Themes in American History

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pwG-kRi0-Y

One of the most recognized changes of the 1920s was the change in fashion. Women started to wear more comfortable clothes, including pants and shorter skirts with pleats, instead of the more constricting clothes they used to wear. Men also started to wear more sporty clothes, them being used to dressing formally. Men and women both were also beginning to start playing with accessories, mostly hats. Fashion at this time was started to be influenced by the new art movements, creating a whole new style. This change contributed to the city being more modern because at first, people were reluctant to change but by 1925, it was quickly adapted to and accepted by society. The change was so popular, it defined fashion up until the next decade. Some of the styles that began to be practiced then are even popular and important in today’s culture as far as the fashion world.

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The 1920s is the decade that fashion entered the modern era. It was the decade in which women first liberated themselves from constricting fashions and began to wear more comfortable clothes, such as short skirts or trousers. Men started abandoning overly formal clothes and began to wear sport clothes for the first time. Of cause, there are reasons for those changes. First of all, after World War I, America entered a prosperous era. Social customs and morals were relaxed in the optimism brought on by the end of the war and the booming of the stock market. Women were entering the workforce in record numbers. Thus, Clothing changed with women’s changing roles in modern society, particularly with the idea of freedom for women. Younger women now made sportswear into the greatest change in post-war fashion. The tubular dresses of the ’Teens had evolved into a similar silhouette that now sported shorter skirts with pleats, gathers, or slits to allow motion to rule women’s fashion for the first time in history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGEs5aoqGLM&feature=fvst

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Before the 1920s, women were used to work at home. Taking care of her family was the primary duty for them, Such as washing dish, cloth, and cooking dinner for their families. At that time, they hadn’t any entertainments and political rights. In contrary, men owned all priorities and authorities, for example; they could go outside to work, and go to club for having fun; also they have right to vote, etc.

During and after the 1920s, there were quite a lot changes in the society. Women began to work outside of their house. Taking care of families weren’t women’s duties any more.   They started to work at factories for making money as men did, and joined women club. Also, they realized that women should have equal opportunities of jobs and rights like men.  In 1920s, women began to have right to vote and participated in political position.

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Women have been looked down upon by men since the beginning of time. Most women took the ridicule thinking that social casting would never change, but some had courage to fight for justice, equality and rights. By the early 20^th century, women had not yet received any rights in the American Democracy. Women were not allowed to vote, had no property rights, not accepted into universities, worked for a fraction of a man’s salary and so on.  On August 18, 1920 the 19^th Amendment was ratified after decades of struggle by women’s rights advocates, bringing a successful end to the US women’s suffrage movement. The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote on sex. Without the following women, it is unlikely that women in the US would have all the freedom that they have today: Frances Wright, Ernestine Rose, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth C. Stanton. Besides, America has dramatically changed since women gained the right to vote, both economically, politically and culturally.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=684n8FO68LU&feature=related

During the 1920s there were quite a lot of changes in home life. To be specific, American industrialization and urbanization are most fundamental reasons that made people’s everyday life more comfortable and it is also beginning of modern period of New York City. For woman who spent all day to do house chores such as wash dishes, clean the house or iron cloth, modern society gave them an opportunity to have their own time. Although not all people could afford to buy product, for instance vacuum cleaners, washing machines, refrigerators and so forth, at least running water, gas or electronic stove freed even working class housewives from all day house working (Chudacoff pg.186). These conveniences also led many women to outside so that they could join woman club, social life or other leisure activities.

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During 1920 there was a huge development in science. This scientific advancement was not only limited to industrial technologies but also to the health and safety concern advanced greatly during 1920. After, a civil war economy were climbing and production were sky rocketing. The country needed more workers in the industries. Millions of immigration came to the United States to work and for better life. Lot of the industrial jobs and other jobs such as constructions were dangerous and risky and was long hours. Even though there were lots of pressures on the workers, they had no health insurance. Even the workplace weren’t safe before 1920. For example railway workers had tough jobs, during 1902 to 1908 more than 15 thousand people killed. The health concern was not important before, but during 1913 the department of labor was established and worker health concern was begun. But only after the accident in mining company which killed 361 men the workplace health and safety became stricter in the industries. This workplace health and safety system gave the workers financial support and security in case of accidents. This program has noticeable result which helped to minimize the death rate.

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The years of the 1920’s were best known as ” The Roaring Tweinties.” It was a decade of so many new inventions and discoveries  in the fields of medicine, technology, clothing, music, filmand much more. There are many things to talk about during this decade. I definitely see it as a period of happiness and prosperity until the very last year in 1929 when the Great Depression began. I would say that the symbol of happiness for this decade was dancing, which explains why I chose the following video for this post. Before this time, the thought of dancing or even dancing was not heard of as much. During this time, people now had the time to actually go out and enjoy themselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNAOHtmy4j0

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The entertainment industry took advantage of Americans increased leisure time and income during the 1920s. As people celebrated postwar prosperity with indulgence in entertainment.  Movie change the form of entertainment. When the “talkies” was available. The motion pictures with sound. Movies presented audiences with spectacular sets that they could only dream about. In the 1920s, there were 20 Hollywood studios, and the demand for films was greater than ever and it is the greatest output of films in America; it is about 800 film releases in a year. Also, movies were a very inexpensive form of entertainment. By 1922, almost every community in America had at least a 100-seat movie theater for total 40million people go to watch movie every week.

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This clip is basically talking about how the Prohibition of Alcohol in 1920s influenced the society negatively. In the beginning of the 19^th century, alcohol was abusively used by many people. Many people blamed many problems upon alcohol. Many organizations were created to fight against consumption of alcohol. The state laws were already passed in the beginning of 20^th century, and eventually, the 18^th amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, and put into effect on the same day of 1920. “[It] banned the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcohol in America.” The consequences of this new act were “saloons selling alcohol closed, alcohol prices rose, and consumption of alcohol decreased especially among the poor.” The rose of “organized crime” gangs was the biggest and worst consequence, which they took over the distribution and sale of alcohol. Al Capone was the top leader of these gangs. Illegal alcohol was smuggled from many other places, such as Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the West Indies.

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Every decade fashion changes with a new form of clothing style rising. During the 1920s the biggest fashion trend was flappers. Flappers were a new breed of young western style of women who wore short skirts, listen to jazz, and had disdain behaviors than their predecessor

This change contributed modernity is it gave a spirit of women to become more liberal and breakaway from traditions. Women were allowed to flaunt their wealth and enjoy the luxury they never had. Modernity is all about progression and society changing or breaking away from old custom was a progression. It allowed society to try new things and culturally evolve. Even though flapper’s behaviors were seen as outlandish, female historians see it as step to female empowerment. It allowed females to express their individuality and independence. They helped give birth to many fashions that are still in use today. Flappers decide to do away with corsets and use lingerie and panties. Also the dresses they wore were developed from Coco Chanel which brought fashion into the spotlight. .  But eventually the flapper’s era will end with the birth of the Great Depression. Their fashion did not but evolved over time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3svvCj4yhYc

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As the others already talked about, the automobiles started to be famous in the 1920s, and it was somewhat affordable for the citizens. Ford Company, in Detroit, came up with simple and cheaper automobils that Americans could buy. It helped the economy of  the automobil industry, however, it had made some troubles; the traffic.

The rapid growth of the automobil use in the cities made some problems on the roads, and this had to be fixed. William L. Potts, the Police Officer of Detroit, Michigan, came up with idea of adapting the railroad signals for street use. Potts used red, amber, and green railroad lights and about thirty-seven dollars worth of wire and electrical controls, and invented the four way three color traffic light. In 1920, Detroit became the first city to use the four way three color traffic lights, installed at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and Michigan Avenue, to control the traffic. (From Waving Arms to LED’s, http://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/newsletter/07-4/traffic_signals.php)

We live in the society in which the use of automobils is playing a crucial role. The traffic lights at the time cleaned up the streets that were in confusion because of the great increase of automobil usages, and made sure of the safety in the society. If the trafic lights have not been invented as the way Potts has, the traffic today couldn’t be this safe. The basic system of today’s traffic lights is still the same; four ways and three colors. This invention surely can be said as great contribution to the modernity. 

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Chicago’s first generation of movie theaters, most of which opened in the early 1910s, were mostly small establishments located wherever a vacant storefront could be had. By the late 1910s and early 1920s, increasingly large theaters were constructed throughout Chicago. Every neighborhood had one or more movie houses to call its own. As profits from existing theaters soared, promoters opened ever-grander theaters which entertain the masses of movie-goers. These so-called movie palaces were distinct from their predecessors in a number of ways. The city’s theater circuits, the most notable of which was Balaban & Katz, expected their movie palaces to draw audiences from across the city, not just the immediate neighborhood. Also, by incorporating classical architectural details in the new palaces, they hoped to allay middle-class fears that movie theaters were corrupting the minds and morals of the city’s youth. Their efforts worked. By the end of the 1920s, movie-going was one of the city’s most popular leisure activities, due in large part by the increased willingness of middle-class Chicagoans to go out and see a show.



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The HarlemRenaissance was a cultural movement that covered the 1920s. It was also known as the “New Negro Movement”.  During this time period, the musical style of blacks was becoming more attractive to whites.  In this time period, the “Jazz Age” emerged and with the introduction of jazz came a totally new movement in the United States. The jazz was mainly credited to African Americans, but expanded and improved to become socially suitable to middle class white Americans. Jazz was the sound of the 1920s; it became the “people’s” music despite some trouble being accepted by the black “cultural elite”. Music in general exploded during the 1920s. Jazz were key to nightclubs, Apollo Theater, and the Cotton Club. Harlem Renaissance music was defined by lively clubs and characters who constantly improved and modified jazz’s sound. Men like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Willie “The Lion” Smith were the “gladiators” of jazz. Harlem Renaissance music was more than just music, but for many, jazz was a way of life.

Louis Armstrong

Duke Ellington

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The American Industrial Revolution (1870-1920) changed the United States citizens from an agricultural people to one that is highly industrialized. They began to performed much of their work in factories and on machines. This transition took fifty years and caused a dramatic change in the nation’s economic history. In the second industrial revolution from (1860-1920), unskilled immigrant laborers were the dominant factory manufacturing labor force. Industrial development in the United States exhibited two major production technologies: factory- assembly (1820-1920), and factory continuous (1920-). By far the greatest reason for new immigration was for employment. The Southern and Eastern European Nations most new immigrants fled were in dire economic times with high unemployment and limited opportunity. The stunning growth in the US industrial development fueled a seemingly endless demand for workers, which the desperate immigrants seemingly fulfilled.

Many newly arrived immigrants found themselves at the mercy of corrupt political forces like Boss Tweed’s Tammany Hall in New York City. Political machines such as these used the votes of newly arrived immigrants to dominate and corrupt the political process in many of America’s growing cities.

The contributions of the new immigrants were transformative to America. The ethnic diversity of the immigrants changed America into a more multi-cultural society with varied language, traditons and practices. The cultural contributions of the new immigrants can be seen in the art, food, music and culture of modern America. (Direct Essays, regentsprep.org, www.mcgill.ca)

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Highway Act of 1921 for sure was a technological modernity of 1920s. The plan was created by Senator Lawrence C. Phipps of Colorado. It was the first plan in US history that described the national road systems. $75 million was given to the 11 states by the end of 1921. The act started a boom for building roads. By 1920s many people had cars, by traveling without good roads was anemic. New roads connected states and allowed people to migrate much easier or travel long distances in comfort.

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At the beginning of nineteenth century, the Architecture of New York City shifted from low-rise to high-rise. The building were not only high-raised, but also were stylish.  The Government put new regulation on building taller than six stories to combat water pressure. “In 1916, Zoning Resolution required setback in new building restricted on size to allow sunlight to reach the street bellow”(Wikipedia).

One of the tallest buildings built in 1913 is the Woolworth building which was not only one of the tallest (57 stories) but also was stylish with the art of gothic architecture. It was one of the 50 most tallest building in The United State until 1966

The Woolworth building under construction

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAGAeTC9fIo&feature=related

this clip above shows the kind of inventions that people created during the 1920’s.

Even though most of the inventions we saw in use in the video aren’t things that caught on today some did. Such as the full body suit for going under water and the hat that “we assume” let the man breath underwater. Obviously these inventions at the time weren’t big hits but thanks to the creation of video, people throughout the country/world were able to see things like these. And it seems safe to say thanks to this that it got other people trying to create their own inventions. This is a huge part in modernity because America is all about innovation and it seems very likely that people wanted to out-perform others inventors and it led them to create even better inventions. And even though most probably didn’t make the cut, many did and we use them every day.

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According to www.thenagain.info, ” The leading theory regarding the cause of The Great Depression holds that it resulted from the stock market crash in 1929.  Prior to the crash, around the beginning of 1928, the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates due to financial speculation and inflated stock prices. Industrial production turned down in the spring of 1929, and overall growth turned negative in the summer. This prosperous decade had proven the old adage that all good things must come to an end, when a recession began in the summer of 1929.  In the two months before the crash, industrial production fell to an annual rate of 20%, and continued to drop well into the fall months.  “By mid-November, the market had declined by a half.” ”

I believe that, the prosperous decade, mostly due to the stock market success, represents an aspect of modernity achieved during the 1920s. On the other hand, Great Depression caused a lot of financial, political and cultural changes. This video show us, how people were optimistic in every aspect of their life, during the decade before the crash of the stock market and how evrything changes after.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79i84xYelZI

The video above shows an example of the type of silent movies viewed during this time period.

The 1920s are greatly known for the entertainment developed during the time period. People had more free time and began spending this time several different types of leisure activities. People began watching sports especially baseball as well as boxing. Some even became involved in sports such as tennis baseball and golf (Chudacoff & Smith 217). The movie business continued to expand as more and more people began too visit theaters. For example about 110 million people visited the movies in a week when the population of the U.S. was only about 120 million (Chudacoff & Smith 217). Music advanced and flourished as Jazz became increasingly popular (Chudacoff & Smith 218). Radio allowed listeners to hear a wide variety of things from music to the news to advertisements about retail products that convinced them to go out and buy them (Chudacoff & Smith 218). This modernized the city by making it a thriving entertainment center with a wide variety of things to do during peoples free time. These developments brought forth the technologies of entertainment in the future that lead to inventions such as the television.

Picture of Babe Ruth who was an important figure in baseball during the 1920s

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The city, not the farm, had become the place of national experience. By 1920, four-fifths of the country’s African Americans living outside the South lived in the cities. During the 1920s, urbanization took place on a wider front than ever before. Maturing industrial economies increased the populations of many areas, particularly steel, oil, and automobile centers. Social and cultural diversity continued to be a unique quality of urban life that distinguished cities most sharply from the relative homogeneity of rural and small-town social relations. Leisure activities were another type of consumption mostly supported by city dwellers. In 1923, 300,000 fans attended the six-game World series of baseball between the New York Yankees and the New York Giants. The increase of show business paralleled the rise of sports, maturing with the growth of cities. In the 1920s motion pictures also attracted huge crowds. During 1927-1929, weekly movie attendance reach an estimated 10 million people when at that time nations total population was just over 120 million and total weekly attendance to church was under 60 million. Movies helped to popularize urban culture as nation culture by showing scenes involving diverse city people. In 1920s radio also brought the new world of entertainment and advertising directly into urban homes.

Suburban expansion in the 1920s owed much to the automobile and its related industries. Real estate interests, the construction industry, the auto rubber, and oil industry joined automobile owners in pressing for new roads to facilitate high-speed travel. The building of expressways and parkways encouraged still more suburban migration. In 1920, the growth rate of suburbs exceeded that of the cities for the first time. Many were residential communities for the upper and the middle classes, and others were industrial and mixed-use suburbs where factory workers constituted a fifth or more of the population. 1920s was also witnessed the country’s first suburban shopping center. Due to all of these developments in the 1920s helped the cities to become modern.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmqc_wJN4_M&feature=related

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