Describe the Twenties Era of American History
Describe the Twenties era of American history, paying particular attention to politics, economics, foreign policy, race relations, society, and culture.
The Twenties era in America was a period of dramatic social and political change, often nicknamed “The Roaring Twenties”, that helped to establish America as a world leader through its industry, inventions, and creativity. The second Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century, along with increasing prosperity post-World War I, had brought about a new wave of technology and products available to the growing middle class. The last American troops had returned from Europe to their families, friends, and jobs with experiences that had changed their perspective of life. After seeing Europe, they wanted some of the finer things in life for themselves and their families. For the first time in history, more Americans lived in the city rather than on farms. Railroads and other new forms of transportation, along with new vehicles for advertising and the spread of chain stores, caused people from all around the country to buy the same goods, listen to the same music, and even begin using the same form of “slang”. The country’s total wealth more than doubled, and this economic growth swept many Americans into a new and unfamiliar “consumer society”. With the passage of the 19th Amendment, women now had the right to vote and had finally attained some degree of the political equality that they had so long fought for. While the 20s saw progress towards social equality for some minority groups, including the 1924 law that made all American Indians citizens of the United States, most did not share in the new prosperity. The Fourteenth Amendment had already given African Americans citizenship in 1866, yet segregation continued to be an accepted practice in the South and many still lived in total poverty. Modern civil rights laws for minorities were still many years away. Many Americans were
The Twenties era in America was a period of dramatic social and political change, often nicknamed “The Roaring Twenties”, that helped to establish America as a world leader through its industry, inventions, and creativity. The second Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century, along with increasing prosperity post-World War I, had brought about a new wave of technology and products available to the growing middle class. The last American troops had returned from Europe to their families, friends, and jobs with experiences that had changed their perspective of life. After seeing Europe, they wanted some of the finer things in life for themselves and their families. For the first time in history, more Americans lived in the city rather than on farms. Railroads and other new forms of transportation, along with new vehicles for advertising and the spread of chain stores, caused people from all around the country to buy the same goods, listen to the same music, and even begin using the same form of “slang”. The country’s total wealth more than doubled, and this economic growth swept many Americans into a new and unfamiliar “consumer society”. With the passage of the 19th Amendment, women now had the right to vote and had finally attained some degree of the political equality that they had so long fought for. While the 20s saw progress towards social equality for some minority groups, including the 1924 law that made all American Indians citizens of the United States, most did not share in the new prosperity. The Fourteenth Amendment had already given African Americans citizenship in 1866, yet segregation continued to be an accepted practice in the South and many still lived in total poverty. Modern civil rights laws for minorities were still many years away. Many Americans were