🗽US History – 1865 to Present Unit 6 – Roaring Twenties & Great Depression: 1920-39

Key Events and Timeline

• The Roaring Twenties began in 1920 and ended with the stock market crash of 1929
• Prohibition started in 1920 with the 18th Amendment banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol
• The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement celebrating African American art and culture, flourished in the 1920s
• The Scopes "Monkey" Trial in 1925 debated the teaching of evolution in public schools (Tennessee)
• Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927
• The Stock Market Crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression
• Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 and launched the New Deal to combat the Depression
• The Dust Bowl, a period of severe dust storms and ecological disaster, affected the Great Plains in the 1930s

Social and Cultural Changes

• The 1920s saw a rise in consumerism as mass production made goods more affordable and accessible
• Women's roles changed with the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women's suffrage in 1920
• Flappers, young women who embraced short skirts, bobbed hair, and a more liberated lifestyle, epitomized the changing social norms
• The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African American culture through literature, music, and art
  • Notable figures included Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Duke Ellington
• Prohibition led to the rise of speakeasies, illegal bars where people gathered to drink and socialize
• The Great Migration saw millions of African Americans move from the South to Northern cities seeking better opportunities
• The Great Depression led to widespread poverty, unemployment, and a shift towards more conservative values

Economic Boom and Bust

• The 1920s experienced an economic boom driven by mass production, consumerism, and technological advancements
• The automobile industry, led by Henry Ford's assembly line production, transformed transportation and the American landscape
• The stock market experienced rapid growth, with many Americans investing in stocks, often on margin
• Overproduction and declining demand led to a slowdown in the economy by the late 1920s
• The Stock Market Crash of 1929 triggered the Great Depression, the worst economic downturn in U.S. history
  • On Black Tuesday (October 29, 1929), the stock market lost 12% of its value
• The Great Depression led to widespread unemployment, bank failures, and a severe contraction of the economy
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs aimed to provide relief, recovery, and reform to combat the Depression

Political Developments

• The 1920s saw a shift towards conservative politics and a backlash against the progressive reforms of the previous decade
• The Harding and Coolidge administrations favored a "return to normalcy" and limited government intervention in the economy
• The Teapot Dome Scandal in 1922 involved the leasing of federal oil reserves to private companies, leading to corruption charges
• The 1928 presidential election pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith, with Hoover winning in a landslide
• The onset of the Great Depression led to the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932
• Roosevelt's New Deal programs expanded the role of the federal government in the economy and society
  • Programs included the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the Social Security Act
• The Supreme Court initially struck down several New Deal programs as unconstitutional, leading to Roosevelt's "court-packing" plan

Technological Advancements

• The 1920s saw significant advancements in technology, transforming daily life and the economy
• The widespread adoption of the automobile revolutionized transportation and led to the growth of suburbs
• The development of assembly line production, pioneered by Henry Ford, made mass production more efficient
• The introduction of household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines changed domestic life
• Radio became a popular form of entertainment and communication, with the first commercial radio station (KDKA) broadcasting in 1920
• Talking motion pictures, or "talkies," debuted in 1927 with "The Jazz Singer," transforming the film industry
• The invention of the television in the late 1920s laid the foundation for a new form of mass media

Arts and Entertainment

• The 1920s, known as the "Jazz Age," saw the rise of jazz music as a popular form of entertainment
  • Notable jazz musicians included Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith
• The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African American culture through literature, music, and art
• Art Deco, a style emphasizing geometric shapes and bold colors, influenced architecture and design
• The "Lost Generation" of writers, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, captured the disillusionment of the post-World War I era
• Hollywood experienced a golden age, with the rise of movie stars like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford
• The introduction of talking motion pictures in 1927 revolutionized the film industry
• The Great Depression led to a shift in entertainment, with movies offering escapism and radio providing free entertainment

Impact on Different Social Groups

• The 1920s saw both progress and challenges for different social groups in the United States
• Women gained the right to vote with the 19th Amendment in 1920 and experienced greater social freedoms
  • However, women still faced discrimination and limited opportunities in the workplace
• African Americans experienced cultural growth during the Harlem Renaissance but continued to face racism and segregation
  • The Great Migration led to increased racial tensions and violence, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921
• Immigrants faced restrictions with the passage of the Immigration Act of 1924, which set quotas based on national origin
• The Great Depression had a disproportionate impact on marginalized groups, including African Americans, women, and the elderly
  • Unemployment rates were higher for these groups, and they often had limited access to relief programs
• The New Deal programs aimed to provide relief and opportunities for all Americans but often perpetuated existing inequalities

Legacy and Long-Term Effects

• The Roaring Twenties left a lasting cultural legacy, with its music, fashion, and art continuing to influence American society
• The economic policies of the 1920s, including low taxes and limited regulation, set the stage for the boom-and-bust cycle that led to the Great Depression
• The Great Depression had far-reaching effects on American society and politics, leading to a redefinition of the role of government
• The New Deal programs established during the Great Depression created a social safety net and expanded the federal government's role in the economy
  • Programs like Social Security and unemployment insurance continue to shape American life today
• The experiences of the Great Depression influenced economic policy for decades, with a greater emphasis on government intervention and regulation
• The cultural and technological advancements of the 1920s, such as the rise of mass media and consumerism, continue to shape American society
• The social and political movements of the era, including women's suffrage and the Harlem Renaissance, laid the groundwork for future civil rights struggles