America in the 1920’s
Cenname’s Fun Facts
1920’s population- 106,021,537
1920’s illiteracy- 6%
Late 1920s radio ownership- 60% of household
Popular names
Robert, John, James, Williams, Charles
Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Betty, Margaret
American Life Changes
The United States experienced many social changes
during the 1920s.
The Roaring Twenties/ the Jazz Age
Marked by economic prosperity in the beginning
Ends with the Great Depression (1929)
World War I is over and now United States’ citizens
just want to have fun
New Roles for Women
19th Amendment (1920) allows women to vote
Women had taken jobs during WWI
But lost them when the men came home
Women are attending college in greater numbers
Basic rules defining female behavior is beginning to change
Continued to have primary responsibility caring for the
home
Seeking greater equality
Flapper
Flapper- Young women of
the 1920’s who defied
traditional ideas of proper
dress and behavior
Cut their hair short
Raised hemlines
Wore makeup
Smoke
Drank
Danced
Conflicts Over Values
American population shifted towards cities which
caused change in values
Rural areas
Represented traditional spirit of hard work, self reliance
Ku Klux Klan
Many members from the people of rural American who
saw their status declining
African Americans After World
War I
Many opportunities for work in the industrial North
Contributed to tension among non African Americans
who were competing for the same jobs
African Americans helped fight in WWI contributing
to the belief they had earned the right for greater
freedom
Radio
Technology in the 1920’s
During the ‘20s radio went from being unknown to standard equipment
in every home
Gave Americans a shared experience
Movies
Gave way to movie stars (American Royalty)
Americans had the money
Airplanes
Pilots became heroes
New technology demonstrated the ability of man previously
unimagined
Sports- not technology but I want to talk about it
Radio sparked public passion for sports
Millions of Americans tuned in to hear how their favorite stars were doing
A Flappers Appeal to Parents
Collect a worksheet and begin reading
As you are reading add information to your notes
regarding what may have led to changes for women in
the 1920s