Social Life

SOCIAL LIFE – THE 1920’s

The social life in the 1920’s changed and benefitted different aspects of society. Class structures such as working class, middle class, upper class all were impacted by society. As well as black and white races relating to society values such as the KKK and prohibition, causing mafia and gangsters control over police forces.  This relates to the great divide between black and white, and when racism was a common occurrence. These were some of the many negative consequences of the 1920’s. New changes for women, equality and employment changed lives and history, establishing a positive impact on society. Entertainment and technology were an adjustment to the 1920’s standard of living, including transportation, music, radio and film, broadening the knowledge of those living in this era. There was great change in the 20’s, indicating a vivid break between America’s past and its future.

In the 1920’s prohibition was introduced, along with the temperance movement influencing the way people saw drinking alcohol. They saw that alcohol was damaging towards themselves and their families. The people involved in the temperance movement were very powerful, persuading their state governments to prohibit the sale of alcohol within the state. It then escalated into a national campaign to ban alcohol across the country. Drinkers became stereotypes of being unpatriotic cowards. German immigrants ran most of the big breweries, Germans were perceived as the enemy. The campaign became one of country values over city values. In 1917 the movement had a right to be proposed to the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment ‘Prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors.’ Then becoming a law known as the Volstead Act. Levels of alcohol consumption decreased by 30% in the early stages of the law. Also many arrests were made throughout the country. Isadore Einstein and Deputy Moe Smith made 4392 arrests, throughout speakeasies. Despite arrests being made, prohibition proved ineffective in cities. Bootleggers made immense fortunes; Al Capone made an estimate of $60 million a year from his own speakeasies. Prohibition failed for many reasons, a large amount of the population still illegally went to speakeasies, law enforces were corrupt and ignored those disobeying the law, bootleggers and gangsters controlling the trade through acts of violence. There were those who had the mindset to stand behind the law and avoid corruption, then there were those following the criminal influence of those breaking the law, and continued to consume, sell and transport alcohol throughout the country. Prohibition caused corruption, acts of violence and shifting power from the police, to mafia and gangsters. Prohibition did not have the influence the temperance movement had fought for. It defiantly contributed to change and society values in the 1920’s.

America boomed in the 1920’s, rich in natural resources and a growing population. Cities, transportation, advertising, and new technology all were a large impact in this era. Transportation made it possible and convenient for more Americans to live in their own houses in the suburbs, then travel to their work destinations etc. by 1930 new aircraft companies flew 162,000 flights a year, where as in 1918 there were no civilian airlines. This s a great change, resulting in easy travel and transportation. In famous cities such as NYC there were more buildings taking place in the boom years, then there ever has been in USA history. In 1929, almost every urban home had electricity, a big increases compared to a decade before that, when only a ‘few’ homes were available to electricity. All these developments guided the production of technology in the 1920’s, and influenced lifestyles of American’s in this period.

Equality, rights, racism and women were consequential and controversial issues that swept the 1920’s. Young middle class women didn’t appreciate the limitations held over them; it was the era of change for these women. Women didn’t appreciate the restricted rules they had to undertake to fit into society. Dressed in unrevealing clothing, behaving politely, expectations of becoming housewives, not being able to feel independent. This was the traditional attitude to the role of women. This all changed. Women were allowed to vote, in all states, wore daring clothes, smoked publicly and drank with men recklessly. For what we take for granted today, women saw as rebelling in the 20’s, to their extent of kissing in public and behaving mischievously. More and more women took on jobs created by new industries; by 1929 there were 24% more jobs on offer than in 1920. Women then became the particular way of advertising. The newspaper, magazine and film industries found that sex sold better than anything else previous to that. The lives of American women was changing for better, yet the lives of those effected by racism, were found to be tough and challenging. Black American’s had long been a part of American’s history. White people feared the power of black American’s, so this resulted in control over freedom, no voting, denied access to well payed jobs as well as education, and suffering from great poverty. The white supremacy movement known as the KKK (Ku Klux Klan), used violence as intimidation against black people. The Klan became a powerful political force in the 20’s, devastating for all black American’s. Black people suffered from discrimination and poverty, as well as intimidation. This being said, many left the rural south and moved to the cities of the Northern USA. Throughout this time, the population of blacks of Chicago and New York doubled in numbers. In the north, blacks had a better chance of getting jobs and a good education. There was an effective black capitalist movement, encouraging blacks to set up a business. Although it had a positive impact on black American’s lifestyle, they still remained behind the whites. Many blacks in northern cities lived in great poverty. Having to pay higher rents, and had poorer education. Blacks didn’t technically have rights to go out in public to playgrounds, parks and beaches in the Irish and Polish districts. This resulted in black communities living in isolated ghettos. Although the 20’s were an inspiring time for all black American’s, it still resulted them coming off second best to the whites. They never came close to having equalised power, and this resulted in blacks still living in poverty and treated unfairly. There was changed for blacks, but they still didn’t live a healthy lifestyle, like most whites.