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The Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties was was a decade of mass consumerism. It is also considered be the age of Jazz and were culture and the arts were redefined all thanks to a booming economy in the United States. -
The Flappers
Flappers of the 1920s were young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous. Now considered the first generation of independent American women, flappers pushed barriers in economic, political and sexual freedom for women. -
The Prohibition Era
Prohibition began in 1920 when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors, went into effect with the passage of the Volstead Act. Despite the new legislation, Prohibition was difficult to enforce. In early 1933, Congress adopted a resolution proposing a 21st Amendment to the Constitution that would repeal the 18th. The 21st Amendment was ratified on December 5, 1933, ending Prohibition. -
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The Great Depression
The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. By 1933, when the Great Depression reached its lowest point, some 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half the country’s banks had failed. -
Black Tuesday
"Black Tuesday" is what many call the day the stock market crashed on October 1929, which sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. Over the next several years, consumer spending and investment dropped, causing steep declines in industrial output and employment as failing companies laid off workers. -
The New Deal
The New Deal was a series of programs and projects instituted during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that aimed to restore prosperity to Americans. When Roosevelt took office in 1933, he acted swiftly to stabilize the economy and provide jobs and relief to those who were suffering. -
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World War II
The instability created in Europe by the First World War (1914-18) set the stage for another international conflict—World War II—which broke out two decades later and would prove even more devastating. The Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan) fought against The Allied Powers (Great Britain, The Soviet Union, and United States). -
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941 the United States navel base in Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese. This lead the United States to declare war on Japan, thus entering World War II. Hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, where they managed to destroy/damage nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. -
Evidence & Account: FDR's Infamy Speech
Here is the transcript of President Roosevelt’s speech, which he delivered in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 8, 1941—one day after the surprise attack by the Japanese. FDR's Infamy Speech (click me) -
Rosie The Riveter
Rosie the Riveter was the star of a campaign aimed at recruiting female workers for defense industries during World War II, and she became perhaps the most iconic image of working women. American women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during the war, as widespread male enlistment left gaping holes in the industrial labor force. In short this was a from of propaganda that stressed the patriotic need for women in the workforce. -
Japanese Internment
Japanese internment camps were established during World War II by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through his Executive Order 9066. From 1942 to 1945, it was the policy of the U.S. government that people of Japanese descent, including U.S. citizens, would be incarcerated in isolated camps. -
Evidence & Accounts: The Hirano's Family Picture
The Hirano's Family Picture (click me)
Here is a photograph that shows Risa and Yasubei Hirano and their son George posed in front of an American flag. Risa is holding a photograph of her son Shigera in uniform. The Hiranos were held at the Colorado River camp, and this image captures both the patriotism and sadness these proud Japanese Americans felt.