Monday, 17 January 2011

Contextual lowdown: the 1920s

1 comment:

  1. Wall Street Crash (1929)
    -Devastating stock market crash in USA, it began the 12-year Great Depression

    Jazz Age
    -1920's youth used the influence of jazz to rebel against tradition cultures of previous generations, ended in 1930's with the beginning of Great Depression

    Advertisement
    -Instead of soft illustrations, bold graphics and photographs were used
    -Advertisement presented false claims
    -Radio dominated the Twenties, approx. 3 million Americans owning radios by 1923 (they could receive news, bulletins, adverts & music)

    Flappers
    -A term applied to women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, wore excessive makeup & listened to jazz
    -Smoked openly, treated sex in a casual manner: their behaviour redefined women rules
    -However, despite its popularity, the flapper lifestyle could not survive Wall Street Crash and Great Depression

    Bootlegging
    -Prohibition ended the legal sale of liquor so bootleggers began smuggling from across borders.
    -A profitable (+violent) black market for alcohol flourished
    -Speakeasies became popular (sold illegal alcoholic beverages)
    -Gangsters such as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano made fortunes supplying illegal beer and liquor to speakeasies

    Motor Cars
    -Automobile transportation became much more affordable: Henry Ford began mass-producing cars
    -Ford Moto was a national symbol of industrial prosperity: owning a car was a status and hope for the future symbol in the US

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