🇺🇸Honors US History Unit 10 – Roaring 20s & Great Depression

Key Events and Timeline

• The Roaring Twenties began in 1920 and ended with the stock market crash of 1929
• Prohibition started in 1920 with the 18th Amendment banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol
• The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement celebrating African American art and literature, flourished in the 1920s
• The Scopes "Monkey" Trial in 1925 debated the teaching of evolution in public schools
• Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927
• The stock market crash on October 29, 1929 ("Black Tuesday") marked the beginning of the Great Depression
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 12% of its value on this day alone
  • Over $30 billion in stock value was lost in the crash
• President Herbert Hoover's term (1929-1933) was marked by the deepening economic crisis and rising unemployment
• Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932 and launched the New Deal to combat the Great Depression

Social and Cultural Changes

• The 1920s saw a rise in consumerism and mass culture, driven by new technologies and advertising
• Women's roles began to change, with more entering the workforce and gaining the right to vote (19th Amendment, 1920)
  • Flappers, young women who embraced short skirts, bobbed hair, and a more liberated lifestyle, symbolized changing gender norms
• The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African American culture and creativity in literature, music, and art
  • Notable figures included Langston Hughes (poetry), Duke Ellington (jazz), and Zora Neale Hurston (literature)
• Prohibition led to the rise of speakeasies, bootlegging, and organized crime
• The "Lost Generation" of writers, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, captured the disillusionment of the post-World War I era
• The Great Migration saw millions of African Americans move from the rural South to urban centers in the North and Midwest
• The Scopes Trial highlighted the divide between modernism and traditionalism, particularly regarding the teaching of evolution

Economic Boom and Bust

• The 1920s experienced significant economic growth, driven by new technologies, mass production, and rising consumer spending
  • The automobile industry, led by Henry Ford's assembly line production, expanded rapidly
  • New consumer goods like radios, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners became widely available
• Stock market speculation and buying on margin (borrowing money to invest) became widespread
• The agricultural sector struggled due to overproduction, falling prices, and increased mechanization
• The stock market crash of 1929 triggered the Great Depression, the worst economic downturn in U.S. history
  • Unemployment rose to 25% by 1933
  • Bank failures, business closures, and deflation led to widespread poverty and hardship
• President Hoover's laissez-faire approach to the economy proved ineffective in addressing the crisis
• The Dust Bowl, caused by severe drought and poor farming practices, devastated the Great Plains region in the 1930s

Political Landscape

• The 1920s were dominated by Republican presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover
  • Harding's administration was marred by scandals, including the Teapot Dome scandal involving oil reserve leases
• The Coolidge administration favored a hands-off approach to the economy and limited government intervention
• The 1928 presidential election saw Republican Herbert Hoover defeat Democrat Al Smith
• The onset of the Great Depression and Hoover's inadequate response led to growing public discontent
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, elected in 1932, promised a "New Deal" to address the economic crisis
  • Roosevelt's first 100 days in office saw a flurry of legislation aimed at relief, recovery, and reform
  • New Deal programs included the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA), and the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA)
• Critics of the New Deal, such as Huey Long and Father Charles Coughlin, advocated for more radical economic and political reforms

Technological Advancements

• The 1920s saw significant advancements in technology, transforming daily life and the economy
• The widespread adoption of the automobile revolutionized transportation and spurred the growth of related industries (rubber, steel, glass)
  • By 1929, there were over 23 million registered vehicles in the United States
• Radio broadcasting expanded rapidly, with the first commercial radio station (KDKA) beginning operations in 1920
  • By 1930, 40% of American households owned a radio
• Motion pictures transitioned from silent films to "talkies" with synchronized sound
  • The first feature-length talkie, "The Jazz Singer," was released in 1927
• Advancements in household appliances, such as electric refrigerators and washing machines, made domestic life more convenient
• The development of the assembly line by Henry Ford revolutionized mass production and made consumer goods more affordable
• Air travel began to expand, with the first scheduled passenger airline service launched in 1926
• The invention of the mechanical cotton picker in the 1920s had significant implications for agriculture and labor in the South

Art and Literature

• The 1920s saw a flourishing of artistic and literary movements, reflecting the era's social and cultural changes
• The Harlem Renaissance celebrated African American culture and creativity
  • Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay were prominent poets of the movement
  • Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) is a classic of the era
• The "Lost Generation" of writers, disillusioned by World War I, included Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein
  • Hemingway's novels "The Sun Also Rises" (1926) and "A Farewell to Arms" (1929) captured the spirit of the times
  • Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" (1925) critiqued the era's materialism and decadence
• Art Deco, characterized by geometric shapes and sleek, modern design, influenced architecture, fashion, and visual arts
  • The Chrysler Building (1930) and the Empire State Building (1931) are iconic examples of Art Deco architecture
• The rise of jazz music, with artists like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, shaped the soundscape of the 1920s
• Surrealism, an artistic movement emphasizing the subconscious and dream-like imagery, emerged in the 1920s
  • Salvador Dalí's paintings, such as "The Persistence of Memory" (1931), exemplify the surrealist style

Impact on Different Demographics

• The 1920s and 1930s had varying impacts on different segments of the American population
• Women made gains in the 1920s, with increased participation in the workforce and political life
  • The 19th Amendment (1920) granted women the right to vote nationwide
  • However, the Great Depression led to a backlash against women's employment, as they were often seen as taking jobs from men
• African Americans faced ongoing discrimination and segregation, despite the cultural flowering of the Harlem Renaissance
  • The Great Migration led to increased racial tensions and violence, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921
  • The Great Depression hit African American communities particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and poverty
• Immigrants, particularly those from Southern and Eastern Europe, faced restrictive quotas and nativist sentiment
  • The Immigration Act of 1924 severely limited immigration from these regions
• Farmers and rural communities struggled throughout the 1920s due to overproduction, falling prices, and increased mechanization
  • The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression led to widespread poverty and displacement in rural areas
• Industrial workers faced layoffs, wage cuts, and poor working conditions during the Great Depression
  • Labor unrest and strikes, such as the 1934 textile workers' strike, aimed to improve conditions and bargaining power
• The New Deal programs of the 1930s aimed to provide relief and support for struggling Americans
  • The Social Security Act (1935) established old-age pensions and unemployment insurance
  • The Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) set a minimum wage and maximum work hours

Legacy and Historical Significance

• The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression had far-reaching impacts on American society, politics, and culture
• The 1920s saw significant social and cultural changes, including the rise of consumerism, changing gender roles, and the flourishing of African American culture
  • These changes laid the groundwork for future social movements and cultural shifts
• The economic boom of the 1920s, driven by technological advancements and mass production, transformed the American economy and way of life
  • However, the unequal distribution of wealth and the speculative nature of the stock market contributed to the onset of the Great Depression
• The Great Depression was a defining moment in American history, exposing the vulnerabilities of the economy and the need for government intervention
  • The New Deal, launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, represented a significant expansion of the federal government's role in the economy and social welfare
  • Many New Deal programs, such as Social Security and labor regulations, continue to shape American life today
• The 1920s and 1930s also saw the rise of new political ideologies and movements, such as socialism and populism
  • The challenges of the Great Depression fueled debates over the proper role of government in the economy and society
• The cultural and artistic movements of the era, such as the Harlem Renaissance and the "Lost Generation," left a lasting impact on American literature, music, and art
  • These movements continue to inspire and influence artists and scholars today
• The experiences of different demographic groups during this period, including women, African Americans, immigrants, and workers, shaped future struggles for civil rights and social justice
  • The legacies of discrimination, segregation, and economic inequality continue to resonate in contemporary American society