The Roaring 20's

The 1920s was a decade of exciting social changes and profound cultural conflicts. For many Americans, the growth of cities, the rise of a consumer culture, and the so-called "revolution in morals and manners" represented a liberation from the restrictions of the country's Victorian past. But for others, the United States seemed to be changing in undesirable ways. The result was a thinly veiled "cultural civil war," in which a pluralistic society classed bitterly over such issues as foreign immigration, evolution, the Ku Klux Klan, and race. (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/1920s/index.cfm)

People danced until they dropped, and one fell to the floor, dead! Of course, it wasn't Dance Planet. The radio became popular, and people tuned in everyday. The T.V. was not invented yet, so the radio was the next best thing. When they listened, people liked to listen to jazz, especially the king of jazz, Louis Armstrong. But never fear, people weren't couch potatoes, sitting next to the radio. Movies were also a big hit. This decade marked the start of the sound movies. So much happened in the 1920's, this is only a fraction of it all. Since the 1920s was a time of celebration, there were many fads. People loved to dance, especially the Charleston, Fox-trot, and the shimmy. Dance marathons were something everyone went to every weekend. The longest dance record ever recorded was a record of 3 weeks of dancing. Another fad of the 1920's was the radio. People "tuned" in every day to listen to music, as jazz, sports and live events. A favorite for listening to jazz was "the king of jazz", Louie Armstrong. The latest fashion fad was the flapper, a fad for women. The movie was also the latest thing. The start of 3-D movies was in the 1920's. The average American had a lot to look forward to, in the 1920's, that’s for sure!

The 1920's was, for 8 years and 3/4 of 1929, a very happy decade. The last 1/4 was the Stock Market Crash that could have started the Great Depression that lasted straight through the 1930' s, not ending until mid-1940. A war started before 1920, and a war broke out in 1929. Although it was called the Great Depression, people killed others, killed themselves, became homeless, and became penniless. Actually, the eight years of happiness might have felt like a small vacation to a person who lived during the time. (http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infoCentral/frameset/decade/1920.htm)

The Great Gatsby takes place during the 20's. This is shown by bootleggers, extravagant parties, flappers, and all the glamor that people had from their wealth.


-It's Gatsby Baby.