6.2 Social and Cultural Changes in the 1920s

The 1920s brought sweeping social and cultural changes to Canada. Young people challenged traditional norms, embracing new fashions, music, and attitudes. Women gained the right to vote and entered the workforce in greater numbers, reshaping gender roles.

Urbanization and technology transformed daily life. Cities grew rapidly, and innovations like the automobile and radio connected people in new ways. The arts flourished, with the Group of Seven developing a distinctly Canadian artistic identity.

Changing Social Norms

The Rise of Flappers and the Jazz Age

Top images from around the web for The Rise of Flappers and the Jazz Age

• 

  Connections-JazzAge - Corsets View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Flapper - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jazz Age - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Connections-JazzAge - Corsets View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Flapper - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for The Rise of Flappers and the Jazz Age

• 

  Connections-JazzAge - Corsets View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Flapper - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jazz Age - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Connections-JazzAge - Corsets View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Flapper - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Flappers, young women who embraced modern fashion and attitudes, challenged traditional gender norms by wearing shorter skirts, bobbing their hair, and participating in activities previously considered inappropriate for women (smoking, drinking, dancing)
• The Jazz Age, named after the growing popularity of jazz music, represented a period of social liberation, experimentation, and cultural dynamism in the 1920s
• Jazz music, originating from African American communities, gained mainstream popularity and influenced fashion, dance, and social attitudes
• Speakeasies, illegal bars that emerged during Prohibition, became popular gathering places for people to socialize, listen to jazz, and engage in activities that challenged social norms

Modernism and Changing Gender Roles

• Modernism, a cultural movement that rejected traditional values and embraced experimentation, innovation, and individualism, influenced art, literature, and social attitudes in the 1920s
• Changing gender roles saw women increasingly participating in the workforce, pursuing higher education, and demanding greater social and political rights
• The rise of consumerism and mass marketing targeted women as primary consumers, leading to the development of new products and advertising strategies aimed at women
• The availability of birth control and the increasing acceptance of premarital sex contributed to changing attitudes towards sexuality and relationships

Women's Rights and Suffrage

• The women's suffrage movement, which had been active since the late 19th century, achieved a major victory with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote in the United States
• Women's rights activists, such as Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party, continued to fight for equal rights and opportunities for women in the workplace, education, and politics
• The Canadian Women's Suffrage Movement, led by activists such as Nellie McClung and the Famous Five, successfully campaigned for women's right to vote at the federal level in 1918 and in all provinces by 1940
• Despite these advances, women continued to face discrimination and inequality in many areas of life, including employment, education, and family law

Urbanization and Culture

The Growth of Cities and Urban Life

• Urbanization, the process of people moving from rural areas to cities, accelerated in the 1920s due to factors such as industrialization, immigration, and the growth of the service sector
• The development of skyscrapers, made possible by advances in steel construction and elevator technology, transformed the skylines of major cities and became symbols of modernity and progress
• Urban planning and the creation of suburbs emerged as ways to address the challenges of rapid urban growth, such as overcrowding, pollution, and social inequality
• The concentration of people, resources, and cultural institutions in cities fostered the development of new forms of popular culture and entertainment

Popular Culture and Mass Media

• Popular culture, including music, dance, fashion, and entertainment, flourished in the 1920s due to the growth of mass media and the increased leisure time and disposable income of many Americans
• The rise of radio broadcasting and the development of national radio networks, such as NBC and CBS, made it possible for people across the country to experience the same entertainment and news programs
• Motion pictures, particularly the introduction of sound in the late 1920s, became a major form of popular entertainment and a powerful cultural influence
• The growth of mass-circulation magazines, such as Time and Reader's Digest, and the emergence of tabloid newspapers contributed to the dissemination of popular culture and the creation of national cultural trends

The Impact of the Automobile

• The mass production of automobiles, made possible by the assembly line and the standardization of parts, revolutionized transportation and transformed American culture in the 1920s
• The affordability of cars, particularly the Ford Model T, allowed more people to own vehicles and experience a new sense of freedom and mobility
• The development of a national highway system and the growth of roadside businesses, such as gas stations, motels, and diners, catered to the needs of automobile travelers
• The automobile industry became a major driver of economic growth and job creation, and the car became a symbol of modernity, individualism, and social status

Art and Immigration

The Group of Seven and Canadian Art

• The Group of Seven, a group of Canadian landscape painters active in the 1920s, played a significant role in the development of a distinctly Canadian artistic identity
• The group, which included artists such as Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, and Tom Thomson, sought to capture the rugged beauty of the Canadian wilderness and to create a national art that was independent of European influences
• The Group of Seven's paintings, characterized by bold colors, simplified forms, and a sense of spiritual connection to the land, helped to establish landscape painting as a major genre in Canadian art
• The group's influence extended beyond the visual arts, as their work and ideas contributed to the development of a broader sense of Canadian national identity and pride

Immigration Policies and Cultural Diversity

• Immigration policies in the 1920s, such as the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924 in the United States, placed restrictions on immigration based on national origin and favored immigrants from Western and Northern Europe
• The Canadian Immigration Act of 1919 gave the government broad powers to regulate immigration and to exclude certain groups, such as those deemed "undesirable" or "unsuitable" for assimilation
• Despite these restrictions, immigration continued to play a significant role in shaping the cultural diversity of North America in the 1920s, particularly in cities where immigrants from various countries and cultures settled and established communities
• The contributions of immigrants to the arts, music, literature, and cuisine of the 1920s helped to enrich and diversify North American culture, even as they faced discrimination and challenges in adapting to life in a new country