The Events of The Roaring 1920's

Better Know a Decade: 71920 The b» Prisate Island O THE EVENTS. hfffinfifitnifin O The 18th Amendment goes into effect, prohibiting the sale of alcohol in the United States (1920). O The 19th Amendment is passed, guaranteeing WOmen the constitutional right to vote in elections (1920). O The World Series is broadcast coast-to-coast for the first time on the radio (1921). Radio will go on to revolutionize world communications. O Yankee Stadium is built in New York City (1923). O The Great Gatsby is published by E. Scott Fitzgerald (1925). It will come to be considered one of the greatest Åmerican novels ever written. O The Charleston hits the peak of its popularity (1926). O Charles Lindbergh Completes the first ever trans-Atlantic solo flight in his plane, "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1927). O Mickey Mouse is first introduced by Walt Disney in the cartoon “Steamboat Willie" (1928). O Herbert Hoover is elected the 31st President of the United States of America (1928). O The Stock Market Crashes after nine years of steady growth, creating an economic erisis and ushering in the Great Depression (1929). O Gangster Al Capone allegedly commits the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, IL (1929). THE ICONS. FLAPPERSS “New Women" Heavily influenced by French culture, Flappers challenged traditional gender norms by working, driving cars and dancing The popularization of Jazz provocatively. The Jazz Age music gave birth to a new cultural ideology of uninhíbited good times, Access to new scientific and technological innovations, particularly the automobile characterized by late-night and new forms of birth control, opened up a whole new world of social and sexual freedom to young parties in illegal “Speak- easies" and the wild (and, at the time, scandalous) Dew dance, the Charleston. Women in the 1920's. A Culture At War Many older suffragettes saw their promiscuity and generally vapid demeanor as a discrace to the hard-WOn victories of the women's movement of the previous decades. GANGSTERS Bootleggers Prohibition, though a well-meaning law, had the unforeseen side-effect of creating a very lucrative alcohol- smuggling business for organized criminals. Many notorious families began their days as bootleggers --even Joseph P. Kennedy, father of the great American president John E. Kennedy, is rumored to have gotten his start as a bootlegger during Prohibition. Scarface Perhaps the most infamous gangster of the 1920's is Al Capone, known as "Scarface" for the three distinctive scars he got on his cheek during an altercation with the brother of a woman he insulted while working the door of a New York nightcluh. Capone is particularly Temembered for his suspecled involvement in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, where Capone's men, disguised as police officers, gunned down seEren members of the rival North Side Gang led by Bugsy Moran. No charges were ever filed over this incident, despite public outrage, but Capone was eventually jailed on charges of tax evasion. A Taste of What's To Come Due largely to the unintended eflecls of Prohibition on fostering organized crime, the So-called “Roaring 20's" were followed by the "Dirty 30's", a decade remembered for rampant gang activity. With the onset of the Great Depression, the smaller crime families folded or coalesced into powerful new criminal syndicates. O THE ISSUES. OTECHNOLOGY Innovations: Radio broadcasting The Thompson Submachine Gun (Tommy Gun) Motion pictures with sound (Talkies) Affordable automobiles New forms of birth control Consequences: "Mass Culture"-nationwide advertising and retail New age of prosperity for America Cultural dlash between old & new generations O ORGANIZED CRIME Causes: $ Conservative backlash against cultural change $ Prohibition and other anti-vice laws $ llegal “Speakeasies" selling liquor $ Massive economic growth Effects: Establishment of extensive liquor & gambling rackets Organization of small-time gangs into crime families Political corruption as crime bosses expand their influence Foundation laid for decades of government anti-gang conflict OECONOMIC BOOM & COLLAPSE . Causes: Development of many new technologies Greatly expanded industry after World War I Unprecedented exchange of goods & ideas with Europe Reckless market speculation based on 9 year upward trend Effects: Speculation “bubble" bursts; stock market turns down Panicked investors sell shares en masse, damaging market Beginning of Great Depression Big gangsters cement their hold on the American underworld Sources Alainby, Horand "Onanised Crine" Kinit Eition dmri, 200. kurgan, Midad "The Great Deureasion" Compa Pint Beoka, 2002. Mille, kathn Ten Wrd Ceming:The 1300 andthe MNa king ofModerm America"In kt Bakna, 2003 Better Know a Decade: 71920 The b» Prisate Island O THE EVENTS. hfffinfifitnifin O The 18th Amendment goes into effect, prohibiting the sale of alcohol in the United States (1920). O The 19th Amendment is passed, guaranteeing WOmen the constitutional right to vote in elections (1920). O The World Series is broadcast coast-to-coast for the first time on the radio (1921). Radio will go on to revolutionize world communications. O Yankee Stadium is built in New York City (1923). O The Great Gatsby is published by E. Scott Fitzgerald (1925). It will come to be considered one of the greatest Åmerican novels ever written. O The Charleston hits the peak of its popularity (1926). O Charles Lindbergh Completes the first ever trans-Atlantic solo flight in his plane, "The Spirit of St. Louis" 1927). O Mickey Mouse is first introduced by Walt Disney in the cartoon “Steamboat Willie" (1928). O Herbert Hoover is elected the 31st President of the United States of America (1928). O The Stock Market Crashes after nine years of steady growth, creating an economic erisis and ushering in the Great Depression (1929). O Gangster Al Capone allegedly commits the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, IL (1929). THE ICONS. FLAPPERSS “New Women" Heavily influenced by French culture, Flappers challenged traditional gender norms by working, driving cars and dancing The popularization of Jazz provocatively. The Jazz Age music gave birth to a new cultural ideology of uninhíbited good times, Access to new scientific and technological innovations, particularly the automobile characterized by late-night and new forms of birth control, opened up a whole new world of social and sexual freedom to young parties in illegal “Speak- easies" and the wild (and, at the time, scandalous) Dew dance, the Charleston. Women in the 1920's. A Culture At War Many older suffragettes saw their promiscuity and generally vapid demeanor as a discrace to the hard-WOn victories of the women's movement of the previous decades. GANGSTERS Bootleggers Prohibition, though a well-meaning law, had the unforeseen side-effect of creating a very lucrative alcohol- smuggling business for organized criminals. Many notorious families began their days as bootleggers --even Joseph P. Kennedy, father of the great American president John E. Kennedy, is rumored to have gotten his start as a bootlegger during Prohibition. Scarface Perhaps the most infamous gangster of the 1920's is Al Capone, known as "Scarface" for the three distinctive scars he got on his cheek during an altercation with the brother of a woman he insulted while working the door of a New York nightcluh. Capone is particularly Temembered for his suspecled involvement in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, where Capone's men, disguised as police officers, gunned down seEren members of the rival North Side Gang led by Bugsy Moran. No charges were ever filed over this incident, despite public outrage, but Capone was eventually jailed on charges of tax evasion. A Taste of What's To Come Due largely to the unintended eflecls of Prohibition on fostering organized crime, the So-called “Roaring 20's" were followed by the "Dirty 30's", a decade remembered for rampant gang activity. With the onset of the Great Depression, the smaller crime families folded or coalesced into powerful new criminal syndicates. O THE ISSUES. OTECHNOLOGY Innovations: Radio broadcasting The Thompson Submachine Gun (Tommy Gun) Motion pictures with sound (Talkies) Affordable automobiles New forms of birth control Consequences: "Mass Culture"-nationwide advertising and retail New age of prosperity for America Cultural dlash between old & new generations O ORGANIZED CRIME Causes: $ Conservative backlash against cultural change $ Prohibition and other anti-vice laws $ llegal “Speakeasies" selling liquor $ Massive economic growth Effects: Establishment of extensive liquor & gambling rackets Organization of small-time gangs into crime families Political corruption as crime bosses expand their influence Foundation laid for decades of government anti-gang conflict OECONOMIC BOOM & COLLAPSE . Causes: Development of many new technologies Greatly expanded industry after World War I Unprecedented exchange of goods & ideas with Europe Reckless market speculation based on 9 year upward trend Effects: Speculation “bubble" bursts; stock market turns down Panicked investors sell shares en masse, damaging market Beginning of Great Depression Big gangsters cement their hold on the American underworld Sources Alainby, Horand "Onanised Crine" Kinit Eition dmri, 200. kurgan, Midad "The Great Deureasion" Compa Pint Beoka, 2002. Mille, kathn Ten Wrd Ceming:The 1300 andthe MNa king ofModerm America"In kt Bakna, 2003