The Roaring 20sProhibition, the Harlem Renaissance, Women’s Rights/Roles in Society, Xenophobia, Automobiles

The Roaring 20s, aka “The Jazz Age”•A reaction to the end of WWI—a return to “normalcy”•Corruption in the government•18th Ammendment•Anti-immigrant/anti-communist•New inventions (dishwasher, appliances, radio, cars)•Overconfidence in the stock market, cheap credit, borrowed money

Possible Careers:

Opera Singer

Government services

Style Expert

Railroad services

Life insurance agent

Corporation Lawyer

Prosecuting Attorney

Librarian

Motion Picture Director

Professional Shopper

Three women attaching "Votes for women" poster to telephone pole

High school girls learn the art of automobile mechanics.

Political cartoon for women and their roles in the 1920s

Harding signing the Immigration Act—beginning of Xenophobia (a fear on the “unknown”).

Xenophobia political cartoon from the Chicago Tribune 1924

Beginning of NAACP.

He is historically known as one of our most incompetent presidents. He supported women’s right, black rights, and alcohol interests. However, he was a gambler and numerous scandals happened within his staff during his presidency.

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that emerged because of a surge of African Americans’ racial pride and their resistance to oppression and discrimination. Their feelings and reactions came out in the forms of music, art, and literature.

Jazz became the most popular genre of music for young people and well as the Flapper crowd.

Louis Armstrong was one of the most famous and successful Jazz musicians.

Crowds pack the stands to watch Yankee slugger Babe Ruth play the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. Babe was also known for living the high quality of life that characterized the 20s.

Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney (Boxers)

Rise in Consumerism!

A mob of bathers enjoys the beach at Lake Michigan

As people look on, a policeman measures the distance between a woman’s knee and her bathing suit.

Women allowed to have a voice in society

Motion pictures becoming part of culture.

Americans went car-crazy in the Twenties. Henry Ford poses with the first Ford model and the ten millionth automobile his factory produced.

Wing walking—one of the time period’s ultimate stunts

Speakeasies were places that illegally sold liquor in the 1920s. Many were operated by people who ran organized crime.

The 18th amendment prohibited the sales/consumption of alcohol. It was put into place in 1920 and repealed in 1933.

Propaganda supporting Prohibition

Woman’s garter flask in response to Prohibition.

Flappers were the “new breed” of women during the 1920s. The wore promiscuous outfits, listened to jazz, drove cars, drank alcohol, and revolted against what a lady was “supposed to do”.

The 1920s saw a rise in organized crime. Al Capone was the most notable figure. He led a gang of American Mobsters who smuggled and bootlegged alcohol. He also was known for bribing government officials.

Capone was also called a “modern day Robin Hood”. He gave back to charities and opened soup kitchens for the poor. This is one he opened in 1931.

St. Valentine’s Day massacre

On October 29th, 1929, the roaring 20s come to a screeching stop as the stock market crashes and the economy plummets.