Lesson 2 - The Roaring Twenties?
The 1920s, also known as the "Roaring Twenties," was a decade of significant cultural, social, and economic change in the United States. The term "Roaring Twenties" refers to the decade's association with a feeling of liberation, optimism, and a general sense of prosperity and progress. The end of World War I in 1918 brought about a sense of peace and optimism in the country. The economy boomed, and people had more disposable income than ever before. This led to a rise in consumer culture, and people began to spend money on new forms of entertainment, such as jazz music, movies, and dance. This decade also saw the rise of the "flapper" culture, in which young women rejected traditional social norms and embraced a more liberated lifestyle. You will already be somewhat familiar with the themes of this period through your study of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.
The Great Gatsby captures the excitement and problems of the Roaring Twenties, a time of wealth, parties, and big dreams. The novel shows how people were obsessed with money and luxury, but it also reveals the emptiness behind this lifestyle.
Gatsby, the main character, is a self-made millionaire who throws huge parties in hopes of winning back his lost love, Daisy. He believes that money can bring happiness, but his fortune—earned through illegal business—shows how success in the 1920s was often built on corruption. Despite his wealth, he never truly fits in with the upper class, showing that money can’t change social status.
Women in the novel, like Daisy and Jordan, represent the new, independent women of the 1920s, but they are still trapped by society’s expectations. The story also touches on Prohibition, the law that banned alcohol, which led to the rise of crime and illegal businesses, just like Gatsby’s.
The “Valley of Ashes,” a poor, dusty area between the rich neighborhoods, symbolizes the hidden suffering behind all the partying. Tom and Daisy Buchanan, who come from old money, are careless people who use others and face no consequences.
In the end, Gatsby’s dream of love and success fails, showing that wealth can’t buy happiness. The book is a warning about the dangers of greed and the false promises of the American Dream.
For this lesson we are going to test your creativity.
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Using the information on pages 194-5 (...and 184-90 on the economy and 196-7 on women) create a one-side revision diagram/ poster of the main features of post-war USA that gave it the reputation as the Roaring Twenties. You can do it either by hand or using a computer as you can see in these two earlier examples.
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BBC bitesize revision on popular entertainment.
The two edited extracts from the People's Century series below are only meant for those with a particular interest in sport or film. The BBC schools film USA 1920s is what I might have seen in school and doesn't mean it's not good because its old. The Crash Course and Oversimplified videos offer more about two particular aspects of the 1920s.
The two edited extracts from the People's Century series below are only meant for those with a particular interest in sport or film. The BBC schools film USA 1920s is what I might have seen in school and doesn't mean it's not good because its old. The Crash Course and Oversimplified videos offer more about two particular aspects of the 1920s.
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The dark side of the Roaring Twenties
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'Labels are given to periods in our history which reflect the well-being of one class and ignore the rest. When I was going through the files of Fiorello LaGuardia, who as a Congressman in the twenties represented East Harlem, I read the letters of desperate housewives, their husbands out of work, their children hungry, unable to pay their rent—all this in that period known as “the Jazz Age,” the “Roaring Twenties.”'
A People's History of the United States, Howard Zinn |
Not everybody in society benefitted from the roaring 20s. We have already noted how and why many living in the countryside and dependent on farming struggled in this period. There were also other groups who benefitted little and and other events which cast a dark shadow over this apprarently golden period. For the working class, the the roaring 20s was marked by growing corporate power and brutal suppression of labour movements. Strikes were crushed, and unions struggled against hostile policies favouring business elites. The 1920s also saw a rise in income inequality, with wealth concentrated among the upper class while many workers remained in poor conditions, particularly in industrial and agricultural sectors. Racial tensions erupted, with the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and widespread racial violence, including the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Black Americans faced systemic discrimination despite the Harlem Renaissance’s cultural achievements. Women, while gaining the right to vote, still faced deep societal restrictions, particularly in the workplace. Meanwhile, Prohibition fueled organized crime, leading to corruption and violence.
Textbook 192-3 provides the overview. 198-210 provides the detail.
For this activity, you're going to make a short film. But first of all you need to plan it. We have looked at the largely positive side of the 1920s boom. In this lesson we need to examine the 'dark side of the 1920s'. Worksheet
Textbook 192-3 provides the overview. 198-210 provides the detail.
For this activity, you're going to make a short film. But first of all you need to plan it. We have looked at the largely positive side of the 1920s boom. In this lesson we need to examine the 'dark side of the 1920s'. Worksheet
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The film
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This is an old activity I have been doing for at least 10 years, see right. You can either do this on your own (2mins) or in a pair (3-4 mins).
The aim is produce a one sided documentary that emphasises the negative aspects of 1920s USA. Requirements - Archive images, titles, music, narration and introductory exposition. Options - Archive video, actuality, dramatic reconstruction, etc. Advice A script for a film is not the same as an essay or a presentation. Remember that images can convey powerful meaning without words. Similarly, a narration is not the same thing as performing on stage to an audience. Archive images and music are not simply background to the script, think carefully about how and why you are using them. 'Sound is half the picture', so make sure everything that is said can be clearly heard. The exposition is a filmic art form not merely an introduction, so as with most film techniques consider reviewing my history student's guide to documentary film making. |
A history student's guide to documentary film making.
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Previous student films
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Other links
BBC Bitesize on the dark side of the 'Roaring Twenties'.
John D Clare is not just a revision site but always contains extra links to useful materials. This page also contains possibly his longest list of mnemonics.
BBC Bitesize on the dark side of the 'Roaring Twenties'.
John D Clare is not just a revision site but always contains extra links to useful materials. This page also contains possibly his longest list of mnemonics.
Extension
BBC schools produced a series of films of the the USA in the 20s and 30s in support of this popular GCSE topic. They use actors to reconstuct the testimony of various eyewitnesses to the period.
BBC schools produced a series of films of the the USA in the 20s and 30s in support of this popular GCSE topic. They use actors to reconstuct the testimony of various eyewitnesses to the period.
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