The Roaring Twenties: Understanding

Social Life

Mr. Phipps

U.S. History

California State Standards

11.5.4. Analyze the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment and the changing role of women in society.

11.5.5. Describe the Harlem Renaissance and new trends in literature, music, and art, with special attention to the work of writers (e.g., Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes).

11.5.6. Trace the growth and effects of radio and movies and their role in the worldwide diffusion of popular culture.

11.5.7. Discuss the rise of mass production techniques, the growth of cities, the impact of new technologies (e.g., the automobile, electricity), and the resulting prosperity and effect on the American landscape.

Social BackgroundBefore the Great War…

People hitched their horse outside the general store Women scrubbed their clothes on a washboard If they could read (about 25%) people read by flickering

gaslight Most houses contained only two books: The Holy Bible

and Shakespeare Women-folk stayed at home to have kids

After the Great War… People got gasoline from a pump for their automobile Women washed their clothes in an electric washing

machine People read their “pulp fiction” by electric light bulb Women voted, wore short skirts, and partied at clubs

Women in the 1920s

WomenPolitical Changes for Women Most white women, prior to 1920, did

not work; Women got jobs in factories during

WWI due to labor shortage (over 23,000)

Considered more equal because of work, demanded equal rights under 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

19th Amendment (1920): gave women suffrage (140 years after Bill of Rights)

First election: women voted for Warren G. Harding (who won) because he was the more handsome candidateWater-dancing and posing, a popular fad,

symbolizes the new freedom for women during the 1920s. Notice that these women are wearing bathing suits, not bathing dresses.

Outside National Suffrage Party Headquarters. This, obviously, is a staged picture promoting the popularity of the suffrage movement.

Equal Women

Changing attitudes Increased employment

resulted in greater independence and spending money

Margaret Sanger advocated “looser” sexual behavior, recommending birth control for women

Marriage postponed until later

The cosmetics industry, which began in the 1880s, became very popular in 1920s with the advent of Hollywood. The movie industry, which promoted beauty also sold a new image for women: sexy,

attractive, fashionable.

Women and Fashion

The Flapper and the Vamp Research indicated that:

In 1919, 10% of a woman’s body was uncovered

By 1927, over 25% of a woman’s body was uncovered

Hemlines got shorter (above the knees), hair was cut short (bobbed), corsets were not worn (changed to bras)

The Flapper: a rebellious young girl who wanted independence, to be sexy, to smoke in public, to “park” their car, and “pet” in their auto

Women’s fashion in the early 1920s still emphasized modesty. Note, the casual-wear on the left suggest the shape of the woman. On the right, the fashion, again emphasizes the height of the woman, her grace. Included: feathers, hats, clingy fabric, plunging necklines, low waistlines.

On the left, a fashion plate from 1924. On the right, a plate from 1925. Note that the hemlines are moving closer to the knee.

On the left, fashions from 1926 indicate the increasing liberalism of the decade: higher hemlines, lower necklines, clingier fabric. This, and the fashions from 1927 (at right), symbolize the trend-setting fashions of the rich, that dresses were meant to party in, and women were meant to be pretty.

Louise Brooks, First Fashion Model

African-Americans in the 1920s

The New Negro

Background to the “Harlem Renaissance”

Millions of African-Americans migrated to northern cities for war jobs

Most stayed within self-segregated neighborhoods

“Rebirth” of culture flourished in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood High concentration of

authors, poets, artists, and entertainers

Artists, during the Harlem Renaissance, borrowed from the Modernist style of art, emphasizing heavy angular lines and primary colors. The focus was on form and movement, rather than on a realistic illustration. African-Americans, in particular, sought to incorporate traditional African themes, colors, patterns, and stories into their art.

Defining the New Generation Focus of the Harlem

movement was on creation, productivity, civil rights, expression, and PRIDE

Grew out of the early African-American civil rights leaders: William DuBois (who

advocated racial equality) Booker T. Washington

(who advocated racial separation and accomplishment)

Marcus Garvey (Black Pride and “Back to Africa”)

Langston Hughes, painted here by artist Winhold Reiss, epitomized the New Negro: talented, well-educated, an

outstanding author who wrote about subjects dealing with the African-

American experience, and handsome.

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” by William Johnson.

Music: The Birth of Jazz

A New American Music Jazz originated from New

Orleans fusion of Creole, French, African, and slave music Moved to Chicago approx. 1910 Moved to NYC/Harlem approx

1919 First called “jass” in music

reviews Combined African rhythms with

European instruments Jazz intended to be improvised

and danced toDuke Ellington composed, arranged, and played jazz in Harlem. Known as a ruthless businessman and a genius, most jazz musicians got their start in Ellington’s band

Popularity Jazz musicians including

Bessie Smith (vocalist), Joe Oliver (drums), “Jelly Roll” Morton (piano), and Louis Armstrong (trumpet) toured most local speakeasies

Musical style became so popular by 1925 that white musicians were forming their own bands By the 1930s, Harlem jazz

had degenerated (whitie-fied) into “Big Bands” and “Swing”

By the late 1920s, musicians often played more than 3 sets: one for the rich white party-goers, one for the African-Americans, and one to work on “chops”, practice sessions which would last until daylight.

Louis Armstrong (left) redefined the trumpet as an instrument. His improvisational phrasing became the basis for all jazz trumpeting, copied and adapted by all subsequent musicians. The Cotton Club (above) was one of the most popular nightclubs in Harlem. Critics of jazz accused musicians of drug use (Armstrong had mafia ties and a drug record for marijuana possession) and clubs as a haven for drug use, prostitution, and immoral activity. They were, more often than not, correct.

Sports Maniain the 1920s

Sports FeverWhy Sports? Decreased working hours,

increased leisure time, and more spending money

American public wanted entertainment and heroes

Developed activities which were uniquely American, not European

People reveled in individual accomplishment

Red Grange, the “Galloping Ghost was the first millionaire football player

The Babe

George Herman Ruth: “The Babe”

An unlikely sports hero: Ate excessively Drank even more

excessively Terrible womanizer and

abuser Swore and cursed

everyone Ruth, as a slugger, earned the homerun record of 60 long balls in a single season. It would take 30

years for Roger Maris to beat this record, and another 30 for Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry

Bonds to beat all…with some help.

The “Curse of the Bambino”Boston and “The Babe” Started his career as a pitcher in

Boston, for the Red Sox Earned recognition as a hitter Boston sold contract to New

York Yankees (1920) to help finance a Broadway play

The “House that Babe/Ruth Built”

Moved to the outfield and played every day (not on pitching rotation)

Doubled homerun record with 54 home runs and earned 60 homeruns in 1927

With Ruth on the mound, Boston won 5 of the first 15 World Series. After The Babe was sold to the NYY, Boston would have to wait until 2004 when the they finally won a World Series. In the 84 years since the Yanks acquired Ruth, they won the World Series 26 times. The Red Sox only made it to the World Series 4 times, losing every time.

Prizefighting

Boxing: Another All-American Past-time

An opportunity for individual accomplishment abased on training, cunning, brute force, strength, and endurance--American values

Jack Dempsey v. Gene Tunney, 2nd Challenge (1927) Dempsey lost first fight in 1920 Rematch in 1927: 40 million

listened to the fight on the radio Fight profits exceeded $2.6 million Dempsey won in the final round

Dempsey’s title was surrounded in scandal. During the seventh round, Tunney was knocked down, but the referee made a “long count” during which Dempsey was supposed to (not officially) to go to a neutral corner. Instead, Dempsey chased Tunney. Tunney spent the rest of the match dodging punches.

Other Sports

Harold Grange, “the Galloping Ghost” (left), became the first football millionaire, after making 4 consecutive TD for a total of 263 yards in the first 12 minutes of a game against a top

ranked Michigan team. Gertrude Ederle (above) challenged gender stereotypes, world records, the environment, and strong oceanic currents when she was the first female to swim across the English Channel. Her time, 14 hours 31

minutes, was almost 2 hours faster than the men’s record.

Consumer Spending in the 1920s

Public Spending

Prosperity Becomes Evident

Availability of consumer credit

Cheaply made, mass produced goods

Widespread availability of electricity creates demand

Population boom creates demand

How long could it last? Credit expenses, particularly for the lower and middle classes (who were the primary targets for ads) often matched their incoming cash flow. A worker in Indiana, who only earned $35/wk spent $35/month on the family car. A worker in Chicago, making $60/wk, spent $27.50 on home furnishings and his wife’s new coat.

Some Evidence of Growth

Annual income 1850 was $95

Annual income 1918 was $586

In 1920, only 50% of income needed to be spent on necessities (down 20% from 1900)--life was getting cheaper

Gross National Product increased 34%

Life expectancy for men and women increased 7 years since 1900

Two of the most popular home purchases was the radio and the phonograph. Both items provided home entertainment.

This revolutionary technology, however, completely changed the home environment. Rather than playing musical

instruments, families listened passively. Instead of playing together, they listened separately. Instead of creating, they

passively listened to mass produced radio shows and music. Many considered these items “mechanisms of the devil”

which eroded family values.

Buyer Psychology

Advertisement focused on selling product units

Used sex, frustration (Listerine will end loneliness of bad breath), anxiety, need to sell products, pseudo-science (45,512 unnamed doctors recommend Listerine)

Allowed for installment plans Phonograph $43.50 (5 down, 5

a month) Piano $445 (15 down, 12 a

month)

Foreshadowing our own modern times, ads showed a new body image which people struggled to attain. The desire to look like the rich and beautiful caused many people to overspend their limits, and sometimes, to commit suicide.

Unlike our modern commercials, ads in the 1920s were designed to tell a story and provide substantive reasons why people should buy their product. Some of the evidence was even accurate. Above, is a General Electric ad for a kitchen product. At right, is an ad for Imperial Records, a company which continued to produce “hot acts” well into the 1950s.

Sheer, sexy, and hole proof, hosiery was a luxury for all women. Note the peacock: part of the American fascination with the mysterious Orient.

Entertainment in the 1920s

The Movie PalacePopularity of movies were due to

Increased leisure time More “disposable” money Desire to see glamour Interested in seeing the news Provided several hours of

entertainment Cost of a ticket $.10-$.75 per

picture

Most every major city had at least one 100 seat theatre San Francisco, Hollywood, and

New York (Zeigfield’s Theatre) boasted red carpets, velvet curtains, gilded ceilings, and crystal chandeliers

Grauman’s Theatre, in Hollywood, was the center for all movie premiers. It was here, as it still is now, where average Americans caught a glimpse of their

favorite star, and the paparazzi scratched for gossip.

Rising Popularity

By 1920, 35 million Americans attended movies at least once a week

Large movie theatres could hold 5,000 attendees

1926: First western genre film--Great Train Robbery

1927: First “talkie” movie, with sound--The Jazz Singer

1927: First gangster, cop, and swashbuckling film (Robin Hood and Zorro the Gay Blade)“The Jazz Singer”, released in 1927, was the first

movie to incorporate a soundtrack, rather than have a separate accompanying band (or piano). Al Jolson, the principal actor, portrayed an African-American by using the common technique of applying “black-face” makeup.

Douglas Fairbanks, above, was type-casted as the masculine swashbuckler, modeled as a hero of the downtrodden, with plots taken from dime-store pulp fiction.

Greta Garbo, left, was typically cast as the brash, assertive sex-pot.

Charlie Chaplin, right, had his heyday during the silent movie era. As “the Tramp”,

Chaplin represented the downtrodden every-man.

He, along with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, opened the first movie-

production studio outside Fremont, CA.

Rudoph Valentino, here as the Sheik, captivated women’s hearts and inspired men to be like him. When he died suddenly at the age of 31, mourners lined up for a mile to watch his casket pass.

The Radio Pioneered new form of

popular entertainment Availability of mass-

produced radios made them cheaper for consumers

First radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, which broadcasted the 1920s election results

By 1922 3 million American houses

had radio 508 competing radio

stationsBy 1929, radio had become one of the leading industries of the American entertainment industry. The National Broadcasting Company, NBC, was making $150 million a year.

Comedies like “Amos and Andy” and serialized drama mysteries like “The Shadow” became a part of people’s everyday lives. Orson Wells, the voice of the Shadow, became a fixture in Hollywood with his famous radio show “The War of the Worlds.” Churches also used the radio to evangelize

Fads

Dance offs (above) and Lindy-hopping (right) were popular past-times which drew spectators and cash rewards, similar to the breakdancing

competitions of the 1980s and the karaoke competitions of the 1990s.

The Guinness Book

Pole sitting and ping pong were also favorite past-times, but notice the bravado in these endeavors. The ping pong competition is atop an airplane’s wings.

Transportationin the 1920s

Henry Ford’s Iron Horse

Impact of the Automobile Fundamentally changed the way

people lived and traveled Subsidized the expansion of

related industries: oil, gasoline, rubber, glass, and steel

Cost of automobile cheap enough so that the average person could afford it

By 1918, 7 million cars were registered

By 1929, 23 million cars were registered

On the Line

Scientific Management to boost worker efficiency

Based assembly line on specialization of labor

Reduced amount of time it took to produce a Model T from 14 hours to 93 minutes

A finished Model T was rolled off the line every 10 seconds

Lowered price from $700 in 1919 to $260 (1925) to $180 (1929)

The Road System

Federal Highway Act (1921) supported automobile industry

Constructed over 10,000 miles of road

Spread population westward Expanded small business

Hot dog stands, drive-in restaurants, motor hotels, billboard advertising, and campgrounds

Supported American tourist industry: roadside plaques, battlefield sites, largest ball of yarn, etc

A Changing Lifestyle

Automobile provided sense of freedom and independence

Automobile stimulated the growth of suburban neighborhoods

In the 1920s. 98% of all cars were open to the weather.

Air Flight

Charles Lindbergh First to fly across the

Atlantic Ocean