Saturday, March 31, 2012

Case Study - The 1920s


The 1920s in the US – also known as the Roaring Twenties – was full of change. Life was two-sided, with one side being full of partying and entertainment, while the other was full of tension and isolation.

In exploring the 1920s, we'll look at: 
  • Conditions
  • Technology
  • Attitudes

Conditions - How did people live?

Life in the 1920s depended on which class you were in. 

The Upper and Middle-class in particular enjoyed the developments in the 1920s.  The rich spent much time partying and going to speakeasies. The middle class enjoyed much more leisure time thanks to many inventions from this time period. Slang was a common part of how people spoke in the cities (Whitley, 1999).

On the farms, life was very different. A lot of technology and developments simply weren't available; things like indoor plumbing and electricity and appliances were absent. Life revolved around the seasons, with entertainment being mainly limited to occasional social events and gatherings (Reinhardt).

Developments - What did people have access to?

The first "talking pictures" were shown in 1926, turning movies into a business (Whitley, 1999). The radio and radio programs provided news and entertainment to people across the nation.

Household appliances became widely available, with tools like the toaster oven, vaccum and washing machine. They cut down the time needed for household chores, freeing that time up for other activities (Lorance, 1998).

Cars became commonplace as well, with the beginning of mass production of the Model-T by Henry Ford (The People History, 2004)

Attitudes - What typical opinions did people have?

The 1920s was full of cultural tensions and disregard for the law.

The Prohibition led to a huge outbreak of organized crime. People obtained alcohol through many illegal and questionable means, including smuggling, home brewing, and medicinal prescriptions (Scoot, 2005). Eventually, it lead to people treating the law with contempt in general.

Racism was common as well. Intolerance for immigrant groups was widespread. Vigilante groups and the Klu Klux Klan took the law into their own hands and lynched blacks and other groups (The People History, 2004).

Above all though, it was a time for rebelling against old ideals and beliefs. Women challenged expectations by wearing loose clothing and partying. Traditional Victorian values were challenged by new ideas. Things were changing in the US.

Sources: 

The People History. (2004). 1920s history. Retrieved from http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1920s.html

Whitley, P. (1999). American cultural history 1920 - 1929. Retrieved from http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade20.html

Lorance, L. (1998). Promises, promises: The allure of household appliances in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.brickhaus.com/amoore/magazine/house.html 

Reinhardt, C. (n.d.). Farming in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe20s/life_01.htm 

Scoot, R. (2005). Prohibition in the united states. Retrieved from http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/ 

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