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The 1920s to the 1980s were a period of tension between new and changing attitudes on one hand and traditional values and nostalgia on the other. What is your opinion?
The 1920’s is a period that defines the United States. Conflict and opposing values were increasingly prevalent in the American society. The country was torn between new political practices, views on the role of women, religion, social and artistic trends, science and more traditional beliefs. These were ideologies that were surfacing during the 1920’s. Much tension between the 'new America' and the 'old America' was caused by a number of wars and outbreaks (Lyndon).
Religion and culture become one of the major conflict fronts. The American natives and the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) fought against the new cultural practices brought in by the immigrants. Traditional Protestants retained their religious beliefs but fought Catholicism and Judaism brought by the new immigrants. This created many mishaps and tension. Some politicians failed to win their seats because of their religious affiliation. Preachers tried to woo national audiences through media outlets like radio. The move was considered sophisticated but was surprisingly used to restore religions.
Political differences also created tension during this period. For instance, the Tennessee Revolution Case, also known as the ‘monkey trial’ which made headlines in 1925. There was conflicting views over teaching or not teaching evolution in schools. The presence of the KKK intimidated the Jews, blacks and Catholics who demanded to be represented in politics. 100% Americanism movement and the KKK put pressure on the government showing the grassroots uprising tension in the country. The KKK group represented a yearning f...
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...a became more powerful after embracing new technology as they made better weapons as compared to earlier years. Evidently, over the years there has been a change of attitude towards technology, political views, religious views and cultural practices (Huey). There has been tension over the years, but the ‘new America’ brings much nostalgia from the ‘old America’.
Works Cited
Franklin, D. Roosevelt and Winston, Churchill. The Atlantic Charter, 1941.
Harry, Truman. Truman Doctrine, 1947. Speech.
Huey, Long. Share Our Wealth, 1935. Radio Address.
John, F. Kennedy. Inaugural Address, 1961.
Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling Speech. Wheeling, West Virginia, 1950. Speech.
Lyndon, B. Johnson, Great Society. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 1964. Speech.
Martin, L. King, I Have A Dream. Washington, 1963. Speech.
National Organization for Women (NOW). Statement of Purpose. 1966.
From the start of the American Civil War, 1860, until the end of the Reconstruction, 1877, the United States of America endured what can be considered a revolution. Prior to the year 1860, there was a lack of union because of central government power flourishing rather than state power. Therefore, there was a split of opposite sides, North and South, fighting for authority. One major issue that came into mind was of slavery. At first, there were enactments that were issued to limit or rather prevent conflict to erupt, such as the numerous compromises, Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. They did not fulfill the needs of the states, South states in particular; therefore, in the year 1860, the Civil War had commenced. There was the issue of inequality of Blacks in suffrage, politics, and the use of public facilities. However, much constitutional and social advancement in the period culminated in the revolution. To a radical extent, constitutional development between 1860 and 1877 amount to a revolution because of events like the Emancipation Proclamation, Civil Rights Act, the amendments that tried to change African Americans lives in American Society and contributed to get the union together. There is the social developments as well that to a lesser extent had amounted to the revolution because of organizations like the Klu Klux Klan, Freedmen’s Bureau lacking, and discrimination against African Americans that caused progression of violence and white supremacy.
The 1920s were a time of change for the United States. Following the First World War there was a rush of new cultural, social, and artistic dynamism, partly fuelled by the Progressivism movement that was cut short when American entered the Great War. This decade was defined by a change from more rural farm life to industrialism in big cities. The shift from the frugality and traditional family values or previous generations to the happy-go-lucky consumerism and metropolitan life occurred more rapidly than any other social shift in living memory. These swiftly changing tides caused cultural clashes and confrontations throughout the decade as America struggled to define for itself a fresh national identity in the wake of its new position as a world power.
After the war, the American people made the change from "old" ways to "new" ways. Many factors, such as new technology, fundamentalism, new looks and church led to tension between the old and the new. The 1920s were a time of conflicting viewpoints between traditional behaviors and new and changing attitudes.
The 1920s was an era of great cultural, technological, and economic expansion. It was a prosperous time for the upper and middle classes. This time period named the “New Era” because the United States seemed to be on the cusp of great change and fortune. The 1920s seemed to be a prosperous time for America but looks can be deceiving.
From the beginning of the Civil War all the way up to the end of Reconstruction, the United States endured a similar type of revolution than it had dealt with in the previous years. In this time, many social and constitutional advancements brought about great change and discord in the country. However, some of these constitutional developments ended up causing conflict such as the civil rights bills and Emancipation Proclamation, in addition to the social developments such as the Black Codes, Ku Klux Klan, and the Freedman’s Bureau. All together, these important events helped put the country into a revolution.
Lindop, Edmund, and Margaret J. Goldstein. America In The 1920s. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group Inc., 2010. Print.
The 20th century brought about many changes, with several events molding society in the way we know of it today. With the Great Depression, World War 2 , and the Cold War, America faced many internal and external threats, that endangered the American way of life and forced the country to reshape it’s views to move past events that seemed, at the time, to be the lowest points.
The 1920's was a time of change in the United States. “The Roaring Twenties” had an outstanding impact on the economy, social standards and everyday life. It was a time for positive results in the consumer goods industry and American families, because of higher wages, shorter working hours, and manufacturing was up 60% in consumer goods. But it was also a time of adversity and opposition for others, such as immigrants and farmers. Immigrants had lots of competition when they were looking for work and they weren't treated fairly by Americans, depending on where they came from and what they believed.
Out of some of the most turbulent times in history have come the greatest ages of success and prosperity. The 1920’s and 1950’s are two eras that exemplify the spirit of triumph and wealth. In both decades, a nation thrilled by the victorious conclusion of war and the return of their loved ones from war entered into an age of capitalism and materialism, bolstering the economy and with it national pride. Some of the features most common to the 20’s and 50’s were consumerism and the accompanying optimistic mindset, the extent to which new ideas entered society, and discrimination in terms of both sexism and racism. On the heels of war, new technology caused a decrease in prices of goods in the 1920’s and in the 1950’s the GI Bill increased income.
Conflicts happen easily when people have different opinions on one subject and they think their opinions are better than others. When it comes to the 1920’s, it is viewed as a period of conflict. The 1920’s is often called as the “Roaring Twenties” and it had altered from an old nation to a modernized and developed America. During this period, numerous exciting events happened and changed American lifestyle. For example, new inventions and technology emerged, people living standard improved, and Jazz music flourished the nation. Although the “Roaring Twenties” has broken a lot of America old traditions, it is viewed as a period of conflict. The 1920’s is viewed as a period of conflict because many conflicting issues happened during that time.
During the years between 1920 and 1960, America saw change in many aspects of life. The United States was a part of two major wars and a crash of the banking system that crippled the economy greater than ever seen in this country’s history. Also the country had new insecurities to tackle such as immigration and poor treatment of workers. These events led to the change of America lives socially, economically, and politically. The people of America changed their ideas of what the country’s place in the world should be. The issues challenging America led the country to change from isolation to war, depression to prosperity, and social change. The threats to American way of life, foreign and domestic, were the changing forces to the country in the twenties to the sixties.
As a nation coming out of a devastating war, America faced many changes in the 1920s. It was a decade of growth and improvements. It was also a decade of great economic and political confidence. However, with all the changes comes opposition. Social and cultural fears still caused dichotomous rifts in American society.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of production, it was the age of destruction, it was the epoch of nativism, it was the epoch of racism, it was the season of skepticism, it was the season of anti-communism, it was the spring of gain, it was the winter of loss – in short, it was the 1920's. Indeed, the decade of the 1920s was a truly “roaring” and prosperous time, but at the same time, it was a period of chaos and conflict. The events that happened during this decade influenced the world as we know it today. More importantly, the thought that the 1920’s was an era of major change in the United States, both positive and negative, is indeed fascinating and it deserves thorough examination.
The United States was only a country for about 15 years before the basic way of life for people in the country changed drastically. We developed politically and economically, expanded westward and divided along sectional borders. However, these are not the only characteristics that define this time. 1790-1860 was a period of rapid industrialization, market revolution and changing social order. This was largely due to advanced methods of transportation, mechanization and the changes in women’s roles.
Wukovits, John F., ed. America's Decades: The 1920's. San Diego: Greehaven Press Inc., 2000. Print.