Chapter 7: The Twenties (1919–1929)
Summary
A large economic boom in the 1920s was sparked largely by the automobile industry. World War I impacted American foreign policy in the 1920's, causing the government to work with other countries to collect war debts and prevent future wars. A noticeable divide appeared between urban and rural areas in the United States, as modern views spread in cities. African Americans, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants had endured some discrimination. Americans were divided over the Eighteenth Amendment, which made it illegal to manufacture or sell alcohol anywhere in the country.Americans had more free time on their hands to engage in leisure activities. Women's roles changed as they were given more social and political opportunities. After World War I, new styles and ideas had appeared in many artistic and literary works. African American writers and artists expressed racial and cultural views, leaving a lasting impact on how all Americans viewed African Americans.
Chapter Outline
Section 1: A Booming Economy. The mass production of automobiles changed the U.S. economy, creating new industries. Easier travel gave Americans a new sense of freedom. New consumer goods, methods of buying, and advertising appeared. The stock market boomed.
Section 2: The Business of Government. Presidents Harding and Coolidge followed a laissez-faire policy that allowed business to grow during the 1920s. Much of the wealth focused on the stock market. There were major scandals in the Harding administration.
Section 3: Social and Cultural Tensions. A major cultural divide existed between the modernism found in cities and the fundamentalism that dominated rural America. Disputes over Prohibition, education, and immigration illustrated this divide.
Section 4: A New Mass Culture. Americans had more leisure time than ever before. Radio, phonograph records, movies, and sports heroes created a new popular culture. Writers and artists searched for new truths and forms of expression.
Section 5: The Harlem Renaissance. The Roaring Twenties were also called the Jazz Age. This uniquely American musical form began with African Americans and gained worldwide popularity. Marcus Garvey and the writers of the Harlem Renaissance expressed a new sense of pride in African American culture.
A large economic boom in the 1920s was sparked largely by the automobile industry. World War I impacted American foreign policy in the 1920's, causing the government to work with other countries to collect war debts and prevent future wars. A noticeable divide appeared between urban and rural areas in the United States, as modern views spread in cities. African Americans, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants had endured some discrimination. Americans were divided over the Eighteenth Amendment, which made it illegal to manufacture or sell alcohol anywhere in the country.Americans had more free time on their hands to engage in leisure activities. Women's roles changed as they were given more social and political opportunities. After World War I, new styles and ideas had appeared in many artistic and literary works. African American writers and artists expressed racial and cultural views, leaving a lasting impact on how all Americans viewed African Americans.
Chapter Outline
Section 1: A Booming Economy. The mass production of automobiles changed the U.S. economy, creating new industries. Easier travel gave Americans a new sense of freedom. New consumer goods, methods of buying, and advertising appeared. The stock market boomed.
Section 2: The Business of Government. Presidents Harding and Coolidge followed a laissez-faire policy that allowed business to grow during the 1920s. Much of the wealth focused on the stock market. There were major scandals in the Harding administration.
Section 3: Social and Cultural Tensions. A major cultural divide existed between the modernism found in cities and the fundamentalism that dominated rural America. Disputes over Prohibition, education, and immigration illustrated this divide.
Section 4: A New Mass Culture. Americans had more leisure time than ever before. Radio, phonograph records, movies, and sports heroes created a new popular culture. Writers and artists searched for new truths and forms of expression.
Section 5: The Harlem Renaissance. The Roaring Twenties were also called the Jazz Age. This uniquely American musical form began with African Americans and gained worldwide popularity. Marcus Garvey and the writers of the Harlem Renaissance expressed a new sense of pride in African American culture.
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