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Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a time period spanning the 1920s that took place in Harlem, New York. This was a period where the literature, art, and music -especially jazz- thrived. Notable people included Langston Hughes, a poet who expressed the lives of African Americans, and Louis Armstrong, an African American jazz musician. This shows the best of times of the Roaring 20s because it highlights the creativity and pride that African Americans took to their culture, contrasting earlier times. -
Creation of the League of Nations
The League of Nations was created in part by President Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points during the Paris Peace Conference. Many Americans opposed the LoN, so Congress rejected its ratification after Wilson died. By contrast, European countries favored it because it allowed them to keep countries like Germany in check through reparations. This formation showed the worst of time in the Roaring 20s because the League of Nations, as well as reparations, was one of the primary causes of World War II. -
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The Teapot Dome Scandal
The Teapot Dome Scandal was a scandal in which Albert Fall, a powerful Senator, leased out federal land to private oil tycoons in exchange for bribes. After it was rumored, Fall bribed the press to cover up the scandal so that it wouldn't be released to the public. This scandal also lead to the Ohio Gang, the term used to describe Harding's cabinet members who were charged. This scandal shows the worst of times because it exposed the corruption that was present during Harding's presidency. -
19th Amendment Ratified
The ratification of the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Not only was this a major advancement in democratic principles, but it also was an advancement in the Women's Rights Movement. Many influential Women's Rights activists, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton made it a top priority to get women the right to vote in the Progressive Era. This event shows the best of times of the Roaring 20s because it shows how women were able to push for the ideas they believed in. -
Sacco and Vanzetti Trial
The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti took place after they were charged with robbery and murder of a shoemaker in Massachusetts. Despite the little evidence that the prosecution offered, the judge ruled in favor of them due to a fear of immigrants. He sentenced Sacco and Vanzetti to death by electric chair. This displays the worst of times because it reveals the racism and discrimination towards immigrants as a result of the Red Scare and the rise of communism within America. -
The Immigration Act of 1924
Due to the increasing threat of immigrants as a result of the Red Scare, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Immigration Act. This act restricted immigrants coming in from Mexico and Japan. This act also set a new quota for immigration, establishing a cap of 150,000 immigrants annually. This act showed the worst of times because it still showed the problems America faced in terms of immigration and the poor decisions the country took to prevent it. -
Publication of The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, described life in the 1920s for people of any social class, ranging from Nick's social status to Gatsby's wealth. The book, although not very popular when it was first released, grew to be successful as years passed. This book showed the best and worst of times, as it depicted how money and love can get the best of human emotions (worst), yet it also showed the prosperity someone like Fitzgerald could each achieve during the Roaring 20s (best). -
Scopes Monkey Trial
In Dayton Tennessee, a schoolteacher named John T. Scopes taught his biology class Darwin's theory of evolution. Little did he know he would spark one of the most controversial court cases of all time. Scopes was sued by the state for violating the Butler Act, a law which prohibited the teachings of evolution. This added more fuel to the debate of Modernism vs Fundamentalism. This case shows the best of the Roaring 20s because it highlights how barriers were broken through challenging old ideas. -
KKK March on Washington
The Ku Klux Klan, or K.K.K, organized a march of thousands of members in Washington D.C to demonstrate the power of their party. Throughout the 1920s, the power of the K.K.K rose through their threats and attacks on minority groups like African Americans, immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. The terrorist organization rose to power in some states due to their tactics of fear. This event shows the worst of times because it reveals how prominent racism was during the 1920s. -
Charles Lindbergh's Flight Across the Atlantic
Charles Lindbergh departed from New York in his airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, to claim a $25,000 reward being offered to anyone who could travel across the Atlantic. He landed in Paris 33 hours later. He made national headlines for being the first man to fly over the Atlantic Ocean in one trip. This highlights the best of the Roaring 20s, because it shows how far technology has advanced from the prior decade, when the first airplane was tested successfully by the Wright brothers. -
Stock Market Crash
This marks the end of The Roaring 20s. Buying stocks were at an all-time high, yet selling stocks was a thing nobody did. Some people sold their stocks in fear that they would plummet due to high prices. As the panic set in, people flooded to banks to sell stocks. However, by October 29th 1929, banks all over the nation shut down, and about 14 billion dollars was lost in stocks. This started the Great Depression. This shows the worst of times because it reveals that people couldn't manage money.
