The Roaring Twenties began in North America and spread to Europe due to the end of World War I. The latter has been plagued by economic recession since the end of World War I in 1919, and has therefore been committed to post-war reconstruction and restoration of the workforce reduction caused by the war. Unlike after World War II, the United States did not try to support Europe's postwar recovery, but instead further leaned toward isolationist policies. In Canada, the replacement of the United Kingdom as the main economic partner by the United States led to a highly significant economic transformation in the country's history. Generally speaking, since the mid-1920s, the economic scale of North America has begun to surpass that of Europe. At almost the same time, the Roaring Twenties also began to appear in several major European countries such as Britain, France, and Germany. The rapid economic development in Europe in the second half of the 1920s was known as the "Golden 20s" and also known as the "années folles" (années folles) in France and Canada.
The essence of the Roaring Twenties can be described as a somewhat incongruous combination of modernism and iconoclasm. Here, modern science seems to be able to make everything possible, and the potential for economic and technological development seems infinite. Everyone feels that a new and completely different era is coming. Audience-oriented communication means such as trains, cars, telephones and radios have allowed modernist ideas to spread among the people. The principle of pragmatism has led to the removal of all unnecessary redundant decorations, whether in the field of architecture or in daily life. At the same time, cheerful entertainment such as jazz and dance flourished, so this period is also known as the "Jazz Age".
The Economy of the Twenties
The Roaring Twenties are traditionally thought of as a period of economic prosperity due to the influx of many new consumer goods into the market. Initially, the North American economy spent much time transitioning from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy. Soon after, explosive growth began. During the roaring decade, the United States grew into the world's largest economic power thanks to the mass production of industry and the prevailing consumerist culture in society, while Europe's economic take-off did not begin until 1924.
Although great progress is being made in social, economic and technological development, the situation of African Americans, new immigrant groups, farmers and parts of the proletariat is no different from the past. In fact, there are still millions of people living below the $2,000 household income poverty line.
In addition, the explosive growth of the economy also paved the way for the Great Depression that swept the world in the 1930s.
The impact of demobilization on the economy
After the end of World War I, a large number of American and Canadian soldiers returned to North America with cash in their pockets, and new goods in the market prompted the money to be eventually consumed. . Although the United States also faced a brief economic recession after the war, with the demobilization of American and Canadian soldiers, the factory labor force was replenished, and the completion of the military-to-civilian reconstruction of a large number of factories, the economies of both countries quickly recovered.
The economic policies of the Communist Party of China and the Party
The series of economic policies formulated by the then-ruling Communist Party of China and the Party are considered to have had an important impact on economic growth. The government pursued laissez faire economics (laissez faire economics) without administrative interference, creating conditions for a major outbreak. The Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act passed in 1922 effectively guaranteed the prosperity of domestic industry and commerce by preventing foreign capital from entering. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon (1921-1932) reduced the surtax from 50% to 20%, helping those business consortiums to consolidate their monopoly in their fields.
New Products and New Technology
In the 1920s, the unprecedented development of mass production made technological products increasingly cheaper. In fact, many products that became commonplace in this era existed before the war, but could not yet be promoted among the people. The automobile, movie, radio, and daily chemical industries flourished in an all-round way, among which the automobile industry should be particularly noted. Before the war, cars were still an extreme luxury product; by the 1920s, cheap, mass-produced cars had spread across North America. By 1927, Henry Ford had sold 15 million Model T cars. In Canada, the total number of cars in 1918 was only 300,000; ten years later, this number had soared to 1.9 million. Automobiles have had a wide impact on economic and social development. The automobile industry has rapidly grown into a major industry, and peripheral industries such as gas stations, motels, and the oil industry have also been stimulated.
During the Roaring Age, radio became the first broadcast mass media in history. People could now afford radios, and programs became increasingly entertainment-oriented. Due to its wide audience, radio has gradually become an important medium for product promotion. During this "Golden Age of Broadcasting," radio programming was as extensive as today's television sets. And because there was no self-censorship system that is widely introduced today, editors at that time could do whatever they wanted to attract audiences. This was also the beginning of the emergence of violent and criminal content in movies and other popular culture in the future. It was not until the establishment of the Federal Broadcasting Commission in 1927 that this absolute freedom was restrained, and a new era of broadcasting under control came.
Small advertisements inserted before movie screenings further expanded the already growing mass market.
In the early 20th century, the film industry that only consisted of silent short films (silent films) gradually changed, paving the way for the "Golden Age of Film" in the 1930s and 1940s. Since the price is much lower than other entertainment consumption, watching movies is also recognized by the blue-collar class.
Expansion of infrastructure
The rapid changes in science and technology have promoted the enthusiastic demand for new infrastructure, and government-led construction projects account for the vast majority. The great development of the automobile industry has led to the expansion and renovation of roads, and the total mileage of trunk roads and toll highways continues to set new records. The emergence of a new class with high spending power has increased the demand for consumer goods, including cars.
The power facilities that lagged behind during the war developed rapidly in the 1920s, and the scale of the power grid continued to expand. Most industries began to use electricity to replace primary energy. New power plants were built rapidly, and electricity generation across the United States tripled.
At the same time, telephone lines finally crossed the North American continent, indoor sewer pipes began to be laid in ordinary homes, and modern sewage treatment systems were initially established.
Since most of the construction costs of these infrastructures are borne by the government, local governments with the bright idea of ??"benefiting from the future" have fallen into debt difficulties after investing a lot of money. And this became a major problem during the Great Depression. On the other hand, in contrast to the generous investments of local governments, central governments in both the United States and Canada spent the decade paying off war debts and phasing out certain taxes introduced during the war.
Speculation
Sufficient private deposits began to flow into speculative funds, especially on the New York Stock Exchange. A large amount of speculation and hype created an economic bubble and created the conditions for the great crash in 2029. In addition, between 1925 and the following year, there was another investment bubble burst called the "Florida Real Estate Boom" that was different from the one in 29.
Population surge and urbanization
Another important trend in the 1920s was urbanization. With rapidly growing industry, expanding road and rail transportation systems, and the emergence of skyscrapers, for the first time in the history of both the United States and Canada, the number of urban residents exceeded the number of rural residents. The finance and insurance industry has tripled, and the share of the service industry in total production has increased significantly. The earliest generation of today's huge white-collar class was born in the city, and a large number of women began to enter offices to engage in secretarial and other work. By the late 1920s, 20% of Canadian workers were women. Cities near the American Midwest and Great Lakes region, including Chicago and Toronto, grew most rapidly during this period due to their proximity to vast agricultural fields. The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 also began to benefit the West Coast of the United States.
The Culture of the Twenties
The Lost Generation
The so-called lost generation refers to those who, after experiencing the First World War, began to doubt and doubt the world around them. A group of confused young people. The term often refers to American writers living in Paris, including Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein.
Social Criticism
While Americans were generally intoxicated with the increasing accumulation of wealth and luxury goods, some people began to notice the hypocrisy and greed in the social atmosphere at that time and used literary Means to satirize it. The work "Main Street" published by the writer Sinclair Lewis in 1920 is one of them. The novel satirizes the many ignorant and stupid townspeople living in a Midwestern town. His next masterpiece, "Babbitt", describes a middle-aged industrialist who shows disdain and resistance to his comfortable life and family, but ultimately discovers that the younger generation is as hypocritical as himself. He also published Elmer Gantry, which told the story of a con man who teamed up with a preacher to profit from selling religion in a small town.
Other social critics such as Sherwood Anderson and H.L. Mencken published a collection of short stories called Winesburg, Ohio, which focused on the development of a small town. In numerous essays and other articles, Mencken criticized Americans' increasingly vulgar cultural tastes.
Art Deco Movement
Art Deco is the representative of the architecture and design fields of this era. It originated in Europe and spread to the United States in the late 1920s. The Chrysler Building, the tallest building in the world at that time, was a representative building of the Cubist style. Cubist art pays attention to purity and emphasizes geometric features, but it does not restrict artists from getting inspiration from nature. In addition, Cubist art has not remained static since its birth: in the early days, lines were mostly curved, and in the later years, rectangular designs gradually became popular.
Expressionism and Surrealism
Beginning in the 1920s, painting art began to go its own way in North America and Europe. During this period, surrealist art style was popular in the former, while realism was popular in Europe. As Man Ray said in 1920 after New York Dada, a Dadaist art magazine, was launched in the United States: Dada could not survive in New York.
Movies
The main movie stars of this period are: Warner Baxter, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Bebe Daniels, Billie Dove, Dorothy Mackaill, Mary Astor, Nancy Carroll, Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, William Haines, Conrad Nagel, John Gilbert, Dolores Del Rio, Norma Talmadge, Colleen Moore, Nita Naldi, Ramon Novarro, John Barrymore, Harold Lloyd, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Drew Bellin, Buster Keaton, Rudolph Valentino and Al Jolson.
In the early 1920s, movies were still black and white silent films. In 1922, the first full-color film "Toll of the Sea" was released. In 2026, Warner Brothers' film "Don Juan" became the first film to feature complete music and sound effects. The following year, Warner Bros.' new film "The Jazz Singer" finally had audio.
The public was ecstatic about talkies, and film production seemed to bid farewell to the silent era completely overnight. In 1928, Warner Bros.' "Lights of New York" adopted full voice. The following year, "On with the Show," the first full-color, full-audio film, pushed the film technology of the time to a new peak.
Harlem Renaissance
In the 1920s, African American culture developed rapidly, known in history as the "Harlem Renaissance" (Harlem is a famous district in New York ethnic minority areas). In 1921, Black Swan Records was established. At its peak, the company released an average of 10 records per month. The All-African-American Company also went into operation that same year. In 1923, Robert Douglas founded the "Harlem Renaissance Basketball Club", which was recognized as one of the top teams in the world in the 1930s.
Opportunity magazine begins publication. The premiere of a film by black playwright Willis Richardson was held at the Frazee Theatre. Famous black writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston began to gain social recognition in the 1920s. In addition, black culture played a vital role in the development of jazz.
The Jazz Age
In 1922, the first commercial music radio station in the United States, KDKA, was born in Pittsburgh. Subsequently, new radio stations appeared across the United States, and it was with this wave that jazz gained a wide audience. During this period, jazz was eclectic in form, encompassing almost everything from modern to decadent. Famous groups of this period include: Duke Ellington, Paul Whiteman, Leo Reisman, Abe Lyman, Nat Shilkret, George Olsend, Ben Bernie, Bob Haring, Ben Selvin, Earl Burtnett, Gus Arnheim, Rudy Vallee, Jean Goldkette, Ted Lewis, Bob Haring and Fred Waring; famous musicians include Nick Lucas, Harold Scrappy Lambert, Gene Austin, Johnny Marvin, Rudy Vallee, Ted Lewis, Frank Munn, Franklyn Baur, Jack Smith, Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, Maurice Chevalier, Morton Downey, James Melton, Ruth Etting, Helen Kane, Cliff Edwards, Chester Gaylord and Dick Robertson
At that time, what is generally called jazz today was actually played by only a few people, and the music that most listeners enjoyed was probably equal to that of the United States What people now call "sweet music". Heavy metal music belongs to "hot music" or "race music".
Louis Armstrong became famous for his improvisations and divergent variations on traditional single melodies. In particular, he popularized SCAT singing (singing with meaningless onomatopoeia in place of lyrics). This form is often used on stage when singers perform impromptu interactive performances. Sidney Bechet's main contributions include the popularization of two musical instruments: the clarinet and the saxophone. Due to the increase in dance venues at that time, jazz often adopted dance music tunes in 4/4 time to cater to this demand. Tap dance performances to jazz music are popular both in theaters and on the streets. In the late 1920s, Duke Ellington's influence on the music industry led to the advent of the big band era.
Dance
Since the 1920s, dance venues across the United States have provided ample space for dancers to compete in dance competitions and try new moves. At dance theaters across the United States, professionals offer advice on improving their dancing skills. Due to the development of electric lighting and air conditioning technology, evening performances began to be accessible to the public, and dance hall performances and live music became a major spectacle of this era. At the time, the most popular dances included the foxtrot, waltz and tango.
In the development of the dance form, one role that played an important role was Harlem culture. In many entertainment venues, people enjoy the same joy regardless of race, color and class. The performers at the Cotton Club were mostly black, but they catered to wealthier white customers; while the Savoy Ballroom mainly catered to the working class and was mostly black.
Since the 1920s, new dance styles with weird styles have appeared continuously. The Breakaway and Charleston dances are derived from African American music tunes and beats, while incorporating all the popular blues elements. In 1922, with the performance of two Broadway musicals, the Charleston dance became popular in the United States. Since 1926, the twerk dance, which originated at the Apollo Theater, has gradually replaced the Charleston dance and swept through all major dance halls. By 1927, as a further development of the Breakaway dance and the Charleston dance, the Lindy Hop dance, which integrated the main essence of tap dance, became a social standard dance. Lindy hop dance originated from the Savoy Dance Theater. It was originally a performance combined with jazz music such as stride piano and ragtime. This dance was popular for at least ten years before evolving into swing dance. But in general, although the above dances were popular for a while, they were short-lived. People still danced tango and other traditional dances.
Electoral System
On August 18, 1920, Tennessee passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Since then, all states in the United States have achieved equality between men and women, at least in the right to vote.
The changing role of women and the evolution of fashion culture
Given the tragic economic situation after the war, many families who lost adult men had to seek new sources of income. Women began to look for work outside the home, which increased their self-confidence in their gender. Role reversals were also common in various media: gar?onne-style dressing provided working women of the time with a neutral alternative, although they could also look more voluptuous in other situations. Jeans, hats and crutches set off the aesthetic tendency of women at that time to hate cumbersome decoration and pursue a single and elegant aesthetic. Influenced by many female movie stars at the time, short hair became popular. The popularity of androgynism made tight corsets obsolete, and some women began corseting to further dilute their feminine features. Short skirts became girls' favorite, and by 1927, the hemline was only below the knee (although it was lengthened after the recession began).
In general, the definition of women has indeed undergone earth-shaking changes during this period: as a new generation of women after the war, they began to smoke, drink, sing and dance in public places, and run their own businesses. chain stores, short hair, personalized dressing and makeup, and confident participation in various social and economic activities.
The situation of ethnic minorities and homosexuals
Minorities in cities are treated more equally than ever before. This can be seen in the movies of the time. Two 1929 films, "Redskin" and "Son of the Gods," openly criticized self-righteous white radicals and expressed sympathy for Native Americans and Asian people in North America. In movies and on stage, whites and people of color began to perform on the same stage; in nightclubs in the 1920s, whites and blacks could often be seen dancing or dining together. However, all this disappeared after the rise of conservatism in the 1930s.
People’s tolerance for homosexuals has reached its highest level before the 1960s. Until the early 1930s, gay men's clubs were openly operated and were known as "pansy clubs."
William Haines, the top box-office actor at the time, publicly stated that he was gay, and he was not the only Hollywood actor to disclose his sexual orientation. Mae West's gay-themed play "Drag" published in 1927 was a huge success, and he is also considered a major advocate of treating homosexuals' right to sexual choice as a basic human right. The good times did not last long. By the 1930s, as the public became increasingly intolerable of the public existence of homosexuals, gay artists had to choose between retreating or concealing themselves.
Life in the 1920s
Immigration Law
In the 1920s, both the United States and Canada showed varying degrees of xenophobia. In 1924, the United States passed an immigration bill restricting immigrants (excluding African Americans) from those countries whose existing immigration total had reached 2% of the total population of the United States in 1890. Affected by this act, the wave of European immigration to the United States in the first two decades of the 20th century came to an end. Immigration of Asians and Indians is completely prohibited. In 1913, California passed the Webb-Haney Act, which prevented foreigners who did not yet have citizenship from acquiring private land. Eleven other states have passed similar bills.
In Canada, the Chinese Immigration Act was enacted in 1923 to restrict the importation of almost all immigrants from Asia. The country also passed a number of other laws to control immigration from Southeast Europe.
Prohibition
In 1920, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which targeted alcoholic beverages, was passed. The original intention of this amendment was to try to alleviate certain social problems through prohibition of alcohol. However, what happened was that the new problems caused by prohibition were much more serious. After the passage of the Volstead Act based on the 18th Amendment, the United States began to completely ban the manufacture, sale, import and export of all alcoholic beverages. Since then, organized crime has begun to breed across the United States, smuggling has intensified, and all illegal underground activities related to alcohol are making huge profits. In Canada, although Prohibition was never implemented nationwide, the impact of American Prohibition laws was still profound.
Illegal Bars
During the 14 years of Prohibition, various illegal bars (Speakeasy) began to appear across the United States, leading to the emergence of some underworld gangs. These bars often have close ties to criminal organizations and smugglers. Although U.S. police and FBI agents frequently raided these bars, no one behind the scenes was ever arrested. Due to the huge profits of such bars, within a few years they developed into ubiquitous illegal venues across the United States. Illegal bars are well decorated and offer a variety of food and live entertainment. And there are usually bribed police officers who will tip off the people in case of any sudden police attack.
Literature in the 1920s
The 1920s was a prolific era for literature. Famous writers at the time included Sinclair Lewis, Willa Cather, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Carl Sandburg and Ernest Hemingway. D.H. Lawrence's novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover" caused an uproar due to its sexually explicit descriptions.
Some famous books born in the 1920s: "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This book is generally considered to be a microcosm of the Jazz Age. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. Describes the cruelty on the war front and people's indifference. "This Side of Paradise" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It explores the inner world of the young generation after the war. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. It tells the story of a group of Americans living in Europe in the 1920s.
Linberg successfully flew across the Atlantic
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh wrote a new chapter in the history of human aviation. He took off from Roosevelt Airport in Long Island, New York on May 21 and arrived in Paris the next day, successfully completing the first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic in history. The aircraft he flew, the Spirit of St. Louis, was designed by Donald Hall and built by Rayne Aviation in San Diego, California. The flight took 33.5 hours. In Paris, the President of France awarded him the Legion of Merit; when he returned to the United States, a fleet escorted him; in Washington, he was commended by President Coolidge for the Distinguished Flying Cross. Lindbergh became famous for his unprecedented feats.
Sports
The Roaring Decade can be said to be the golden age of sports development in the United States. People regardless of class or region gathered in the stadium to watch various games. All kinds of sports reports are overwhelming, and the achievements of athletes always make major newspapers not hesitate to praise them.
Legendary writers Grantland Rice and Damon Runyon were also sportswriters of the day.
The first player in sports in the 1920s was Babe Ruth, a baseball player who is also a household name in the United States today. His iconic home run ushered in a new era of the game, he made the country crazy, and he was crowned with honors and praise that no one could match at the time. In 1927, Ruth set a new single-season home run record of 60 times that stood for 34 years. Together with another rising star, Lou Gehrig***, he wrote the earliest chapter of the New York Yankees baseball team's glorious century-old history.
There are also stars in other sports. Former bartender Jack Dempsey wins the world heavyweight boxing title. University of Illinois football player Red Grange, who later joined the Chicago Bears, helped popularize the sport with his unparalleled baseline sprint. Bill Tilden dominated tennis at the time and is considered to this day to be one of the greatest tennis players. The game of golf was popularized by Bobby Jones's brilliant record. It can be said that before Jack Nicklaus, no one could match his overwhelming advantage on the course.
The above five people, baseball player Babe Ruth, boxer Jack Dempsey, rugby player Red Grange, tennis player Bill Tilden, and golfer Bobby Jones, are collectively known as the "Big Five" of American sports in the 1920s. It represented the pinnacle of sports at that time.
Al Capone, a key figure in the 1920s, was a notorious and well-known gang leader in Brooklyn, New York. Charles Lindbergh was the aviator who successfully crossed the Atlantic alone in 1927. Mae West is a famous American actress and playwright whose performances were considered immoral at the time. Will Rogers Famous funnyman. F. Scott Fitzgerald is a famous writer who published the immortal masterpieces "The Great Gatsby" and "This Side of Paradise".
American Politics in the 1920s
Warren G. Harding
The 29th President Harding’s campaign vow was to “return to normality”, Return to Normalcy, it should be noted that the word Normalcy here is Harding's creation. “Return to normalcy” reflected three trends at the time: strengthening North American isolationism, resurrecting immigrant exclusionism, and weakening government activism. Economically, Harding adopted a laissez-faire policy. Beginning in the summer of 1919, Harding launched the "Front Porch Campaign" and officially participated in the election. This campaign was an unprecedented event in American history: major media outlets rushed to report on it, newsreels appeared in an endless stream, financial giants such as Edison and Henry Ford generously donated money to him, and even Hollywood stars were invited to Marion, Ohio. (Marion, Ohio) Win hearts by posing with Mr. and Mrs. Harding at their home. As of the eve of the general election in the fall of 2020, an estimated 600,000 people had participated in the "pilgrimage" to Marion. Harding's regime was plagued by scandals during his tenure, although Harding himself does not appear to have been involved. Regarding scandals, his famous quotes are: "God, there is no worse career than being president.", and "It's not my enemies that I have trouble with, it's just some damn friends who keep me up at night." .
Calvin Coolidge
Coolidge became the 30th President of the United States after Harding died of illness in office. In 1924, he was easily re-elected on the campaign theme of "order and prosperity." On February 12, 1924, Coolidge became the first U.S. president to deliver his inaugural address via radio. Later, he used this new media to create several "firsts" for American presidents. For example, ten days after taking office, he delivered the first nationally broadcast political speech from the White House. Coolidge's famous quote is: "The chief business of the American People is business."
Herbert Hoover
When the 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, was sworn in in 1928, he said: "Today, we Americans are more powerful than any other place in history. are closer to overcoming poverty." The truth is he said almost the exact opposite. The unprecedented era of the Great Depression in the United States is not far away.
Changes in Labor Unions
Several strikes in the late 1910s changed the American public's view of labor unions. The state began to use the National Guard to suppress the situation, and the criminal code added penalties for causing riots. Affected by this, the number of union members dropped sharply. Militant unionism declined as a result of the Espionage Act and Sedition Act passed by the Union during World War I.
Socialist leader Eugene V. Debs was sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Anti-Subversion Act, but he later received an early pardon from President Harding.
Canadian Politics in the 1920s
The Canadian Liberal Party controlled Canadian politics in the 1920s. The Canadian government spent most of the 1920s adjusting the economy and repaying debts caused by the war and overinvestment in railways. The main wheat-producing provinces in the east fell into trouble due to falling wheat prices after experiencing rapid development in the early 20th century. This incident directly caused the Canadian Progressive Party, a third party (a party other than the two rotating governing parties in a two-party parliamentary country) to become the second largest party in parliament in the 2021 election.
The End of the Roaring Era
Black Tuesday
As speculation became increasingly frenzied, the Dow Jones Industrial Average continued to rise for several weeks, from 1928 to 1929. The 2020 bull market looks set to be endless. Finally, on Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the Wall Street stock market suddenly crashed. The U.S. economy, which had an imperfect system and unhealthy development at that time, suffered a fatal blow, and the Great Depression of the 1930s that widely affected the capitalist world began.
Revocation of Prohibition
On February 20, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed, and Prohibition was revoked. States immediately used the case to deregulate alcoholic beverages. Just as illegal drinking became a symbol of the Roaring Era, the legalization of drinking also tells people from one aspect that glory is a thing of the past, and that American economic and social development needs to start over.