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Chapter 23: The Jazz Age . US History - HOnors. The 1920s was a decade of great prosperity and productivity Republican tax cuts and limited involvement in the economy encouraged investment Wages increased as companies made better profits - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
US HISTORY - HONORS
Chapter 23: The Jazz Age
PROSPERITY The 1920s was a decade of great prosperity and
productivity Republican tax cuts and limited involvement in the
economy encouraged investment Wages increased as companies made better profits Electricity became common in most homes, leading to household
appliances like washing machines, vacuums, and radios Much of the success was the result of scientific
management All tasks could be broken down into smaller tasks that people
specialized in This cut down the amount of time that it took for products to be
made, increasing production The automobile industry was a perfect example of scientific
management
HENRY FORD AND THE AUTOMOBILE The first automobiles were produced in the 1890s, but
Henry Ford revolutionized the industry Ford Motor Company created in 1903 Introduced the Model T in 1908
Ford perfected the assembly line to cut production times People stood in a particular area and completed a specific task
in the building of the car By 1914, over 250,000 Model Ts were sold a year Other companies followed suit
To provide for the auto industry, many other industries also prospered Glass, rubber, steel, and other industries blossomed Over 1 million were employed in the auto industry in some way
by 1929
FORD’S EFFECT ON AMERICA Ford also revolutionized working conditions for his
employees Guaranteed an 8 hour workday Paid $5 a day However, Ford was a stickler not only at work, but
monitored his employees’ home lives as well The booming auto industry changed the American
landscape People could buy a new car for $800 Service and gas stations sprang up throughout the nation People could travel easier, thus roads were built and
motels opened to accomodate tourists
HENRY FORD AND THE MODEL T
CONSUMER AMERICA The prosperity of American in the 1920s created a
nation of consumers For the first time, people could buy products on credit
Companies offered installment plans for various products This led to the creation of credit cards Companies competed for the nation’s business through
advertising Companies continued to use newspapers, magazines and
billboards, as they had before However, the new medium of radio was the mode of
advertising choice Jingles, slogans, and celebrity endorsements became common
Some companies expanded the locations, having stores throughout the country
PROHIBITION The 18th Amendment (1919) outlawed the manufacture, sale,
distribution and consumption of alcohol The law was very hard to enforce and created a unique
American culture in the 1920s The Volstead Act of 1919 was passed to enforce the law
People could obtain alcohol in different ways Speakeasies were illegal bars Bootleggers smuggled alcohol into the US from Canada and other
places Some people made their own liquor (“moonshine”)
Organized crime became rampant Most notorious was Chicago’s Al Capone Led by Eliot Ness, his group of detectives, the Untouchables, tried for
years to convict Capone, to no avail Finally, in 1931, Capone was sent to prison for tax evasion
The amendment was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment
YOUTH CULTURE OF THE 1920S The younger generation began to openly reject
the values and morals of previous generations Women were especially open to change
The “new woman” of the 1920s was the “flapper” Not all women became flappers, but the flapper
symbolized the 1920s Flappers were very different than women before
Short, bobbed hair Shorter skirts Career minded and bold in manners and style
More and more people began to attend college
THE FLAPPER
ENTERTAINMENT Radio: first stations went on the air in 1920
Played a variety of programs, such as music, sports, and news Companies such as NBC were created Millions were made by selling advertising slots
Movies: became easier to produce and hundreds were made a year The earlier part of the decade was dominated by silent films and stars
such as Charlie Chaplin In 1927, the first “talkie” was produced
Sports: both professional and college athletics Football and baseball were the most popular
Stars like Red Grange, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth became heroes to many
Books and Magazines: reading was a popular pastime New weeklies and monthlies like Reader’s Digest were printed for the
first time
CELEBRITIES AND HEROES Sport stars were among the many heroes of Americans
Babe Ruth (“Sultan of Swat”) Jim Thorpe, a Native American multisport star, also competed
in the Olympics Movie stars were emulated One of the biggest of the decade was Charles Lindbergh
Pilot that flew mail between St. Louis and Chicago Became the first person to fly non stop from New York to Paris
in 1927 Took 33.5 hours to fly his plane the Spirit of St. Louis Inspired Amelia Earhart to become the first woman to do it the
following year
STARS OF THE 1920S
STARS OF THE 1920S
RELIGION OF THE 1920S Because of the decline morals of the decade, preachers
began to stress a revival of faith Fundamentalism developed as preachers insisted that the
words of the Bible should be taken literally Claimed that scientific development and liberal thought
“weakened” Christianity In 1925, a trial in Tennessee tested fundamentalism
The theory of evolution was banned from schools in TN John Scopes was accused of teaching the theory Clarence Darrow represented Scopes, while William Jennings
Bryan represented the prosecution The Scopes trial divide views on religious fundamentalism and
freedom of expression Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 However, the trial weakened support for fundamentalism
MUSIC OF THE 1920S The new music craze was jazz
Jazz was hybrid of musical styles popular among black musicians of the south
Ragtime, spirituals, and West African rhythms were the basis, as well as blues
Louis Armstrong was one of the first and most influential musicians
Duke Ellington also had a strong influence on the style
Both artists took jazz to the north, where it quickly gained popularity
The popularity of the music is the reason why the 1920s is considered the “Jazz Age”
JAZZ MUSICIANS
HARLEM RENAISSANCE The predominantly black neighborhood of
Harlem, NY was the site of an influential movement in the arts
This movement was known as the Harlem Renaissance Theater: actors, playwrights and singers gained
popularity Literature: poets and novelists wrote stories that
described what it was like being black in America Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston were among
the most famous
THE LOST GENERATION At the same time the Harlem
Renaissance took place, another literary movement occurred Ernest Hemingway dubbed the movement
the Lost Generation Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald,
among others, wrote stories of disillusionment and criticized the new America Conformity, materialism and close-
mindedness were common targets
THE ARTS Painting and photography were common
forms of expression Much of the influence came from Mexican
artists like Diego Rivera and their elaborate murals that depicted industrial development
Architecture also changed, especially with the boom of skyscraper building in cities
Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the most influential architects of the time
THE ARTS