1920's
The twenties in the United States had a personality and character all its own and it was a “fun, frivolous and carefree” period in many respects. It was definitely a time not to be missed. But what made it so unique and important in the history of the twentieth century? World War I, “the war to end all wars” had just ended. American soldiers had fought, 112,432 had died and the victors returned home glad to be free and separate from the horrors they had seen. Woodrow Wilson’s “peace without victory” plan that became known as the Fourteen Points, a desire to place the U.S. in the forefront of the peace settlement in Europe, was never ratified and America never joined the League of Nations. Disillusioned with the terms of the peace settlement, Americans were also dissatisfied with a mild recession in 1921. Americans looked inward and the old order, the old morality, and the old rules no longer applied in the new era. Warren Harding was elected by a landslide with his slogan of “return to normalcy.” Changes and innovations occurred in the economy, technology and culture that gave more Americans more leisure time to do what they wanted to do. The pro-business atmosphere and the pursuit of profits led to a p
The twenties were a time not to be missed and not just because it was “frivolous, fun, and carefree.” Individual Americans gained more freedom of choice in this decade than they ever had before because of economic prosperity and technological innovations. The average American had more time and money that could be used in order to raise their standard of living. The engine of change that was blasting through America was destined to crash, but it was a great ride while it lasted. The growth in the economy went hand in hand with the technological advances of the twenties that made life less constrained and more enjoyable. Because of the economic boom, the average person had more money, and in turn bought more goods. Middle-class families bought new appliances such as electric refrigerators, washing machines, and vacuum cleaners. The modern assembly line, which Henry Ford first introduced shortly before the war, was vital not only to the automotive industry but to many others. This mass production created more jobs and resulted in an increase in wages that fueled the need for more goods. Another technological breakthrough was marked by the first public broadcast on November 2, 1920 by KDKA in Pittsburgh. This new means of communication, the radio, soon became standard in every home. It was live, direct, and connected the country in a way that was never possible before. People finally made enough money to be able to spend it on things they could take pleasure from. Possessing luxuries soon became a status symbol not only to the rich, but also to the middle class and how hard they worked. Technology gave everyday people a sense that what they were doing wa
Some topics in this essay:
World War,
Warren Harding,
Americans Era,
KDKA Pittsburgh,
Women’s Suffrage,
Henry Ford,
Individual Americans,
,
Nations Disillusioned,
Woodrow Wilson’s,
standard living,
rich middle class,
economic boom,
production automobile,
mass production,
economic prosperity,
life easier,
freedom movement,
rich middle,
wages standard living,
peace settlement,
middle class,
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Approximate Word count = 1133
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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