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The Model T + The First Assembly Line
Henry Ford and his Model T revolutionized transportation. He made the first assembly line, which brought upon the mass production of vehicles. The assembly line cut production time in half so it also cut prices, that allowed more people to buy cars. -
The 18th Amendment + The Volstead Act
Simply put as prohibition, the 18th Amendment outlaws the production, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors but not the consumption of alcohol. The Volstead Act was put in place to enforce the 18th Amendment. -
The Palmer Raids
Caused by the American Red Scare, a widespread fear of anarchism, the Palmer Raids were an attempt by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer to deport immigrants with suspected radical ties. It targeted Italian anarchists and Eastern European Jewish immigrants, around 3,000 were arrested. -
Great People of the 20s
Al Capone - Mobster and business who was famous during the Prohibition era
Margaret Sanger - Birth control activist, writer, and nurse
Babe Ruth - Broke home run, total bases, and slugging records
Amelia Earhart - First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic
F. Scott Fitzgerald - Novelist best known for The Great Gatsby
Marcus Garvey - Political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator -
Pop Culture - Movies, Radio, Magazines, Music
Magazines like the Saturday Evening Post and “Life” Magazine really catalyzed the spread of the new popular cultures. Radio because the most powerful form of communication, citizens could now hear the news as it happened. Movies like The Jazz Singer, the first talking movie, and Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie set American up for 100 years of cinema greatness. Music and books spread like crazy, Jazz became a new rising genre and some classic novels like The Great Gatsby came out of the 20s. -
The 19th Amendment + Flapper Girls
Flapper girls wore short skirts, cut their hair short, listened to jazz, and were overall the opposite of what was considered appropriate at the time. They were revolutionary to the feminist image. The 19th Amendment guaranteed that women could have the right to vote the same as men, this was only brought upon through women protesting for their rights in this “roaring” age. -
Election of 1920
Warren Harding won the election of 1920 with his “return to normalcy” slogan, he promised to return America to the way it was before WWI. He was very much pro-business, he worked to keep taxes down and business profits up. -
Emergency Quota Act
The Emergency Quota Act was America’s first number limit on the amount of immigrants who could enter the U.S. It made immigrant quotas stricter and more permanent. -
National Origins Act
The National Origins Act backed the Emergency Quota Act by enforcing stricter quota laws. It also placed country-by-country limits to keep certain ethnic groups from immigrants in large groups. -
The Scopes Trial
The Scopes Trial was the prosecution of science teacher John Scopes. He had taught evolution in a Tennessee public school, which was illegal at the time. The trial challenged the constitutionality of the bill, and it also advocated the legitimacy of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Scopes lost and was fined $100. -
Route 66
Route 66 runs east to west starting in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica. It was made after the mass production of vehicles and more people started driving everywhere. It provided a road to get across America in one stretch for those who traveled. -
The Valentine’s Day Massacre
In the 1920s, there was a surge of gang affiliations and activity. The Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred between Al Capone and Bugs Moran. The massacre killed off many other gang members in both groups, including a police officer. It brought upon the downfall of Capone and Moran, but it also created the need for some reform in laws. -
The Wall Street Crash
The Wall Street Crash was a major stock market crash that was brought upon by a fear of excessive speculation by the Federal Reserve. It wiped out many Wall Street execs, banks started closing, and big businesses were collapsing. It was part of the cause of the Great Depression. -
The Great Migration + The Harlem Renaissance
Many African Americans moved from the prejudiced southern states to northern neighborhoods. They moved to a completely different socio-economic area where they found better jobs, better schools, and better housing. Harlem was the capital of African American culture and activism. Great musicians, artists, and scholars all congregated in Harlem. -
The 21st Amendment
Repealed the 18th Amendment after 14 years bringing prohibition to an end. -
New Inventions of the 20s
Things appeared in the 1920s that had never been seen before. Such as, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, radios, passenger airlines, and movies with sound. -
Nativism
Nativism is the political policy to promote the interests of native inhabitants instead of immigrants. The KKK, promoted “Native white, Protestant supremacy”. They had a significant amount of members but declined because of scandals against their top Klan leaders. -
Consumerism + Credit
Consumerism is “the protection or promotion of the interests of consumers.” An increase in consumer spending leads to an increase in production and economic growth. Credit was used commonly in the 20s, it allowed people to buy things and then pay in installments. Credit helped bring in the rise of consumerism.
