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Shell Shock (PTSD)
VideoOver 10 million men died during World War I, leaving a huge gap in many aspects of the postwar world. Soldiers returned home with physical injuries that kept them from working and earning money. Soldiers suffered from PTSD or shell shock, this psychological damage prevents someone from being “normal” again. They have a harder time adapting to the regular lifestyle they had once lived. The wives of the dead soldiers struggled financially as well. -
Women's Rights
VideoThe Lost Generation provided for women to step up in their responsibilities since the men were off to war. Within this time period, since women felt more empowered, they pressed for the right to vote, on August 18th, 1920, the 19th amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote. This is related to liberty because women of this time period wanted more freedom and wanted to be heard by the public. Men were not the only ones with a voice anymore. -
1919 World Series
http://www.chicagohs.org/history/blacksox/blk2.htmlThe World Series was the most reknown baseball scandal of all time. The Chicago White Sox were accused for having 8 players throw the series game against the Cincinnati Reds. The alleged reason for these players throwing the game was because they were being poorly treated and underpaid. Since gambling was commonly associated with gambling, gamblers were able to bargain the baseball players into throwing the game for money. This relates to life because these people needed the money. -
1920 Prohibition
videoIn the 1920's, the sale, exportation, importation, transportation and purchase of alcohol was made illegal by the 18th amendment. The main purpose of the prohibition was to reduce the amount of drinking done by workers in order to have the most efficient, sober, production rate. Wine was the most often dranken by middle class men of the Roaring Twenties. This relates to liberty because the it caused the main issue of how much freedom the people of the US have. -
President Warren G. Harding
In 1918, life as an American had become much different because of the effects the war had on the soldiers. When Warren G. Harding became president, the progressive era had been brought to an end. Since American congress was mostly Republican, business was booming, but farmers and unions did not do so well. Around this time, the government practiced government regulation. This is significant to liberty because the government was somewhat corrupt and did not allow for some aspects to prosper. -
Where The Lost Generation Got It's Name
The term "the lost generation" was coined by Gertrude Stein. In this particular time period where there was aimless hope for authorital figures. The hope of good things happen if a person acts in such a manner had completely been destroyed because of World War I. The solidiers of this war came back mentally and physically hurt; therefore, they were disoriented or lost. This relates to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because there was no purpose to their lives at the time. -
Authors of the Lost Generation
At the time period of the 1920's, famous authors moved to Paris in order to escape the intolerant and material-based society of America. John Dos Passos, Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway were very prominent writers of this time period, they often focused on disillusionment and hopelessness in America through their writings. This is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because these writers sought the meaning of life and even moved to Paris in order to pursue their goals and happiness. -
Technological Advances 1880-1920
World War I was the official end of the string of technological advances such as the telephone, wireless telegraph, x-ray, cinema, bicycle, automobile, and the airplane. Also, ideas began to evolve in the 20 year span, such as psychoanalysis and cubism. This relates to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because it shows that life had begun to mean something as people began to evolve with new inventions and ideas. -
The Roaring Twenties- Jazz Era
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005846/categories/artliter/artslit.htmThe roaring twenties was also said to be the Jazz Age, this is when Jazz became popular in the United States. People became very interested in music, they owned pianos, read music sheets and listened to records. Satchmo and Armstrong are Jazz musicians who were very popular around 1925. This relates to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because people of this time period pursued things that made them happy and passionate, such as music, specifically Jazz music. -
Fashion of the 1920's
VideoThe 1920’s changed the perspective on how women of the time period should dress. The expectation was conservative dresses, but tubular dresses turned into shorter skirts. These skirts had pleats and slits in them to permit easier motion; this was unheard of at the time. Women cut their hair very short and wore fashionable hats. They also wore low-waisted dresses with detail at the hemline. -
F. Scott Fitzgerald Publishes The Great Gatsby
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005846/categories/artliter/artslit.htmFrancis Scott Fitzgerald lived from 1896 to 1940, he wrote the book The Great Gatsby which was very controversial at the time period. The book was described as terrible but over the years, The Great Gatsby became a literature that was praised and became very popular. This is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because the book itself depicts life for people during the Lost Generation. Also, Fitzgerald wrote the book to fulfill his own pursuit of happiness. -
Flappers
Flappers of the 1920’s were urban, fun, single, northern women who held jobs. Women were used to relate the other women customers in department stores. The flappers did work, but they had a lot of fun as well. At night, flappers went out into the nightlife. They would attend jazz clubs and vaudeville shows. Smoking also became popular among the flappers, this is strange because it was a male oriented activity. This is significant because women were beginning to have rights, as well as have fun. -
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Gambling- 1920's and 1930's
The great depression led to legalization of gambling, this is because of the of the stress put on from financial burdens of the economy. After the stock market crashed before 1930, the new Gabbling was said to improve the economy. Even Massachusetts legalized bingo in order to help raise money for charities and churches. This relates to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because overall legalization of gambling improved the standard of living for most people by providing economy benefits -
Leaving the Roaring Twenties with a Boom
The Lost Generation ended with a boom from the stock market. The stock market crashed in October of 1929. This marked the end of the prosperity that had been occurring from the past 6 years. Within the next month, 3.2 million people were unemployed. This is significant to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because at this point, many lives had begun to change and their priorities for acheiving happiness shifted from joyful activities to keeping a financially stable environment.
