The 1920s, often called the “Jazz Age,” was an impactful decade that changed many people’s views on culture and expanded America into a more modern era.
Culture
Music
Music had a strong presence during the 1920s. The 1920s was a great time for many to pursue their passion for music because jazz, the production of radios, and electrical recordings were gaining popularity among many young Americans. There were many famous musicians from this time, like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Bessie Smith.
Fashion
After the Victorian era, new types of fashion for men and women became popular. Many women at the time created trends by wearing shorter dresses, bobbed hair, makeup, and different kinds of jewelry and were called flappers. Compared to the long dresses and skirts women wore in the past, this was considered scandalous then! Men at the time wore more colorful, comfortable, patterned everyday clothing and suits rather than dull, clean-styled clothing. New types of fashion allowed individualism among many people at the time and helped with shaping and making all kinds of trending styles today.
Inventions and innovations
Many great inventions were created during the 1920s and helped contribute to the modernity that shaped America in the future. One of them is the television. The television was designed by Philo Taylor Farnsworth and might be one of the best inventions to help pastime. An example of an innovation is the vacuum cleaner. It had been invented earlier than the 1920s but was significantly improved during the 1920s, making it easier to use and coming with a disposable bag for the waste it picked up after use. Another great invention was the traffic light, invented by Garret Morgan and is widely used across the globe. These are just a few of the great inventions that were created in the 1920s.
Problems
While the Roaring Twenties is famous for being a period of prosperity and growth, there were also various problems throughout the country and in the near future. Many religious fundamentalists rejected the idea of the change in societal beliefs, the prohibition of alcohol led to the making of speakeasies and other illegal methods to obtain alcohol, and the great depression and WWII would soon commence.
Conclusion
Even though there were both positive and negative sides to the 1920s, when it came to the reconstruction, women’s rights, and entertainment development, I believe the Roaring Twenties swing of change and transformation opened doors to many great parts of American life today.
