The republican government led to lower taxes and a “laissez-faire” policy meant that people were able to make money in a capitalist way. As people became generally wealthier then attitudes changed towards buying consumer goods, people began to treat themselves and their families with the help of a positive attitude to prosperity from the government and increased advertising of goods.
The results of a positive state of mind, new advanced industry, republican policies and the First World War are;
In general the output of American industry doubled as people bought more and more consumer goods. More and more advanced architecture was built, e.g. Sky-Scrapers. The motor car made commuting easier, and people could now live in suburbs which led to the expansion of cities. E.g. Queens in New York doubled its size in the 1920s. New roads gave way to the new truck industry, road building programs were introduced. As advertising was used, people began to but luxury goods. Passenger aircraft was introduced and people began to travel more. Electric pylons were set up, so by 1929, almost every home in America had electricity. As industry grew, jobs were created. Electricity, travel, living in suburbs and luxury goods all contributed to the standard of better living. Going to the “pictures” was a common thing to do, and by 1930, 100,000,000 Americans were going to the cinema each week to see famous actors like Charley Chaplain and Sieb Einsteinien. Jazz became very popular in young people who were much more inhibited. This was the “Jazz Age”. People started wearing revealing clothes, smoking, sexy dancing, sex before marriage, and kissing in public. Some mothers even tried setting up “Anti-Flirt” leagues to stop the growing inhibited youth culture. The 1920s also gave birth to some of today’s great sports like baseball and American football. Babe Ruth, one of the most famous sportsmen of all time, was at his prime in the 1920s. People became more capitalist with their money and the “anybody can be rich policy” really did take effect.
The 1920s weren’t prosperous and rewarding for everybody, in the early 20s, the Ku Klux Klan was set up, and it was used to influence immigration and the control of blacks in the Deep South. In the 20s it meet a membership count of 5 million, many Americans were prejudice and racist towards ethnic minorities like Jews, Catholics and most foreigners, who often faced attacks, crimes, and much discrimination.
The 18th amendment of the constitution said “the intoxicating liquor for beverage perposes is here by prohibited” it stated that any drink containing over 0.5% alcohol was one to be prohibited. The ban took effect on Jan 11th 1920, this then led to the alcohol industry goin “Underground”, secret saloon bars were set up, which required a password to get in and if the doorman didn’t know you, then you weren’t comming in. “Bootlegers”, alcohol smugglers who either transported the drink from theses secreat underground distilleries, or illegally imported it from abroad. As this hit off, there was an obvious increase in crime, which led to the rise of many great “gangstaz” like Al Capone who practically owned Chicago’s law. The food industry also grew and the demand for more wheat grain became higher than ever before, hence the farms of Mid-West America, started to produce massive amounts of the heat grain.
For many the 20s was a “roaring” time of opportunity and properity. People benifitted from modern technology, film and Jazz movements, and a positive morale and better standard of living.
Ethnic minorities, some country folk, religeuos groups and blacks did not. It was a different story for them as they faced predjudice and descrimation.
Farmers over produced which forced their prices down, and bootleggers produced alcohol whee ever it was needed.
Generally “Roaring” was a good way to describe this period, but it was not the case for most minorities.
