USA 1919 - 1941 Coursework, Question No.1, Why has America of the 1920s been described as the 'Roaring Twenties?'

Authors Avatar

USA 1919 – 1941 Coursework, Question No.1, Why has America of the 1920s been described as the ‘Roaring Twenties?’

This essay will investigate why America in the 1920s has been described as the ‘Roaring Twenties.’ It will also look into the fact that America, despite its reputation as the ‘land of opportunity for all,’ was also described as a land of Intolerance.

The reason why America stands out in the 1920s as being the ‘Roaring Twenties’ is partly due to what came before and after it. Before the 1920s was the First World War. During the war America had been gaining profit from global sales of supplies to the countries in the war which would fuel the 1920s. In 1929 there was the ‘Great Depression’ which devastated America. There had been a crash in the Wall Street stock market due to a global panic when the 1920s had rapidly slowed down its economic progress. This was because there was nothing more which it could greatly progress in to keep the time ‘Roaring’ as it had done during the 1920s. Therefore as the 1920s was a huge success in between these two times it stood out as the ‘Roaring Twenties.’

Compared to the 1910s, the 1920s was a modernising time for America. The USA had advertised to the world after the war. This advertising reinforced the view that America was the ‘land of opportunity’ where all could prosper from nothing if they worked hard enough. America had introduced great freedom and equality for all, or at least they had tried to, and now this was also being offered to the possible immigrants from around the world, now in a bad situation after the war. Women were given the vote in 1920 which started the change of equality for women.

Join now!

New industries were emerging, led by the production of cars. Chemicals, electricity and electrical products had also increased greatly compared with the 1910s. Due to the increased industry, construction boomed. America was growing and unemployment was falling causing most Americans to become wealthier. For example in around a decade the amount of cars went up from 9 million to 26 million, the amounts of radios went from 60,000 to 10 million, the amounts of telephones doubled and after for every 1 refrigerator there were 167. The amounts of paved roads doubled and the earnings of companies between 1920 and 1929 ...

This is a preview of the whole essay