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Roaring Twenties

 

             The 1920s has often been characterized as a period of American prosperity and high success in economy. The boom of the 20s included the innovation of the Model T-Ford, the radio and the movie. The social lives of Americans were experiencing a great change. In 1919 the Volstead act introduced the Prohibition, and all transport, selling and making of alcohol was made illegal. Consuming alcohol remained legal. Prohibitionists expected this to reduce death and crime rates, the solving of social problems and an improvement of the economy. However, in many cases the total opposite happened. This decade is known as one of great prosperity for many individual Americans and for the country as a whole. One of the major reasons for the boost in economy was the invention of the automobile by Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company. The majority of Americans at this time were comfortably wealthy, and very interested in modern conveniences. Aided by the expansion in consumer credit facilities most families in the 1920s enjoyed the freedom of owning a car. Women made a drastic impact on the 1920s, they wanted to be treated as equals and they demanded to be liberated. They cut their hair and shortened their hemlines exposing their knees, women wore darker makeup and were thought to be brazen or "loose." These women were called flappers and they wanted to drink, party and enjoy life. Women also win the right to vote, and are beginning to enter the workplace in increasing numbers in a variety of jobs. .
             Unfortunately, this decade also sees a rebirth of racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan soon has five million members and gains control or influence over many city and state governments. This comes to a head in 1925 with the 'Scopes Monkey Trial' in Tennessee, when biology teacher John Scopes is prosecuted for teaching the theory of evolution.There were many important events that occurred during the decade of the 1920s among these were prohibition, the invention of the automobile, women's liberation and the scopes monkey trail.


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