The Roaring 20s (Period of rebellion or of wonderful nonsense)

WWI was very expensive and taxing to the people financially and mentally, and Americans strive to regain control of their lives after the war had finally ended in 1918. It was now time rebuild. So many men will not be returning home from the war which means business will have to find a new workforce. Everyone took part in the rebuild. Women, children and the elderly. The economy was on a upward trend. Slowly gaining momentum as we cross into the 1920s, where the boom of prosperity created a new culture in American consumption. This was partly due to borrowing and new innovations in equipment made for use in the home, on the job and most notably in transportation.

The Roaring 20s was suitably names for the massive construct of new innovative ideas and community expansions. As well as the fraudful peace of mind Americans felt after the war had finally ended. There was a tireless movement for individuality from old customs and the America before the war. Womens over all right to determine how she should lead her life and of course the ever constant political battles over what America needed now. This fight for independence was accompanied by a deep seated fear in the hearts and mind of the people. Fear of change and fear of control. America maintains a consistent mentality of freedom fighters for independence from social customs.

The creation of the Model T by Henry Ford was a dynamic boost for the economy. It allowed for easier and faster ways of travel which meant more could be done at a faster rate and at a further distance. One problem most people encountered was they were unable to afford a car. So the invention of borrowing on credit, was establish. This aloud the average man flexibility of getting what he needed for his family and paying for it later. This was a major milestone and credit seemed readily available. More people flowed in and out of the city's daily with ease. Spending money they did not have on things they did not always need. America has now become now a spoiled nation. Henry Ford treated the workers fairly well but he noticed that a man working on an assembly line day after day hour after hour became a monotonous regularity and the workers began to resent the atmosphere which caused tremendous turnover. So Henry Ford did an unheard of thing at that time. He started raising the wages to about 25 dollars a day for each of him employees. Seeing his turn around other businesses started to follow in his foot steps raising their wages and adding employment benefits. More people lived in the cities than in the country because cities is where jobs, transportation and theatre were. With the introduction of the automobile it made it possible for American people to expand their cities and towns making it easier to get from A to B. With the creation of borrowing on credit now established and the birth of the radio. Electricity, tire shops, new roads, gas, electric light in the home and new business being built and a the growing need for police manned traffic lights. America was headed into a booming era of prosperity.

Still, most of the lower class till felt the financial effects of the war. Cost of living had risen and many struggled to survive while other had made it rich off of the war. Farmers product were invaluable. Strikes broke out laborers crying for more pay to help support their families. Family struggled and lashed out at the government. An attempt was made to stop the strike by the soon to be 29th President of America Calvin Coolidge, He tried to strong arm the strikers and forcefully stop the strikes and demands. Although the strike was the demand for higher wages and complaints about low the pay and longer hours. This conflict would soon lead to the death of several laborers and a strike defeated. Fear ran rapidly through the lower class. Americans were outraged that the immigrants that came in would take the low paying jobs and longer hours. That they were taking the jobs that they ultimately did not want but needed to survive. It also was taking their advantage in the strikes. 18th amendment- America had initially tried to stiffen the legality of alcohol in defense of morality. This old custom of morality how ever was not what all had agreed upon. Bootleggers, dirty police and war in the streets. Prohibition waged on facilitating gang wars, each fighting for territory. One of the most notorious gangsters went by the name of AL Capone. The settlers did not come to America to have their rights they fought so hard for, just taken away. The fight between the old way and new ways continued to ramp up. Over in Europe as apart of trying to deal with the dwindling way of life. Fascism became the apart of life giving rise to radicals and dictators like Benito Mussolini in Italy as well as Spain and Japan. The strongest regime was that of Adolf

Hitler in Germany. Which lead to the on slot of over 11 million senseless murders of civilians of all ages and genders. Americans also began to turn on each other claiming communism and socialism. Neighbor accusing neighbor. Each equally afraid of being accosted by police and accused themselves of communism. This caused a rise in nativism and stirred up more hate and division between the races and immigrants. Not unlike today, Americans feared the immigrants. Through this fear caused the law to be passed that would keep or restrict further immigration for some and a rise in hate of individual groups. None more known than that of the KKK. During this time the KKK had reached a membership rate of over 4 million. This was also the time of Marcus Garvey an activist from Jamaica. He did not fight for African Americans right but supported their return to the motherland to lead successful lives of their own. One of his famous quotes is

Black is beautiful

What the 1920s is probably most known for is the nightlife and entertainment. If you were anyone or no one. You would make your way to one of the many speakeasies for illegal booze and entertainment. This is where you would find policemen, judges, politicians, entertainers and your average joe. Businessmen who took the chance and risks of owning an establishment brought in big profits if you could manage to keep it under the radar. Baseball was dubbed America's favorite pastime along with jazz, theater and silent films.

Specialty starring known talent such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Gloria Swanson and Greta Garbo. In 1927 with the invention of synchronized sound. Films could now be heard as well as seen. Giving lead to new talent such as Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Humphrey Bogart and Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers. Duke Ellington headed the Famous Cotton Club and Jazz was the music of the time which lead to lots and lots of dancing and new dance crazes such as; The cake walk, the Charleston, Foxtrot, Tango and much much more. There was Charles Lindbergh the first pilot to fly to Paris in a single flight. Babe Ruth arguably the most beloved baseball player in the world. Jack Dempsey the feisty Boxer. The self proclaimed Flapper King; Scott Fitzgerald and author of the Great Gatsby, and several other Flappers and thrill seekers. The bobb was the hairstyle of choice for women. Along with the shapeless dresses and short skirts. Women no long desired to be the curvaceous creations they were previously expected to be. The 20's were about breaking lines and intermingling traditions.

Flapper/Vamp- A Flapper is a term used to describe a women willing to cross lines but not go too far. A Vamp on the other hand was a women that would cross any boundary she wanted and go as far as she could take it. Flappers and Vamps were the outcome of the feminist movement. They fought for their personal independence and role redefinition. What to wear, say, act, and do. From changing the female ideal of fashion; wearing more makeup to shorter and loose fitting skirt. To go dancing, smoke, drink. Being aloud to drive, chaperone themselves, and the ability to engage in casual sexual acts if they so choose. The British definition of flappers was that they are impetuous immature women.

Flappers were generally regarded as such because during this time, women started to change things from their dress and modern attitude towards a woman's behavior and education. After the war women had to take the place of the working man since so many did not return home. The 19th amendment was first introduced in 1818. Most people are unaware that women first began the crusade for the right to vote in 1848. State by state they laid claim to their rights. Women no longer wanted just the titles of mother, wife and housekeeper. By 1869 you would have heard the name of the famous women's rights activist Susan B Anthony. Women did not initially gain the right to vote until the amendment included the women rights and became permanent on Aug 26th 1920.

Nearing the end - All throughout this era. Men have tried several different things in the hopes of making it rich. The Stock Market - To the lower class American, seeing the big tycoons make so much in this industry and hearing the buzz about the game and how it is played, seemed to be a sure bet and sacrilegious to not be a part of it. Naturally it pulled the average American to the market. Men would bet their life saving on the market hoping to hit the big time. The stock market was uncontrolled and seemed to many who conquered it, to resemble winning the lotto. Uncontrolled means that a wealth investor could buy stock then manipulate its value and sale it to the unsuspecting buyer. They did this through advertising and getting together with other wealth investors to buy stock and gain the interest form the common investor. You could not go anywhere without hearing about the stock or the market. The investor would see the wealthy stock owner buying the stock and feel it would be smart to follow their lead

since they must know something others do not. As investors started to scurry around to buy that stock, it would eventually reached a certain price where then the wealthy investors group would sell their stock devaluing it which intern left the holders of the stock out to dry. Yet Americans would continue to play the odds and try to get ahead. The stock market prices are inflated higher than they're worth due to Board Stock easy credit and installments. Americans ignorantly assumed this rise in market prices could go on forever. Most investors could not buy stock without borrowing the money which lead them into more and more debt until they could not longer barrow. Stocks began to deflate rocketing downward. Several bankers and powerful leaders tried to regain control of the market that only seemed to have a temporary calming effect. Regaining public confidence and buying temporarily continued. This lasted a few months until the market again began to take a tumble. Lower and lower it fell. Oct 29th Black Tue. There was a frenzy on the sales floor. Everyone wanted to sell and no one was buying. After three rounds a shear panic the market finally bottoms out at 50 billion dollars. Signaling the end of the financial boom of the 1920s. Families had to sell their homes and Farms are sold. Business closed. Some people who had lost it all were reported to have jumped off then just build Washington bridge. Yet life continued. For those of who were not as affected, they looked forward. They believed the worst was over, and did not expect or even imagine things could hit the all time low.