Major Events Of The Roaring 20s The 1920s were often called the “Roaring 20s” or the “Jazz Age”. The 20s were known as a decade of prosperity, wildness, jazz bands, bootleggers, raccoon coats, bathtub gin, flappers, and marathon dancers. The 20s were also famous for flooding an economy creating an era of mass consumerism. Flappers were the women of the 20s, they were well known for their energy, embracing their lifestyle, and wild, but very independent women that fought for economic, social, and political freedoms. While men went away during World War 1, women began to enter the workforce in large numbers and begin working jobs the men would usually take care of. When the men came back from the war they insisted on returning to their jobs …show more content…
The 19th amendment passed giving women the right to vote and they began attending colleges. One of the most well-known flappers is Zelda Fitzgerald, she was interviewed by “Eulogy on the flapper”. In the interview, she states the challenges of the Flapper and how they aren't just what people put them out to be. “The Flapper awoke from her lethargy of sub-deb-ism, bobbed her hair, put on her choicest pair of earrings and a great deal of audacity and rouge, and went into the battle.” (Spivack). Back then Flappers set the stage for a much more free view of women's sexuality, they tried to make sure women were no longer considered impure, or dangerous for being a part of informal agreed sexual activities. To conclude this paragraph, flappers …show more content…
Prohibition led to the prevention of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. This time period went on from 1920 to 1933 and also led to the 18th amendment. Prohibition was set in place to reduce crime, solve social problems, and improve health and hygiene in America. The increase in the illegal production of liquor known as bootlegging, the expansion of speakeasies (illegal drinking spots), and lastly the rise of gang violence led to diminishing support for Prohibition. In 1933 Congress developed a resolution and proposed the 21st amendment to the constitution that revoked the 18th. On December 5th, 1933 the 21st amendment was ratified. The long-term effects of Prohibition were to expand federal law enforcement powers, but unfortunately, many Americans turned into scofflaws. Currently, a few states like Kansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee still ban the sale of all forms of alcohol and some only allow beer and wine. Counties in those states have to approve the sale of alcohol in order for it to be
Despite this, women were able to make a huge impact on America through social reforms. Many young women went against the beliefs of their parents. Prior to the Roaring Twenties, America was in a Victorian era. Women wore dresses that were floor-length, their hair was long and premarital sex was almost non-existent. During the 1920’s however, some women became what are known as “flappers”.
Joshua Zeitz, an American author and historian writes about, the contemporary woman modernizing the new decade of the twenties. Flappers were the epitome of the twenties, the pushers against social norms, and the young rambunctious women who changed the meaning of what meant to be a woman. Zeitz includes quotes from the inventor of the flapper, F.Scott Fitzgerald “‘The flapper is growing stronger than ever; she gets wilder all the time ... She is continuously seeking for something due to increased her store of experience. She still is looking for new conventions to break -for a new thrills, for sensations to add zest to life, and she is growing more and more terrible’”, (Zeitz 7).
In America, the 1920s saw a lot of societal development, and the emergence of the flapper represented a significant departure from traditional gender roles. Flappers were young women who embraced a new sense of freedom and independence, rejecting the Victorian values that had long governed society (Onion et al.). They were known for their short hair, short skirts, and rebellious attitudes and became symbols of the Jazz Age. While flappers made women feel more independent, flappers were a completely new version of women in the 1920s because they introduced many changes in women, behaved in different ways, changed their appearances, ruled out some lingerie, and made up their own language.
In 1933, the 21st Amendment was ratified. It repealed the ban of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors (a ban commonly called Prohibition) that had been put in place by the 18th Amendment. During Prohibition, the United States (U.S.) became nearly lawless, as crime rates skyrocketed and organized crime became very influential because the illegal alcohol trade was extremely profitable. After President Roosevelt was elected and took office in 1933, Prohibition was repealed. The 18th
Passed on December 18th, 1917 the United States passed the 18th Amendment, Prohibition. Prohibition was the reason for the large increase in crime in the United States during the 1920s. Prohibition was the restriction of manufacturing, selling, or transporting alcohol or liquor. Disliked by a large majority of the country, specifically upper class. The upper class created hidden bars and clubs called speakeasies.
Some women became “flappers”. Flappers are female dancers that danced at clubs. Women started to smoke and drink, something only men did. A lot of women lost their morals with the
The older generation of women considered their way of life scandalous but in reality it was how women were adapting into society. While men were fighting in WW1 women were in the workforce, and getting a high education at college. Women who were more involved in the public were most likely to want to stay in society with a bigger voice rather than a stay at home wife. Many flappers would “act out” like drinking, smoking and dating which wasn’t very lady, they would also drive which was usually permitted for women during this time. They pushed social boundaries creating a completely different viewpoint of women then compared to other women in the
The Roaring Twenties arose with new trends, new technology, and a new morality. With wars finally and completely over, it was time for Americans to have some fun and let all the tension go. The women were able to free some of their restrictions with the ability to drink, vote, and have their own reputation. Also, Americans released the stress through using new technology, such as cars, airplanes, and radios. The Twenties finished with a screeching halt as the growth in the economy collapsed and the Great Depression into the next decade.
Flappers represented many things to women: it gave them a new hope for life after the amendment was passed. For example, they represented sexual liberation, ownership of their own body, and allowed them to express their feminine self. Because of flappers, more and more women would pursue higher education and enter political life as activists, lobbyists, or lawmakers. "Women found their lives changed in more than appearance, however. Society now accepted that women could be independent and make choices for themselves in education, jobs, marital status, and careers.
Women were now wanting to be an individual wave, making the water more diverse. The new diverse waters brought new fashion, along with film stars. The new fashion was more hip, loose, and revealing. This new fashion era brought a new type of woman(s) - The Flappers. These females were normally between the ages of 15 to 25.
The women who created the trend of flappers just wanted to have fun and live their life to the fullest extent. Women wanted to change how society saw them and the gender norms surrounding them, the 19th Amendment was just the
These flappers were working a man's job and fighting for women's rights during the day but at night you could find them in speakeasies dancing to jazz music, smoking and drinking with the men. The flappers were an upgraded version of the “Gibson Girls”, they walked away from the Victorian image and traditions and became their own person. Not only were these women trying to gain political and economic freedom but they were also trying to gain sexual freedom. These women often were attracting men and going to “petting parties” to find a man to hook up with and to also
The 1920s was one of the most influential decades in American history. To determine this we must analyze various events. America had finally become a world power after World War I. Cultural values had completely shifted in the 1920s due to America finally being released from 19th century ideals, this includes more people living in urban areas than rural, rapid advances in technology and transportation, mass communication and entertainment all over the country, and promotion of very controversial ideas prior to the 1920s, such as prohibition. All of these events and ideas compiled together created what we know today as the Roaring 20s. We know that the 1920s was one of the most influential decades in the history of the United States, because of the rapid social changes, cultural conflicts, and
In 1919, Congress passed the 18th Amendment which banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in America (Doc B). Prohibitionists overlooked the tenacious American tradition of strong drink and of weak control by the central government. Thus, there was tension between the modernists and the traditionalists. Although the amendment was passed, alcohol was still distributed illegally. Actually, prohibition spawned many crimes, such as illegal sale of alcohol and gang wars.
As women dressed and acted differently more than ever before, a name was given to them during this time. The “Flapper” is defined as a young woman, especially one who, during the 1920’s, behaved and dressed in a boldly unconventional