Depth Study 2: Howfar Did Us Society Change In The 1920s? Flashcards
What were the ‘Roaring Twenties’?
The cinema:
Cinema provided an opportunity for escapism. Audiences more than doubled, reaching 95 million in 1929.
New stars were created by Hollywood including Charlie Chaplin.
“Talkies” arrived in 1927 with the release of the film ‘The Jazz Singer’ starring Al Jolson.
Some Americans had concerns that films corrupted public morals.
Jazz:
Jazz music originated in the African-American community of the south.
Jazz was linked to dance music and led to the formation of many night clubs. One well known jazz performer was Duke Ellington.
Jazz appealed to young whites who found it excited, dynamic, and modern.
Radio:
Radio broadcast light musical entertainment to a mass audience producing the age of the great dance bands.
As variety theatres declined, radio provided a fresh start for many artists.
Sport:
Sport became a form of mass entertainment. Huge crowds attended baseball games.
How widespread was intolerance in US society?
Immigration laws:
-restrictions were made to immigration: in 1917 literacy tests were created which favoured WASP immigrants. In 1921, the Emergency Quotas Act restricted entry to 3% of each national group who lived in UAS in 1910 per year. This was reduced to 2% in 1924 by the National origins Act. By 1929, only 150,000 immigrants were allowed in per year, there were to be no Asians at all, and Europeans were to be allocated 85% of all places.
The Red Scare:
- In 1920 around 0.1% of the population were communist or anarchists. Due to the events in Russia and how in 1901, President McKinley was shot by an anarchist, Americans were fearful.
- In 1919, 400000 workers went on strike, there were race riots in 25 towns, a bomb was planted in a church which killed ten people, bombs were posted to 36 prominent Americans, and bombs went off in 7 cities.
- In 1921 bombs were planted at the Attorney-General’s house which triggered the Palmer Raids. 6000 people were arrested, they were released bar 556 ‘aliens’ who were deported.
- Sacco and Vanzetti were two immigrants from Italy who were found guilty of armed robbery and murder so were executed by electric chair in 1927. The defence produced 107 witnesses but as they were foreigners their evidence was dismissed. They were granted a formal pardon in 1970.
Religious intolerance:
-fundamentalist Christians in the South believed the literal translation of the bible. Urban Christians accepted Darwin’s theory of evolution. The teaching of evolution was outlawed in 6 states, including Tennesse, where John Scopes deliberately taught it. The ‘monkey trial’ of 1925 was a national sensation. He was found guilty but the fundamentalists lost the argument and were ridiculed.
Racism against black Americans:
-in the south people suffered from discrimination due to the Jim Crow laws. Most lived in poverty and in fear of lynch mobs. In the north many found it hard to get a good job.
The Ku Klux Klan:
- By 1920 there were 100000 members which increased to 5 million in 1925.
- Klansmen met at night wearing white sheets and hoods and lit burning crosses.
- After 1925 a Grand Dragon was put on trial for raping and mutilating a female assistant. He was found guilty and sentenced for life imprisonment.
- They discriminated against catholics, Jews, foreigners, liberals, and homosexuals.
Why was prohibition introduced, and then later repealed?
Why prohibition was introduced:
- It was to make laws on alcohol consistent across America as 18 states already and prohibition laws.
- Pressure caused by the Anti-Saloon League and Women’s Temperance Union campaigning that alcohol caused social problems such as poverty, crime, violence, and ill-health.
- The Protestant Church also supported it as they though alcohol caused a decrease in moral standards.
- Many American brewers were resented for being of German decent, it was seen as unpatriotic to drink during the First World War.
- Some believed the grain for alcohol could be better used as bread.
- Some Industrialists, for example Nelson Rockefeller, believed prohibition would be better for the country as it would reduce absenteeism and promote hard work.
Why prohibition was repealed:
- Consumption of alcohol increased, illegal bars called ‘speakeasies’ became common.
- In 1929, New York had 32000 illegal drinking bars.
- Some people tried making their own alcohol called ‘moonshine’ this was dangerous and caused blindness and death.
- ‘Bootleg’ rum was smuggled into America from the West Indies and whiskey from Canada.
- Organised gangs bribed policeman and government officials. There was much feuding between gangs which led to events like the Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 where Al Capone’s gang murdered 6 members of a rival one whilst dressed as policemen.
- The Prohibition Bureau only employed between 1500-2300 agents for the whole of the USA, meaning one officer had 200000 square miles each.
How far did the roles of women change during the 1920s?
-Flappers we’re fashionable women from cities or suburbs. They cut their hair short, wore makeup, and short dresses. They were far more independent than had traditionally been the case. They usually had jobs and used their money to socialise where they might apply makeup, smoke, or do sports in public.
-In 1920, women were given the right to vote.
-There were 10 million women in jobs in 1929, 24% more than in 1920.
-In 1914, there were 100000 divorces compared to twice as many in 1929.
-In middle class towns all the housewives had telephones and cars and none got up before 6 am. In working class homes, half had telephones, 60% had cars, and 40% got up before 5 am, 90% got up before 6 am.
(No change for those who could not afford the lifestyle (perhaps due to discrimination) or those with strong religious beliefs)
