1920s America Flashcards
Why did America experience an economic boom in the 1920s?
People would buy shares in businesses on the stock market, nationwide advertising, new consumer goods, low taxes, foreign goods were taxed and overproduction of cars by Henry Ford.
Who didn’t share their wealth?
The richest 5% in America owned 32% of the countries wealth. Meanwhile farmers income were being dropped, coal miners and electricity workers continued to work with small wages, African Americans received a small income and immigrants often could only get jobs in construction for cheap wages.
What was society like in the 1920s?
A lot of people had radios, 10 million were sold by 1929 , jazz was very popular including blues. There were dances like the Charleston. Sports like baseball and boxing were very popular and Hollywood was also very popular, lots of silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
How were women treated in the 1920s?
Women were given the right to vote in the 20s and were introduced to lots of new electrical goods like washing machines and hoovers. Women who were named ‘Flappers’ which were usually rich and from cities would challenge the public’s opinion on women dressing by wearing things like short dresses and revealing their shoulders. Women in urban areas were also sometimes employed.
Negatives of the public in 1920s
Women were paid less and had little political power, there were prohibition laws in most states against alcohol to stop drunken violence. This caused a huge uprising in criminal organisations and speakeasies (illegal bars) who would illegally obtain alcohol ether shipped abroad or home brewed and sell it for high prices (usually average weeks pay for one bottle). Gangsters such as Al Capone would also bribe police and politicians to ignore illegal activities. Klu Klux Klan was also popular and their actions were seen as normal, they would often target AAs by lynching, beating them. KKK had lawyers and police within the Klan so their illegal activity was mostly ignored. Some immigrants were treated better than others. And there was a big fear of communism.
