1920s Alternate Assignment
Brittany Marrero
The Red Scare
Communism is the type of government in Russia. Americans were afraid of it because they thought it would disrupt and weaken the government, which would lead to the fall of the United States. In pursuit of trying to stop the spread of it, the government let out the Alien and Sedition Acts: acts that banned Americans from criticizing the president, government, or the war.
Automobile I
Although Henry Ford did not invent the first automobile, he did produce the first ever affordable, for the average man, car. He was able to drastically lower the price of the car by creating it using the assembly line, so the cars were made at a much quicker pace. This affected society because most people got one, so Americans were able to connect with other parts of the country by driving.
Automobile II
The automobile changed society by letting Americans travel further than ever before without taking forever. It also let Americans move to rural areas because they could now commute to work instead of having to live in the cities. People were more comfortable because they could now live in their own home instead of in an overcrowded city.
The Radio
Once the radio was released to the public, every family had to own one. It allowed ideas from the west to travel all the way to the east and vice versa. It connected the United States because news and other activities were on broadcast for the entire country to hear, so everyone was well informed about all aspects of the country.
The Birth of Movies and Movie Stars
A new form of entertainment were invented; one popular form was movies. Although the movies were missing both color and sound, most Americans found them very entertaining. A famous movie star back then was Charlie Chaplin; he starred in many silent movies in the 1920s.
Changing Roles of Women
Back in the 1920s, women started to change their look, wearing shorter dresses, more make-up, and cutting their hair short. They were know as flappers and although there were many of them, there were also some women who looked down on them and saw them as rebels. They fought for equality and eventually were able to get more ands more as time went on; especially when they 20th amendment.
Evolution and the Scopes Trial
The teaching of evolution was mdd illegal. A court case erupted about how a biology teacher was accused of teaching evolution even though it was made illegal to do so. He was found to be guilty; however, the case was later overturned.
Fighting Racism
The NAACP was created to help improve living conditions for African Americans and hopefully end racism. A strong believer in equal rights would be Marcus Garvey, a man who believed that is they were unable to get equal rights, they should all move back to Africa. In attempts to fight back the KKK, they were making anti-lynching acts.
Jazz Age
Jazz became a very popular music style in the 1920s. It wasn't the slow boring kind that most of us link with jazz music, but instead an upbeat kind that made everyone dance. Jazz got its first debut in speakeasies when people would drink illegal alcohol.
Jazz Age II
The importance of this style of music was that is brought people together when they danced. One particularly famous jazz musician was Louis Armstrong. He was one of the top ones in America.
Painters of the Harlem Renaissance
There were many artists who became famous from their masterpieces. They drew pictures that inspired citizens around them. A specific example would be William Johnson, a painter who often painted images of African Americans.
Poets of the Harlem Renaissance
Poets were extremely influential to Americans of the 1920s. Poets wrote to inspire and to cause change to happen to the racial inequality that was occurring. A famous poet would be Langston Hughes, writer of many poems that expressed the desire for equality.
Heroes of American Aviation
Charles Lindbergh was the first pilot to to fly across the Atlantic. After his flight, he became an extremely famous figure worldwide. His non stopped flight brought him recognition for the rest of his life.
American Sports
In the 1920s, baseball became a very popular sport. A famous athlete named Babe Ruth was an idol bath then, and even now. Being a baseball legend, he was just about the best there was.
Organized Crime
When the prohibition was in drive, people began drinking in secret. Organized crime happened very often since people often disregarded the law and would buy and sell alcohol. A leader would be Al Capone, a gang leader who made a lot of money from his selling of bootlegged alcohol.
Racism and Nativism
During the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan became normalized. People from the north were actually starting to join instead of just those from the south. They would attack not only African Americans, but also other immigrants and some religions, and would terrorize them by lynching them.
Immigrant Restriction
When there started to be challenges for jobs, people began to resent immigrants for their hard work. They ended up putting restrictions on the ability to enter the country. People began to be against immigration once it started to affect them