The 1920s

The early 1920's saw a lot of technological, social, and economic change.  The lavish lifestyle of the wealthy fueled the fantasy and aspirations of Americans to live like them, and Wall street and the stock market represented new economic opportunity. In the 1920's Harlem became a hotbed of political and social issues. Harlem was popular because it was the jazz capital of the world. Its popularity lead to the Harlem Renaissance, which was the cultural, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, and it symbolized a new era of support, awareness, and pride for African Americans. Although they had been invented earlier, light bulbs and electricity were largely implemented into American life in the 1920's. Also, Henry Ford and the Model T changed American life through the expansion of travel. Billions of dollars were spent on the creation of roads. The use of the radio changed what it meant to be an American. For the first time Americans were listening to same things and laughing at the same things. Americans all over the USA are sharing the same experience. Advertising brought the new concept of credit and the idea of “Buy now, pay later.” In the 1920's 75% of household goods purchased with credit. In the 1920's the 19th amendment was made law, giving women the right to vote. Women now lived for themselves instead of their families. They went to late night parties and had shorter skirts and hair. There were new types of women known as "flappers" and "vamps". A flapper was the type of woman to see for far they could push societal norms. Vamps saw no limits. However some people thought the changes were for the worse. People wanted the benefits of the future but the comfort of the past. They became frustrated that the ways life used to be was no longer the way that life became. This frustration was redirected at immigrants and other non-American things, which allowed a resurgence in KKK membership because they claimed to stand for what America stood for. The number of KKK members became so large, that one day they were able to march 50,000 strong through DC. However the optimism and positivism in the 1920's came to an end with the 1928 stock market crash and the Great Depression. Peoples' savings were wiped out, and many were left with little or nothing.