on the social problem results of urbanization, immigration and industrialization. Women were not allowed to vote during this time. However, most of them exercised what they considered to be their role in the society by changing the public opinions. Additionally, there were an increasing number of reforms meant to change the role of the women in the society such as women’s suffrage. For instance, Eleanor Roosevelt played a major role in enhancing wages, social welfare, working conditions, education and health. Eleanor remains a major historical figure in promoting the role of women in...
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...Queen Green MNGT 5950 June 7, 2007 WOMEN AT WORK IN CONNECTICUT: 1880-1920 In 1977 the average women could expect to spend 27.6 years of her life in the work force, compared with 38.3 years of men. Women workers are concentrated in low paying dead end jobs. As a result, the average women worker earns only about three-fifths of that a man does, even when both work full time year round (U. S. Department of Labor, “20 Facts on Women Workers,” 1980). How did women inherit this inferior position in the United States work place? Has it always been this way? Has their position improved since the country industrialized at the turn of the century? Do male or female workers have control over the types of jobs they get and the working conditions they find there? Though most American women have always been relegated to low-level, subservient jobs in and out of the home, many have been able to exercise varying degrees of choice in their work lives. Between 1880 and 1920 the choices available to women expanded due to the change in job definition, technology, the production pressures of World War 1, the growing militancy of women workers riding the tide of labor unrest during the war, and the increased acceptance of women in the work force. The period of 1880 to 1920 is of particular importance in our economic history because the structure of our present economic world developed at that time. Many new jobs were stereotyped by sex, while many jobs opportunities opened up for...
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...Viewpoint #1- Chuck Lee, Chinese Head Tax Payer a. I am thinking whether the 1920s was a period of progress or decline from the point of view of. Chuck Lee, Chinese Head Tax Payer. According to the evidence I saw, Chuck Lee paid a $500 head tax to enter Canada in 1906. However, sometime after 1926, he went back to China to get married. After his marriage, his wife continued to live in China due to the immigration laws of Canada which at the time, were prohibiting Chinese immigration. The Chinese Immigration Act was a law to keep Chinese from entering Canada. However, for the Chinese already in Canada, they were allowed to take trips back home for a maximum of 2 years, no more. b. I think. describe the topic from your viewpoint. Be an actor...
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...Our Town by Thornton Wilder overviews the small details of Grover’s Corners, following the daily life of the Gibb’s and Webb’s family, specifically the teenagers George and Emily. Midnight in Paris is similar to Our Town because it follows Gil, the main character, through his time-travel experience back to the 1920’s, the era he claims as golden. The characters Emily and Gil both travel back to a desired time, albeit one is on purpose and the other accidental, and learn the lesson of appreciating the life around them. Emily purposefully decides to travel to the past in her afterlife, to revisit her twelfth birthday. Since she is dead, she is able to view everything in a third person point-of-view. This helps her learns to appreciate the small details in life, the moments which living people usually oversee and regard to as boring or plain. She realizes how important life is, and to savor every moment when she says she misses, “food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths … and sleeping and waking up.” She misses these because when dead, these actions and chores do not exist anymore. Although she learns this lesson, she can not use it to change the way she is living her life because she is already dead. Wilder purposefully does this to, teach the readers how important living in the present is, and to regard life as something wonderful and satisfying. Midnight in Paris teaches the same lesson as Our Town through the character Gil, who travels back to...
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...Gender Equality & the Women’s Movement SS310 – Exploring the 1960’s: An Interdisciplinary Approach Unit 6 Project March 12, 2013 A Brief Timeline of the Women’s Movement 1920 - 2009 Sources cited on the reference page. In the United States, women are allowed a certain level of luxury in having a large amount of control over the path their lives take. An American woman can be a business owner, a homeowner, a college graduate, a highly paid executive or a stay at home mother and wife. These are choices that we as individuals get to make with limited input from the men in our lives. We take guidance from our fathers, brothers and husbands but the ultimate decision lies with us. History has shown us that this was not always the case in our country. Early on women were not allowed to own property, be educated or make any major decisions. Power rested in the hands of the men and it took many years to wrench some away. In the late 1800’s American women were beginning to realize that there was more to life then mothering and keeping house. The Suffragette movement was born out of a palpable desire to be a voice for change in the world and to have a vote in the governance of the country. After many years of struggling, the 19th amendment was signed into law extending the right to vote so that it would not “be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” (19th amendment). One step among many that leads...
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...How far were the policies of the Republican Party the main reason for America’s economic success in the 1920’s [50 marks] Although America remained neutral and did not join World War One until 1917, they were already increasing their country’s profits by selling goods such as: weapons, food, equipment and other ammunition to both sides of the war. During World War One, as well as selling goods, America became ‘the banker’ to the rest of the world: loaning countries money at a very high interest. According to the First World War commissions “Britain, France and Italy owed the USA $22 billion plus interest”, this is showing that USA was at a very stable place financially even before the 1920s began. When the war ended Woodrow Wilson put forward his 14 Points which included a League of Nations. The League of Nations’ overall aim was to prevent war from breaking out again. America’s congress at the time decided that it would be best for America in the long run not to join the League of Nations because, congress believed that the USA should not interfere in any European or world affairs. Refusal to join the League of Nations made America an isolationist country. When Warren G. Harding won the presidential election and became president in 1921 a political party called the Republicans took over from the Democrats and the American government. 1920s America was known as the ‘Roaring twenties’ because of the entertainment and the crazes sweeping the country. There were lots of...
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...From the 1890’s to the 1920’s, a new movement occurred, known as the Progressive movement. The main goal of this movement was to spread awareness of major issues to American citizens and ultimately, to discover solutions to major social, economic, and political problems. Eventually, the social reformers were successful, because of the changes brought to the workplace and the betterment of living conditions in large cities. During the early 1890’s, many companies had poor working conditions. These included long workdays, child labor, and no payment for injuries on the job. Social reformers used muckraking, or digging up scandalous information, to put the word out about these issues. One famous muckraker was Upton Sinclair, writer for the Chicago Tribune and author of The Jungle. His works, particularly The Jungle exposed the terrible working conditions of the meat packing industry in Chicago. This novel upset many, as it portrayed the awful lives of the men who worked at the plants. In addition to this revealing novel, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire also occurred. This fire was caused by smoking within the factory, and caused the deaths of many women, as the door was locked and the fire escape was blocked. This tragic event was an eye opener, and caused many reforms in the way workers must be treated. For example, the Adamson Act limited the workday to only eight hours. This was also made law by Holden vs. Hardy, while a law was passed in Oregon stating women could work...
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