1920s/1930s

Flappers

Young women in the 1920s who embraced new fashion, social norms, and independence, often wearing shorter dresses and makeup.

Women's Beauty Standards

More makeup was worn, and the cosmetic industry expanded; women became more concerned with social norms than voting rights.

Suffragettes

Wealthy, college-educated women who had free time to dedicate to protesting for voting rights and gender equality.

Margaret Sanger

Activist for women’s reproductive rights; founded Planned Parenthood.She advocated for birth control access and education, significantly impacting women's health and autonomy.

Social Frontier

Women gained freedom to go out without chaperones, attend jazz clubs, and participate in social events.

19th Amendment

Ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. It was a significant milestone in the women's suffrage movement in the United States, ensuring legal voting rights for women.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement that brought African American music (jazz, blues) and literature into the mainstream, fostering Black artistic expression and racial pride. It took place primarily during the 1920s and was centered in Harlem, New York City.

Fashion & Race

Fashion transcended racial barriers, and trends were no longer exclusive to white women.

Gay New York

A groundbreaking cultural and social movement in the early 20th century that celebrated LGBTQ+ identities and lifestyles, particularly during the 1920s in New York City.

Greenwich Village & Harlem

Two neighborhoods in New York City that became cultural hubs for artistic expression and social movements, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community and African Americans during the early 20th century.

Bohemian Men

Non-traditional artists and intellectuals who supported LGBTQ individuals because they were outcasts themselves.

Scopes Monkey Trial (1925)

Trial in Dayton, TN over the teaching of evolution; first trial broadcasted on the radio.

• Evolutionists – Supported teaching human evolution in schools.

• Traditionalists – Conservative thinkers who wanted religion-based education.The Scopes Monkey Trial was a landmark legal case in 1925 that tested a Tennessee law prohibiting the teaching of evolution in public schools, highlighting the conflict between science and religion.

Temperance Movement

A social and political campaign aimed at reducing or eliminating the consumption of alcoholic beverages, prominent in the early 20th century, leading to Prohibition in the 1920s.

October 1929 Stock Market Crash

Rapid selling of stocks caused market collapse.

Overproduction in Farming

Tractors led to overproduction, lowering prices.

Credit & Debt

• People bought consumer goods (radios, fridges, cars) on credit, leading to economic instability.

Buying Stocks on Margin

Borrowing money to buy stocks inflated stock values.

Buying Stocks on Margin

Borrowing money to buy stocks inflated stock values.

Market Saturation

Once everyone owned new tech, demand dropped, hurting production and employment.

Herbert Hoover’s Response

Did nothing – Believed the economy would fix itself.

Tariffs – Increased tariffs on imports to protect American goods, but worsened global trade.

Keynesian Economics

Economic theory advocating government spending to stimulate demand and employment during downturns.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Won 1932 election with ⅗ of the vote.

• Promised "action, and action now" to provide relief, recovery, and reform.

• Embraced Keynesian Economics to stimulate the economy through government spending. He was the 32nd President of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1945, and led the country through the Great Depression and World War II.

TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority 1933)

Built dams for hydroelectric power, controlled flooding, and created jobs in rural areas. The TVA was a New Deal agency aimed at improving the quality of life in the Tennessee Valley region through modernization and economic development.

WPA (Works Progress Administration, 1935)

Employed 8.5 million people in education, infrastructure, and arts projects.

CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933)

Government-run work camps focused on conservation projects; employed young men.

PWA (Public Works Administration, 1933)

Focused on urban infrastructure and city building projects.

Aftermath of the New Deal

• Provided jobs and income, helping economic recovery.

• WW2 ultimately ended the Great Depression by creating jobs and boosting industry.

Dust Bowl

A severe ecological disaster caused by overuse of farmland, leading to massive dust storms across the Great Plains.

• Causes – Over-farming, removal of native grasses, and mechanization.

• Capitalism’s Role – Exploiting land for profit led to long-term environmental damage.

Dorthea Lange

WPA photographer who documented the Dust Bowl and the struggles of farmers.

Farm Security Administration (FSA, 1937)

A New Deal agency created to combat rural poverty through resettlement, loans, and soil conservation.

William Jennings Bryan (WJB)

Prosecutor in the Scopes Trial, supported traditionalist views.

Clarence Darrow

Defense lawyer in the Scopes Trial, supported teaching evolution.

Broad Executive Power

Roosevelt expanded presidential authority to implement massive reforms during the Great Depression.

To what extent did the New Deal address the root causes of the Dust Bowl?

• It helped by providing jobs and conservation efforts.

• However, it didn’t address the long-term issue of capitalist overuse of land.

How did women’s gender norms change in the 1920s?

• Women gained suffrage and became more politically active.

• Many were college-educated and financially independent.

• Flappers represented a new, rebellious feminine ideal.

• Women gained more social freedom and participated in nightlife.

What conclusions can be drawn about the Harlem Renaissance?

• Elevated Black voices in American culture.

• Fostered racial pride and artistic expression.

• Laid the foundation for future civil rights activism.

What were negative conservative reactions in the 1920s?

• KKK resurgence – Targeted Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.

• Quota System – Restricted immigration.

• Scopes Trial – Traditionalists fought against progressive change.

What role did debt play in the Great Depression?

• Excessive borrowing – People and businesses took risky loans.

• Bank failures – Unpaid loans led to mass bank collapses.

• Deflation – Falling wages made debts harder to repay.

Who was FDR and what did he promise?

• 32nd president during the Great Depression.

• Promised relief, recovery, and reform through the New Deal.

• Created programs like CCC, PWA, and WPA to provide jobs.

What are the parallels between the 1920s and modern day?

• Cultural changes – Similar fights for women’s rights, racial equality, and LGBTQ rights.

• Economic inequality – The wealth gap and financial instability resemble today’s issues.

• Technology boom – 1920s saw radios & refrigerators; today, we have AI and electric cars.

Overproduction

Too many crops led to falling prices.

Debt

Farmers took out loans for new equipment but couldn’t repay them.

Dust Bowl

Soil erosion & drought devastated farms.

How did FDR use Keynesian Economics to try and save the USA?

Massive government spending on public works to create jobs.

Direct relief – Programs like Social Security provided financial aid.

Banking reforms – Stabilized banks to prevent further collapses.