Cultural change in the 1920s (T1) Flashcards
What was ‘fads’?
Activities that exploded in popularity: such as crossword puzzles.
When was the first crossword puzzles published?
In the Boston Globe in 1917.
How did ‘fads’ grow in popularity?
Crossword competitions became a spectator sport, card games such as Mah-Jong became equally popular.
What were more energetic ‘fads’?
- Dance marathons- one in Chicago went on for 119 days
- Roller-skating
- Rocking Horse Derbies
What was the music craze that took over in the 1920s?
Jazz music.
What dances came along with Jazz music?
The Charleston and The Black Bottom.
Why did conservatives dislike these jazz dances?
These dances seemed unrestrained and immoral in their level of body contact and free movement.
Who were these jazz dances usually associated with?
With the young and ‘flappers’ who seemed to exercise little moral restraint.
How was jazz bought into the home?
Radio and records.
When was the first radio station made?
KDKA in Pittsburgh in 1920 and by 1922 there were 500 stations across the USA.
What was the first national network?
NBC set up in 1926, with CBS following in 1927.
How many people tuned into the 1927 boxing match between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey?
50 million
What were ‘radio parties’ people held?
Where family and friends could listen together in their home.
How much did radios cost?
$150, usually paid for on credit.
How much money spent on furniture was spent on radios?
By 1927, 33%
How many American families had purchased a radio?
Between 1923-1930, 60%
How much did sales on radios grow from?
From $60 million in 1923 to $842 million in 1929.
What did radio create a huge attraction for?
Huge attraction for advertising and sponsorship which often paid for programmes.
What is an example of advertising on the radio?
In August 1929, the toothpaste company Pepsodent began to sponsor ‘Amos and Andy’ on NBC.
What was the audience of ‘Amos and Andy’?
Rose to as high as 40 million.
What did the power of the radio allow Americans to do for the first time?
Could listen to the same songs, laugh at the same jokes and thrill the sporting events.
How much had the cinema industry grown to by the 1920s?
Centred in Hollywood, was the fourth largest in terms of capital investment.
How many people went to the cinema?
In any one day about 10 million people in 20,000 cinemas.
What is an example of a glamorous cinema built in the USA?
The Roxy in NY, cost between $7-10 million, had three organs, a huge chandelier, and a red carpet.
