• Essential Questions:–How did the end of World War I change

America in the 1920s? –How did the changes of the “Roaring

20s” clash with traditional American values?

Mass production, high wages,

new consumer goods and forms of

entertainmentlabeled the decade the

“Roaring Twenties”

What does this image and quote reveal about America in the 1920s?

“The chief business of the American

people is business.”

—President Calvin Coolidge, 1925

What do these images reveal about America in the 1920s?

What do these images reveal about America

in the 1920s?

The dominance of urban America divided society

Urban society was characterized by

diversity, consumerism, freedom, entertainment

Rural society was characterized by religious

fundamentalism, nativism, and tradition

The values of these 2 societies clashed in the 1920s

1920s: Consumerism

Companies offered ways for consumers to buy on credit through monthly

installment plans

Advertising boomed to convince people to

spend their money

1920s: Harlem Renaissance

The Great Migration during WWI led to a concentration of African Americans in northern cities

The Harlem Renaissance was the flourishing of

black culture

The most popular author was Langston Hughes, who wrote poems and novels about black pride

1920s: Literature

The “Lost Generation” authors including T.S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald rejected

war and criticized 1920 consumerism and conformity

1920s: Sports

Radio broadcasts brought sporting events to national audiences

1920s: Movies and Radio

Movies and radios were widely popular in the

1920s

Tin Pan Alley produced 90% of the popular music in the 1920s, focusing on ragtime, dance music, and jazz

“Talking” movies helped grow Hollywood and celebrity movie stars

America in the 1920s experienced a decade of change

There was an increase in

consumerism…

Government policies favored

business and isolationism

Women and African Americans experienced new freedoms while

immigrants came under attack

…cars, radios, entertainment