The Roaring Twenties

TL;DR

The Roaring Twenties (1920-1929) was a decade of cultural and social change, characterized by economic prosperity, technological advancements, and a newfound sense of freedom and individualism. It was a time of jazz music, flapper fashion, and illegal alcohol production and consumption. However, the decade ended with the stock market crash of 1929, leading to the onset of the Great Depression.

Five Minute Fill

The Roaring Twenties was a time of significant change in American society and culture. After the end of World War I, the economy began to boom with a surge of new industries and technological advancements. This, in turn, led to a time of great prosperity and an increase in consumerism. As people began to spend more money, the entertainment industry flourished. Jazz music became increasingly popular, and speakeasies, illegal bars that served alcohol, began to appear. Women began to enter the workforce in larger numbers and embraced new styles of fashion, such as shorter skirts and bobbed haircuts.

One of the most significant events that defined the Roaring Twenties was the passage of the 18th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol. However, this did not stop people from finding ways around the law and consuming alcohol, fueling the rise of organized crime and figures such as Al Capone. The prohibition era also gave rise to political movements that called for the amendment to be repealed, as the majority of Americans had no interest in following the law.

The Roaring Twenties was also a time of great strides in women's rights and the feminist movement. Women had just won the right to vote with the passage of the 19th amendment, and this newfound sense of political empowerment led many women to push for greater equality in all aspects of life. Women began entering previously male-dominated professions, such as medicine and law, and pushed back against societal expectations for how they should dress and behave. The flapper image, with its short skirts and bobbed hair, became emblematic of this new sense of freedom and individualism.

Finally, the end of the Roaring Twenties was characterized by increased economic instability, culminating in the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the onset of the Great Depression. As banks began to fail and people lost their life savings, the mood of the country shifted from one of celebration and prosperity to one of fear and uncertainty. While the Roaring Twenties was a time of great cultural and social change, it was also one that ultimately had a significant impact on the lives of those who lived through it.