The New The New EraEra1920s1920s

The New The New EraEra1920s1920s

Life cover, July 1, 1926

"One Hundred and Forty-three Years of LIBERTY and Seven Years of PROHIBITION."

(Private Collection)

Life cover, July 1, 1926Life cover, July 1, 1926Life cover, July 1, 1926Life cover, July 1, 1926

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

GUIDING QUESTIONSGUIDING QUESTIONSGUIDING QUESTIONSGUIDING QUESTIONS

What aspects of life created the What aspects of life created the reputation of the “Roaring 20s”?reputation of the “Roaring 20s”?

In what ways and to what degree In what ways and to what degree were the 1920s a period of were the 1920s a period of tension between new and tension between new and changing attitudes on the one changing attitudes on the one hand and traditional values on hand and traditional values on the other. the other. (Consider Race relations, immigration/ nativism, role of women, consumerism)

BUSINEBUSINESSSSBOOMBOOM

BUSINEBUSINESSSSBOOMBOOM

BUSINESS BUSINESS PROSPERITYPROSPERITYBUSINESS BUSINESS PROSPERITYPROSPERITYECONOMIC PROSPERITY:

productivity: up 50%unemployment: 4-9-12%? real income: up 25%standard of living:

indoor plumbing central heatingelectricity (2/3 by 1930)

CAUSES OF BUSINESS PROSPERITY: Increased productivity (scientific management, machinery)

Increased use of oil and electricity Favorable government policy (tax breaks, antitrust)

Gross National Gross National Product, 1920-1930Product, 1920-1930

Unemployment, 1920-1930

Automobiles & Automobiles & Industrial Industrial ExpansionExpansion

Automobiles & Automobiles & Industrial Industrial ExpansionExpansion

Henry Ford‘fordism’

Ford Highland Park assembly line, 1928(From the Collections of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village)

“Trying out the new assembly line“ Detroit, 1913Henry Ford (1835-

1947)

1913: 14 hours to build a new car1928: New Ford off assembly line every 10 seconds

1913: car=2 yrs wages1929: 3 mos. wages

Auto Auto Manufacturing Manufacturing Auto Auto Manufacturing Manufacturing

PROBLEMS FOR PROBLEMS FOR WORKERSWORKERS Income Income Distribution, 1929Distribution, 1929

PROBLEMS FOR PROBLEMS FOR WORKERSWORKERS Income Income Distribution, 1929Distribution, 1929

65%29%

5%

1%

Source: Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970

40% of all U.S. families lived on >$1,500 per year – in poverty range

PROBLEMS FOR PROBLEMS FOR FARMERSFARMERSPROBLEMS FOR PROBLEMS FOR FARMERSFARMERSMechanization

Farm income down 66%

TILLING ONE ACRE OF LANDTILLING ONE ACRE OF LAND1900: 90 mins. using 5 horses 1929: 30 mins. using a 27-hp tractor2000: 5 mins. using a 154-hp tractor

PRODUCING 100 BUSHELS OF WHEAT PRODUCING 100 BUSHELS OF WHEAT ON 5 ACRESON 5 ACRES1890s: 40-50 labor hours 1930: 15-20 labor hours

SOCIETY, SOCIETY, CULTURE CULTURE & VALUES& VALUES

SOCIETY, SOCIETY, CULTURE CULTURE & VALUES& VALUES

Farm vs. Nonfarm Population, Farm vs. Nonfarm Population, 1880-19801880-1980Farm vs. Nonfarm Population, Farm vs. Nonfarm Population, 1880-19801880-1980

1920 CENSUS:

First time majority of U.S. population in urban areas (towns 2500 or greater)

1920: More workers in factories than on farms

1930: Still 44% live in rural areas

CONSUMERICONSUMERISMSMCONSUMERICONSUMERISMSM

(electric) appliancesautomobilesadvertising (image vs. utility)

buying on creditchain stores

ConsumeConsumer Debt, r Debt, 1920–1920–19311931

General Electric ad (Picture Research Consultants & Archives)

CONSUMERISM: CONSUMERISM: Impact of the Impact of the

AutomobileAutomobile

CONSUMERISM: CONSUMERISM: Impact of the Impact of the

AutomobileAutomobile

Replaced the railroad as the key promoter of economic growth (steel, glass, rubber, gasoline, highways)

Daily life: commuting, shopping, traveling, “courting”

Increase in sales: 1913 - 1.2 million registered; 1929 - 26.5 million registered (=almost one per family)

Passenger Car Passenger Car Sales, 1920-Sales, 1920-19291929

Filling Station, Maryland in Filling Station, Maryland in 19211921

Impact of the Automobile: Impact of the Automobile: Trains and Automobiles, 1900-Trains and Automobiles, 1900-19801980

Impact of the Automobile: Impact of the Automobile: Trains and Automobiles, 1900-Trains and Automobiles, 1900-19801980

Jones, Created Equal

AutomobilesAutomobiles & &

ConsumerismConsumerismAutomobilesAutomobiles & &

ConsumerismConsumerism

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved

<< Ford ad:Ford ad: “Every family -- with even the most modest income, can now afford a car of their own."

“Every family should have their own car. . .You live but once and the years roll by quickly. Why wait for tomorrow for things that you rightfully should enjoy today?"

(Library of Congress)

Dodge advertisement photo, 1933Dodge advertisement photo, 1933

CONSUMERISCONSUMERISM &M & Automobiles Automobiles

CONSUMERISCONSUMERISM &M & Automobiles Automobiles

Chevrolet Chevrolet AdvertisemeAdvertisement 1925nt 1925

Ford Motor Ford Motor Company Company showroom 1925showroom 1925

July 4, Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, July 4, Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, early 1920searly 1920sJuly 4, Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, July 4, Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts, early 1920searly 1920s

MASS MASS CULTURE: CULTURE: RadioRadio

MASS MASS CULTURE: CULTURE: RadioRadio

New mass medium

1920: First commercial radio station By 1930: over 800 stations & 10 million radios

Networks: NBC (1924), CBS (1927)

The Spread of The Spread of Radio, to 1939Radio, to 1939

ROLE OF WOMEN:ROLE OF WOMEN:the “New Woman”the “New Woman”ROLE OF WOMEN:ROLE OF WOMEN:the “New Woman”the “New Woman”

the “New Woman”“pink collar” jobs

Women’s fashions, 1920Women’s fashions, 1920Women in the Workforce, 1900-1940

SOCIAL & SOCIAL & CULTURAL CULTURAL CONFLICTCONFLICTSS

SOCIAL & SOCIAL & CULTURAL CULTURAL CONFLICTCONFLICTSS

ReligionReligionReligionReligion

“modernists”“fundamentalism”Scopes Trial

SOCIAL & CULTURAL SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:CONFLICTS:

ProhibitionProhibition

SOCIAL & CULTURAL SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:CONFLICTS:

ProhibitionProhibitionProhibition “wets and dries”

Al Capone

Alphonse “Scarface” CaponeAlphonse “Scarface” CaponeGovernment agents breaking up an illegal bar during ProhibitionGovernment agents breaking up an illegal bar during Prohibition

SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS: SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:

Xenophobia and Racial Xenophobia and Racial UnrestUnrest

SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS: SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:

Xenophobia and Racial Xenophobia and Racial UnrestUnrest

National Origin Act of 1924: limited number of immigrants entering the US

Number of Number of Immigrants and Immigrants and Countries of Countries of Origin, 1891-1920 Origin, 1891-1920 and 1921-1940and 1921-1940

Percentage of Population Foreign Born, Percentage of Population Foreign Born, 1850-19901850-1990

Immigration, 1921-1960Immigration, 1921-1960Immigration, 1921-1960Immigration, 1921-1960

SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS: SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:

Xenophobia and Racial Xenophobia and Racial UnrestUnrest

SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS: SOCIAL & CULTURAL CONFLICTS:

Xenophobia and Racial Xenophobia and Racial UnrestUnrest

Birth of a Nation - D.W. Griffith

“new” Ku Klux KlanLeo Frank

(Picture Research Consultants & Archives)

Ku Klux Klan initiation, 1923. The Klan opposed all who were not “true Americans”. (c) 2000 IRC

African American African American Population, 1920Population, 1920African American African American Population, 1920Population, 1920

Ku Ku KluKlux x KlaKlann

Ku Ku KluKlux x KlaKlann

(mid-1920s)

(Private Collection)

Copyright 1997 State Historical Society of Wisconsin

Ku Klux Ku Klux KlanKlanKu Klux Ku Klux KlanKlan

Ku Klux Klan parade in Ku Klux Klan parade in Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 19261926

BUSINESS – BUSINESS – FRIENDLY FRIENDLY GOVERNMEGOVERNMENTNT

BUSINESS – BUSINESS – FRIENDLY FRIENDLY GOVERNMEGOVERNMENTNT

BUSINESS – FRIENDLY BUSINESS – FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENTBUSINESS – FRIENDLY BUSINESS – FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Calvin Coolidge“The business of America is business”

President Calvin CoolidgePresident Calvin Coolidge Coolidge throwing out first pitch 1924Coolidge throwing out first pitch 1924

BUSINESS – FRIENDLY BUSINESS – FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENTBUSINESS – FRIENDLY BUSINESS – FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Herbert HooverAl Smith

Herbert Herbert HooverHoover

Election Election of 1928of 1928

Hoover, Ford, Edison, and Firestone

Feb 11, 1929

Hoover, Ford, Edison, and Firestone

Feb 11, 1929

The Great The Great CrashCrashThe Great The Great CrashCrash

Stock Market Prices, 1921–Stock Market Prices, 1921–19321932

Stock Market crash: October 24, 1929 (Corbis-Bettmann)

New York Times, Friday, October 25, 1929

SOURCESSOURCESSOURCESSOURCES

http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/image_bank_US/1920_1930.htmlBrinkley, American History: A SurveyKennedy, American Pageant 13e (History Companion)Faragher, Out of Many, 3rd Ed.; http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_faragher_outofmany_ap/Jones, et al., Created EqualNashAmerica: Pathways to the Present