American History: 1920s–1930s

Sexism and Discrimination

• Marriage has prevented women from working in some jobs.
• Women were commonly paid less for their work.
• During the Depression, working women were sometimes blamed for “taking” jobs from unemployed men.
• Traditional attitudes promoted the idea that a woman’s main role should be at home as a wife and mother.
• Women in politics and activism faced strong gender discrimination.

The American Dream

• The idea can be traced back to the US Declaration of Independence (1776).
• It reflects the belief that people should have fundamental rights and the opportunity to achieve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• The term “American Dream” was popularized by James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book, The Epic of America.

Segregation

• The Jim Crow system enforced racial segregation, including separate schools, public transport and other facilities.
• Segregation also affected everyday social life, with restrictions on where Black and white people could eat or play games together.
• Black Americans were often prevented from voting through poll taxes, literacy tests and intimidation.

The Great Depression

Causes: The Wall Street Crash, widespread bank failures, protectionist trade policies and poor monetary policy all contributed to the crash.

Effects: US unemployment rose to about 25%, while poverty, hunger and homelessness increased sharply.

The Dust Bowl: Caused by severe drought and damaging farming practices on the Great Plains, it destroyed crops and forced many families to leave their homes.

Wall Street Crash

• During the 1920s, share prices rose rapidly because of speculation and widespread confidence in the stock market.
• The market crashed early in September 1929 before prices began to fall.
• Black Thursday (24 October 1929): Panic in the market.
• Black Monday (28 October 1929): Prices fell heavily again.
• Black Tuesday (29 October 1929): 16 million shares traded as prices collapsed further.