2) BOOM: Social and Cultural Developments Flashcards
What was the Jazz Age?
Jazz music which originated in Southern states among African Americans became very popular. It appealed to young people and new dances like the Charleston became popular. Musicians such as Louis Armstrong were successful.
Why didn’t the older generation like Jazz music?
The older generation criticised it for encouraging drunkenness and for the sexual dances.
Why did cinema grow rapidly in the 1920s?
Studios used the star system to promote their main actors like Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino. First talkie the Jazz Singer was released in 1927 and by 1929 Hollywood film studios were making over 500 films a year.
What was the Hays Code and why was it introduced?
Older Americans worried about the sexual content of films. When several states threatened to ban films, Hollywood introduced a list of strict rules which included a ban on nudity.
By how much did weekly cinema audiences grow from 1919 to 1930?
From 35 million to 100 million.
Why were the 1920s a golden age for American sport?
Radio broadcasts, newspapers and magazines helped bring major sporting events to a mass audience. Sportspeople like Babe Ruth (baseball) became celebrities and by 1930 he was making $80000 a year (nearly £7 million today).
What were some crazes in the 1920s?
Mahjong (a Chinese board game), crossword puzzles, pole sitting and marathon dancing.
When were women given the right to vote and why?
In 1920 partly as a result of their work in the First World War.
How many women had jobs in 1929?
10.5 million women (25% more than in 1920).
How did the lives of women change after the war?
More women lived alone, divorce rate doubled in the 1920s, only 31% had not had sex before marriage in 1920 compared to 80% in 1900, began to act and dress differently- some became flappers.
What was a flapper?
Independent and fashionable women of the 1920s. They drank, smoke, wore revealing clothes, rode motorbikes etc.
Which women didn’t experience change?
Those in the South and in rural areas didn’t experience much change. They still raised families and didn’t have enough income for luxuries. Despite gaining the right to vote, women were still not equal to men and had low paid low skilled jobs.
