1920's: the Groundbreaking and Progressive Change in Us
The 1920’s was a period of groundbreaking and progressive change in the United States. Women’s roles in society changed and the economy experienced great growth as a result of innovative ideas and entrepreneurs. However, at the same time it was an era of intolerance and conservative ideas like prohibition. Women’s roles in society changed during the 1920’s. As a direct result of the war, the number of women in the workforce rose and they moved into better, higher-paying jobs. After the Nineteenth amendment was passed, all women were now allowed to vote. At first many women did not take advantage of this opportunity and didn’t even vote at all. Some felt they shouldn’t be allowed to vote, while others just lacked interest. Eventually toward the end of the decade, more women began to express their right to vote. Culturally, by mistake the rebellious flapper brought all women closer to their goal of greater equality with men. The flapper represented only a small portion of women in America but their impact was wide and greatly affected fashion and behavior (E). Dresses became shorter. So short that between 1913 and 1928, the average amount of fabric used to make a woman’s outfit shrank from 19.5 yards to just 7 yards.
Women’s manners changed during this time too. Prior to the 1920’s women considered “proper” rarely drank or smoked in public. But during the 1920s many women were doing both, mostly to express their new freedom. The cigarette production in the United States nearly doubled between 1918 and 1928. Women weren’t the only ones causing this dramatic increase in production but they accounted for a large part of the increase. These new changes shocked American society and enraged many parents.
Also the 1920’s was home to a growing consumer economy. This is when the economy depends on a large amount of spending by consumers-individuals who use, or consume, products. Increased spending will lead to greater profits for the businesses and then they can raise