1920's Lifestyle

After World War 1, America had to demobilize and revert back to a peace time economy. During the 1920’s, it was viewed as a prosperous economy since there was a new labor force due to demobilization, new inventions, and a new infrastructure. Also moral spirits were high since America along with the Allied Powers defeated Germany and the Great War was finally over. However, America began making many economic policies and decisions that will eventually lead up to the Great Depression.

During the 1845 till as late as the 1920s pioneer living conditions for women was harsh and rough. Their biggest task was helping to feed the family. In addition to preparing meals and cleaning up after them, they planted large gardens. Vegetables like potatoes, carrots and turnips were stored in root cellars. Cabbage was made into sauerkraut and stored in large crocks. Some vegetables like cucumbers were pickled in vinegar. Apples and sometimes pumpkins and squash were cut into small slices and dried. In the winter they could be soaked in water and cooked. When canning jars became available, they preserved corn, green beans and tomatoes. Farm women also raised large flocks of chickens. The hens supplied eggs which were an important part of

During the 1920s, America’s economy was terrible. The culture of the 1920s played a big role in causing the stock market crash of 1929. According to the The Roaring Twenties Bubble & Stock Market Crash article, it states “The 1920s marked a decade of increasing conveniences that were made available to the middle class. By and large Americans as a whole were weary of war and looking for a way to put the horrors of the last few years behind them. New products made chores around the home easier and resulted in increased leisure time”. This means the once expensive items were now affordable for middle class because of Americans buying things on credit. This method is described as buy now and pay later. But soon, more Americans used this paying

F. Scott Fitzgerald once stated,“The parties were bigger, the pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper” (“30 Famous The Great Gatsby Quotes”). The time after the war known as the Roaring Twenties harbored change for not only the economy but for the people also. Credit materialized, becoming available for citizens to use on new products such as the vacuum cleaner and the washing machine which allotted more time for the people to have to themselves. The 1920s, a time of celebration and prosperity, eventually ended as a result of a sudden economic crash, because of the effects from the times.

During the “Roaring Twenties” in the United States, the stock market had never been better. When vice president Calvin Coolidge took the reins in 1923, business soared. Factories were turning to Henry Ford’s model of the assembly line to drastically increase product output, and many companies in America were becoming multinational, (Foner, 615), such as General Electric and International Business Machines (IBM), who bought out other companies in war torn Europe. Unlike in past years, Americans were focused on having a good time. They were taking their families on vacations across the country or out to sporting events. With the majority of the United States out enjoying the booming economy and all the luxuries that accompany it, no one was paying attention to the signs of trouble on the horizon. All of their reckless choices and decisions were leading to a major downfall. During the Roaring Twenties, the people skyrocketed the American debt.

The Roaring Twenties of America, which was from 1920-1929, saw a great social and economic prosperity. People were happy, and were celebrating the victory of World War 1. The gasoline price was lowered, right to vote for women was granted, and America was climbing towards a great success. In 1929, Herbert Hoover became the president of the United States of America, and he said, “ Given a chance to go forward with the policies of the last eight years, we shall soon with the help of God be in sight of the day when poverty will be banished from this nation”(Roark, Pg. 703). After few months of his inauguration, his words contradicted, the Roaring Twenties halted. During the Roaring Twenties, the stock market prices increased steeply. The rapid

The 1920’s was a great and important decade for the United States. After World War I, the United States went through events and changes that, overall, made the United States a much better place to live. New advances in technology and industry improved American life in more ways than just one. Americans had better wages during this time, more leisure time, and overall, had a better life than ever before. In addition, the 1920’s advocated social and cultural change as well. During this time period, the United States did not return to Normalcy, and instead developed attitudes that changed the life of the people of the United States forever thanks to social changes, cultural changes and changes in technology.

America had been a generally conservative nation with a population that avoided personal debt. However, this would all change during the decade known as “The Roaring Twenties.” This prosperous period embodied huge changes in the general lifestyle and culture of the American people as they embraced consumerism. However, during the 1920s the economy also faced numerous unfortunate events and unstable practices that would lead to one of the world’s worst economic crashes. There were many reasons for the economic downfall, including mass production and consumerism, excess credit and ‘playing’ the stock market, which led to the stock market crash in 1929.

Politics and Economics of 1920’s “Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress.” This quote by Herbert Hoover, the first US president of the 1920’s, demonstrates his belief that competition among businesses would lead to progress. Businesses began to absorb smaller industries and dominate the cities and towns (“1920’s America: Economy, Politics, and Culture”). As businesses began to expand, so did the people’s thoughts and opinions.

How is your life different today from what you thought it would be like when you were in your early twenties?

The winds came and blew more than fifty miles an hour from 1936 to 1940. Dust

I strongly believe that lifestyle in the 2000’s has vastly improved from the 1800’s. This is not just because of technological advances, as there is a variety of aspects in today’s society that have changed for the better. The three main ones that will be covered in this essay are Politics, Economy, and Medicine.

The 1920s seemed to promise a future of a new and wonderful way of life for America and its citizens . Modern science, evolving cultural norms, industrialization, and even jazz music heralded exciting opportunities and a future that only pointed up toward a better life. However, cracks in the facade started to show, and beginning with the stock market crash of 1929 the wealth of the country, and with it the hopes and expectations of its people, began to slip away. The Great Depression left a quarter of the population unemployed and much of the rest destitute and uncertain of what the future held. Wealth vanished, people took their money out of banks, and plans were put on hold. The most significant way in which the Great Depression affected Americans’ everyday lives was through poverty because it tore relationships apart and damaged the spirit of society while unexpectedly bringing families together in unity.

Uneven distribution of wealth serves as another cause of the Great Depression. America was wealthy in the 1920s, but this wealth did not extend to all segment of the society. The gains made by wealthy Americans in the 1920s far outstripped gained made by the working class. By the time of the stock market crash, the upper one percent of the population controlled over sixty percent of the nation’s savings. On the other hand, over three quarters of American families made less than $3000 a year. Problems that could develop from this situation were obvious. The bottom-line three-quarters of families were too poor to purchase much to help the economics to flourish. Underconsumption, in the long run, was a vicious circle to the economy. People had no money to spend. The income of many firms dwindled. More people were laid off or cut hours and thus further cut their spending. The economics became stagnant.

The Roaring Twenties is known as a time of prosperity due to consumerism and mass-production from the years 1920 to 1929. This era in American history could be considered one of the most excessive times to date. Because of the United States’ triumph in World War I, the country had its first involvement of being a world power. The increase of consumer goods greatly impacted the U.S. economy during this time of success. Also, the start of the airline industry along with the expansion of automobile manufacturers helped profit banks. Several Americans became dependent on the newly developed methods of payment, which eventually became the American standard way of living. The quest to achieve this ideal lifestyle also known as the American Dream led to a severe shift in the nation’s economy. Through both fiscal and monetary policy along with laissez-faire tactics, the Roaring Twenties ended with the 1929 Wall Street Crash, which was the precursor to the worst economic decline in history, The Great Depression.