Progressivism And Lawlessness In America
The post-World War I era of the United States proved to be one of the country’s most volatile times. After the end of the war, progressivism was ousted and newfound ideologies shaped American lifestyles. A shift toward lawlessness brought new changes that included nativist beliefs, prohibition laws, and the rise of gangsters. The 1920s also brought a time of new spending habits, urban trends, and cultural lifestyles. Eventually, the economy of the “roaring twenties” would not be sustainable, and unwise habits led to the stock market crash during 1929. While Americans enjoyed life and their newly discovered freedoms, the lifestyle of the previous decade would cause an economic collapse that would devastate the nation. Following the conclusion of World War I, America shifted away from Progressivism into a new approach of freedom and lawlessness.
The overall population grew tired of Progressive ideas, because taxes were too high and war debts were not paid. Civil unrest across the nation contributed to revolts against Socialism, laws against immigration, and Klan resurgence against minorities. Fear forced American citizens into panic while believing they were losing control of their country. Later on, fundamentalists spurred movements that led to the Prohibition, which banned the sale and transportation of liquor. They believed alcohol was against Biblical teachings, and they strictly adhered to a literal interpretation of the Bible. As a result of the Prohibition laws, speak easies became a popular source of illegal drinking. In order to obtain alcohol, vendors likely worked through various gangsters that were involved in bootlegging. The era of lawlessness spurred a volatile time period of carelessness that would contribute to the collapse of the American
economy. Throughout the 1920s, Americans began to indulge in leisure goods. The “roaring twenties” provided a birth of excess spending that consisted of drinking, partying, and gambling. While the United States experienced overindulgence in leisure activities, a cultural renaissance formulated the birth of urbanization, Americans move into cities, and urban areas provide a rebirth of music, art, and literature. During the “roaring twenties,” these newfound lifestyles provided entertainment at the expense of the overall economy, and eventually, America would suffer from the inability to repay their resulting debts. Economically, the 1920s proved to be one of the nation’s most volatile time periods. President Calvin Coolidge began his term supporting big corporations and lower taxes. As big businesses boomed, American citizens became more prosperous. Motion picture companies, radio companies, and automobile companies all benefitted from the economic boom, and more consumers were entering the market each day. Technological advances allowed the creation of upscale devices, such as the washing machine, that became staples in US households. As a result of the booming economy, an abundance of jobs were created, and this resulted in a drastic increase in spending on leisure goods. Installment buying allowed middle-class citizens to purchase goods that they could not afford by paying in different portions. However, the economic prosperity proved to be superficial, as the market crashed in 1929. As the market crashed, investors quickly sold off their shares. In an act of desperation, Americans began emptying their bank accounts, and without insurance, the banks could not repay a majority of the money. Although the President and Congress attempted to relieve the nation of economic devastation, the 1920s would close catastrophically. While the 1920s began with lawlessness and impulse spending, the decade appeared to be prosperous. The “roaring twenties” exemplified booming business, and the rise of urbanization brought new cultural rebirth. Society was comprised of consumerism, as careless spending on leisure goods became more popular. The new freedoms of prosperity and entertainment proved to be short lives, as the decade concluded with the stock market crash of 1929. The carelessness allowed the volatile markets to plummet in wake of extensive debt. Although the 1920s proved to be a learning experience for both the American economy and the citizens, the devastation of the market crash would leave a lasting imprint on society in the forthcoming years.
The overall population grew tired of Progressive ideas, because taxes were too high and war debts were not paid. Civil unrest across the nation contributed to revolts against Socialism, laws against immigration, and Klan resurgence against minorities. Fear forced American citizens into panic while believing they were losing control of their country. Later on, fundamentalists spurred movements that led to the Prohibition, which banned the sale and transportation of liquor. They believed alcohol was against Biblical teachings, and they strictly adhered to a literal interpretation of the Bible. As a result of the Prohibition laws, speak easies became a popular source of illegal drinking. In order to obtain alcohol, vendors likely worked through various gangsters that were involved in bootlegging. The era of lawlessness spurred a volatile time period of carelessness that would contribute to the collapse of the American
economy. Throughout the 1920s, Americans began to indulge in leisure goods. The “roaring twenties” provided a birth of excess spending that consisted of drinking, partying, and gambling. While the United States experienced overindulgence in leisure activities, a cultural renaissance formulated the birth of urbanization, Americans move into cities, and urban areas provide a rebirth of music, art, and literature. During the “roaring twenties,” these newfound lifestyles provided entertainment at the expense of the overall economy, and eventually, America would suffer from the inability to repay their resulting debts. Economically, the 1920s proved to be one of the nation’s most volatile time periods. President Calvin Coolidge began his term supporting big corporations and lower taxes. As big businesses boomed, American citizens became more prosperous. Motion picture companies, radio companies, and automobile companies all benefitted from the economic boom, and more consumers were entering the market each day. Technological advances allowed the creation of upscale devices, such as the washing machine, that became staples in US households. As a result of the booming economy, an abundance of jobs were created, and this resulted in a drastic increase in spending on leisure goods. Installment buying allowed middle-class citizens to purchase goods that they could not afford by paying in different portions. However, the economic prosperity proved to be superficial, as the market crashed in 1929. As the market crashed, investors quickly sold off their shares. In an act of desperation, Americans began emptying their bank accounts, and without insurance, the banks could not repay a majority of the money. Although the President and Congress attempted to relieve the nation of economic devastation, the 1920s would close catastrophically. While the 1920s began with lawlessness and impulse spending, the decade appeared to be prosperous. The “roaring twenties” exemplified booming business, and the rise of urbanization brought new cultural rebirth. Society was comprised of consumerism, as careless spending on leisure goods became more popular. The new freedoms of prosperity and entertainment proved to be short lives, as the decade concluded with the stock market crash of 1929. The carelessness allowed the volatile markets to plummet in wake of extensive debt. Although the 1920s proved to be a learning experience for both the American economy and the citizens, the devastation of the market crash would leave a lasting imprint on society in the forthcoming years.