Lucy Burnhams
15 April 2015
APUSH 1B
1920’s DBQ
The 1920’s was a time of riches and brought a new age of commercialization to the United States. Traditional views clashed against the modern views the twenties inherited and therefore caused tensions between new and old ideas. The 1920’s tensions lied under religious, social, and political issues that sparked reform and advanced technology. Religious tensions in the 1920s were mainly between evolutionist and fundamentalist standpoints. With the growth of science and modern thinking in the United States caused the tension between both views. Fundamentalists viewed the bible literally, where as evolutionists believe in the theory of evolution. The Scopes Trial (Doc C) shows the tensions between the new, modern, scientific background and the traditional views. The idea that mankind had evolved from monkeys and the idea that men were put on earth by god are two completely different views yet both were held during the 1920s and still are today. This created a tension between the new way of thinking and
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In the 1920’s women began to take more of a stand in politics and gained more jobs and rights. Women took stands on political issues (Doc G) and it became increasingly more accepted for women to wear shorter skirts, smoke, and work alongside men like Jeanette Ranking. “Flappers” were seen for the first time and supported the youthful attitude of the 20s and clashed with the old views of women and the idea of the “cult of domesticity”. With women gaining rights and holding more jobs divorce rates grew over the 1920s and marriages went down (Doc H). Women felt more liberated and went against the traditional views that a woman should marry early and work to maintain a family for the rest of her life. This shows a way that through political reform women became more equal with men and caused new vs. old
As a nation coming out of a devastating war, America faced many changes in the 1920s. It was a decade of growth and improvements. As immigrants fled from Europe, the economy improved, and new machines offered convenience and luxury from the kitchen to the streets. However, with all change comes opposition. The 1920s revealed a conflict between traditional America and the new attitude and lifestyle through the changing role of women, continued dominance of Christian values, and racism.
The 1920’s were a booming time for the United States. Massive change was occurring and this led to a lot of new types of conflict about different reasons than ever before. The war had just ended and with that started a new era of people who unlike before had different morals. This was one of the biggest conflicts of the time. During the 1920’s the biggest cause of conflict were the old generations vs. the new generations because of the rapidly changing morals and the new ideas being accepted by society. This also led to a lot of changes in the United States as a whole with the result of us being more open to new ideas and new freedoms. There were some major reasons for some conflict in the United States during this time and they all were connected to the idea of old vs. new.
Technology played a vital part in helping America become the great economic and cultural success that it was during the 1920s. New advancements, new discoveries, and new inventions improved American lives in every imaginable way but not without a few negative side-effects. As mentioned earlier, the automobile really came into play during the 1920s by making traveling a common thing for anyone who could afford a car (Trueman, 2000). Henry Ford started the Ford Motor Company, which began to mass produce affordable automobiles known as the Model-T. Ford's Model-T car became such an irresistible success that by the end of the decade, there was almost one car per family in the United States (Bruce, 1981). The automobile seemed to give people a type of new freedom, but the automobile also proved to be a dangerous item in the hands of many irresponsible people who loved to drink during the 1920s. The washing machine, telephone, and radio made their arrival during the twenties. People were discovering life to be far easier than the previous generations because of technology, but they were also slowly being driven into an industrial nation. People were lured
In turn, a split between the feminist party, which had diligently fought for suffrage, occurred as the definition of feminism found new meaning with the right to vote. On one side there was the more conservative group led by ___ whose ideas aligned more similarly with the longheld belief of maternalistic reforms. Nancy F. Cott of Yale university explains the radical opposite side led by Alice Paul, who believed that women should have equal rights as men, even if it meant they would be exempt from special labor laws like a government mandated eight-hour workday, which was eventually declared unconstitutional in ____ (Cott 43). Regardless of the disputed ideas of feminism, the provokingly conined “New Woman” characterized the era (Freedman 373), These women were young, hip, and defied all rules through their short hair, nontraditional clothing, and outspoken ideas. This idealized notion of how a woman should act and behave was promoted by the rising consumer economy, which overlooked many aspects of the “New Woman,” making her into a universal character for all women of the
The "Roaring Twenties," the "Jazz Age," the "Golden Age"; what happened in this decade that made it so "roaring, jazzy, and golden?" What made up the twenties? Known for fun, style, and prosperity, the 20s were one of the most exciting, controversial, and productive periods in America. This paper will cover some (not all) of the significant events and inventions that happened in this revolutionary decade. Well-known parts of the "Jazz Age" include, jazz, flappers, fashion, and the radio. Also notorious for being a reckless, irresponsible, and materialistic era, the 1920s also had some infamous problems; Prohibition, gangsters, and the start of the great Depression. Many new things arose in this era. The new technologies that became
Argument #1 The flapper of the 1920s was a positive representation of shifting social norms during the 1920s after World War I because she embodied the "new feminist" by engaging equally in social activities traditionally reserved to men such as entering into the workforce, smoking, and partying in speakeasies (Leuchtenburg 225). Described by flapper, Ellen Page, “war tore away [their] spiritual foundations and challenged [their] faith” (Page 667), but what came from it was a reinvention of their lifestyle by enjoying the same social privileges as men had. After the US entered into war in 1917, women took over jobs in factories and businesses
The 1920’s was a great and important decade for the United States. After World War I, the United States went through events and changes that, overall, made the United States a much better place to live. New advances in technology and industry improved American life in more ways than just one. Americans had better wages during this time, more leisure time, and overall, had a better life than ever before. In addition, the 1920’s advocated social and cultural change as well. During this time period, the United States did not return to Normalcy, and instead developed attitudes that changed the life of the people of the United States forever thanks to social changes, cultural changes and changes in technology.
At the time women were expected to be the perfect house wife and mother. But society began to change as the economy grew and need more women in the workplace. Especially after the war, women continued to support their families with their jobs. With independence for women in their careers, there was also a totally different life with many different flappers. During this time, many youth and youth culture began to see a change in dancing, music, and in fashion.
The 1920’s marked a new era of post war economic growth in the U. S. Business was booming and new ways of producing and selling goods were introduced. New industries flourished especially in the areas of electric power, automobiles, and highway and housing construction. These changes did not benefit but made their future look bright. New expansionist interest in this time was defensively motivated by Mass Production, The Stock Market Crash, The Great Depression and The New Deal.
Some women went to schools to gain skills that could be applied in the workplace, creating some financial freedom. Other women, who were called flappers, rebelled by keeping some of their freedom in different ways, like wearing short dresses, drinking and smoking in public, and cutting their hair short. Woman and men also began viewing marriage as an equal task, but agreed that raising children was the woman’s
In the 1920 women began to grow more independent and cared about what they would wear. Everything that had to do with consumption was in style. For example, Women’s fashion changed dramatically in this time era. More skin was definitely shown. Sleeveless dresses were introduced, this was the start of a flapper which they would drink, smoke and even have sex. This meant that it was another example of freedom and women’s right to enjoy the same pleasures as men. No longer did many women have to worry about what man their parents would pair them up with, they experienced what true love was with the
The 1920s’ are remembered for various things, such as, F. Scott Fitzgerald writing The Great Gatsby, jazz, Babe Ruth, and many more. One thing that people think of when they think of the 1920s’ is the “flappers”. “Flappers” was a term coined for women in the 1920s. The new generation of women was more apt to political freedoms, such as voting, new clothing styles, and they showed off their sexual appeal; although some stuff stayed the same such as their rank, which was under men.
During the twenties, the poor economic situation together with isolation created social issues in the country. As the 1920’s progressed, wages increased and people were more able to purchase
Women gained their right to vote in 1919 under the 19th Amendment, which changed society way more than expected. When women were now equal to men they took advantage of it quickly. Their fashion changed from long skirts to their ankles and conservative shirts or dresses to short skirts/dresses, sleeveless and revealing blouses, and high heel shoes. This gave women the image they called a “flapper”. A flapper in the 1920’s is a young woman who tries to enjoy and flaunt herself to others. The dress code wasn't the only thing that changed about the women. They thought whatever a man can do, they can do. With this mindset, they began to smoke cigarettes/cigars and drinking alcohol.
The 1920s was a time of progression in many fields. Technology has progressed with new inventions like the radio, laundry machine, the new assembly line method. Along with new inventions came social progression. A new wave of women entered the cities. These women pursued an more reckless but more exciting type of lifestyle. But most of all the economy had a tremendous growth during this period. A new consumer style of life was adopted and most spent money and raked in dept. Despite this progress, the 1920s weren’t free from conflict. Traditional values clashed against progressive ones. Rural communities voted in prohibition to ban alcohol. The KKK grew to its largest size in decades to fight for traditional values and more extreme views. The progressive social changes that affected the 1920s still has a hold on America to this day. Economically, The 1920s are similar to the 2010s due to a thriving economy. Technology just like the 1920s, is evolving very fast in the 2010s with new inventions being created around the clock just like in the 1920s.