In many years of reading books on American history, I find the best authors will set the stage for the subject matter, and allow me to immerse my mind in the topic as it is explained to me. By focusing on the key issues of the period being described and staying within those “boundary lines”, I always find the authors descriptions a very worthwhile and exciting experience. I gain a greater amount of knowledge on that subject as a result. In reading Paul Carter’s “The Twenties in America,” I had a very difficult time trying to focus on what Carter was saying about the 1920s. Carter’s “out-of-the-box” writing style, made so many countless comparisons of events in the 1920s to those of future decades of the 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond! I wasn’t sure if I was reading a book on the 1920s, or watching an episode of “Lost” (which I despise because of the flash-back/present day format) on ABC! It was because of this “scatter-shot” style of writing, that I often found difficulty in digesting what Carter was trying to deliver. But I digress; I will make the best attempt at answering the multi-part question for this mid-term assignment.
America during the 1920s did experience vast economic, social, and cultural changes. The transformation of American society and culture during this decade showed up in a number of different ways as described by Carter. After reading Carter’s book, one gets a real sense of the divisions within the society during this time; rural communities and life in the country, vs. city dwellers in their busy and tailored, urban landscapes.
Divisions in society and culture could also be identified in the region of the country you lived in; Northeastern, Southern, Midwestern or West. Each of these places had discernab...
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...ti. It’s unfortunate that Carter gives us very little information on one of the Justice Department’s biggest cases of the century, ending with their executions for speaking out against the state.
The successes of the social and economic changes of the Twenties can be seen by a growing consumer culture and robust economy. And how producers of goods and services were becoming much more savvy about the consumer. Chain stores and mail-order catalogues became the new way to cultivate and create greater demand for goods and services they provided. Carter ends on a more somber note in his description of the Twenties, saying that town and country had lost the knack for speaking together in concert, and instead, began shouting each other down. (Carter 1975, 105)
Works Cited
Carter, Paul A. The Twenties In America. Wheeling, Illinois: Harlan Davidson, Inc., 1975.
Wukovits, John F., ed. America's Decades: The 1920's. San Diego: Greehaven Press Inc., 2000. Print.
The 1920s was a decade of rapid expansion, wealth, envy, and greed. This is a time during which life felt as if it was moving in fast forward. Its basis was money and the extravagances that money could buy. America went under a radical change and social reform. America is becoming more industrialized, more Americans lived in cities than in the countryside. The development of technologies like radios, mo...
David E. Kyvig is a Presidential Research Professor and Professor of History at Northern Illinois University (Kyvig, 272). His purpose in writing the book, as Kyvig states in his preface, was to, “… to examine what daily life was like for ordinary people in the 1920s and 1930s. It acknowledges that these people were not all alike and that their experiences varied considerably. It recognizes that distinctions in location, occupation, economic circumstance, race, ethnicity, gender, age, religious view, and cultural values differentiated their lives. Above all, its author is sensitive to the fact that in this space it is only possible to scratch the surface of a topic that should be explored in greater depth and detail” (Kyvig, x). Kyvig goes on to state that, “This book is offered in th...
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.
Heinrichs, Tim. "American Life in the Twenties." Discussion 3, Topic 9. Washington, Bellevue. 18 Feb. 2009. American Life in the Twenties. Blackboard Vista, Bellevue Community College. 18 Feb. 2009 .
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.
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.
A number of historians and social critics have attempted to describe the American society and its culture of the 1920’s. Underneath the façade of richness, glamour and content, it contained hypocrisy, shallowness and debauchery. Historians commonly refer to the twenties as the lost generation. Harold E. Stearns’, Civilization in the United States faced a lot of criticism from intellectuals after it ruthlessly and negatively assessed the American society during the 1920’s. Although there is a common understanding among most intellectuals that the culture incorporated a lot of debauchery and corruption, critics of the 1920’s and later decades, such as the 60’s and 80’s have shown disapproval of Stearns’ overly negative assessment. Others, on the other hand, have criticized Stearns and the other authors for being too confident in the future of the American society.
The 1920s was a time of conservatism and it was a time of great social change. From the world of fashion to the world of politics, forces clashed to produce the most explosive decade of the century. It was the age of prohibition, it was the age of prosperity, and it was the age of downfall.
Lindop, Edmund, and Margaret J. Goldstein. America In The 1920s. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group Inc., 2010. Print.
“The Roaring Twenties were the period of that Great American Prosperity which was built on shaky foundation”. This quote came from an anonymous person describing the great life in the 20’s. It’s very true because it was a great time of social and economic growth, but it was a very unstable and random way of living, which didn’t end up lasting as long as some had hoped. As time goes by in history, many things make America what it is today. The roaring twenties were the most important years contributing to the change in America. First off, the twenties made such an important impact because this was a time for the economy to boom and reform, also during this time women’s rights became more focused on, and lastly due to the many advancements in technology the twenties was a time of great prosperity and wealth. The twenties made life seem so easy, until reality sets in.
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).
The 1920s in America, known as the "Roaring Twenties", was a time of celebration after a devastating war. It was a period of time in America characterised by prosperity and optimism. There was a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity and a break with traditions.
The 1920’s was a decade that changes American life. Frederick Lewis Allen describes the twenties as a “revolution in manners and morals.” The twenties has been named all types of nicknames, such as: “The Roaring Twenties”, “The Era of Wonderful Nonsense”, “The Decade of the Dollar”, “The Period of the Psyche”, “ Dry Decade” and the age of “Alcohol and Al Capone” (Gales Research, 1998). During the twenties, the way Americans lived had changed. The 1920’s was a time in history that has been remembered for its great prosperity but also for its great loss. The Great Depression is what ended the Roaring Twenties.