Terms: 1920s

These flashcards cover major events, influential figures, and societal changes during the 1920s, highlighting the decade's significance in American history.

19th Amendment

Gave women in the U.S. the right to vote, fundamentally shifting the political landscape.

First Commercial Radio Broadcast

KDKA in Pittsburgh marks the start of mass media and shared national culture.

Discovery of Penicillin

Alexander Fleming's discovery that led to the modern age of antibiotics, used to treat bacterial infections.

Charles Lindbergh's Transatlantic Flight

The first solo non-stop flight from New York to Paris, making the world feel smaller.

Black Tuesday

The stock market crash in 1929 that ended the era's prosperity and triggered the Great Depression.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Author known as the 'voice' of the Jazz Age; wrote The Great Gatsby, capturing the culture of the 1920s.

Coco Chanel

Fashion designer who revolutionized women's fashion by introducing sporty, comfortable silhouettes.

Duke Ellington

Influential jazz musician who referred to his work as 'American Music' and gained national fame from the Cotton Club.

Babe Ruth

Considered the greatest baseball player; known for his home runs and the 'Curse of the Bambino'.

Al Capone

Infamous American gangster who dominated Chicago's illegal trade during the Prohibition era.

Consumer Culture of the 1920s

A societal shift in the U.S. driven by automobiles, electricity, and Hollywood.

Weimar Republic

Germany during the 1920s, noted for being a hub of art and science amid political chaos.

Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin

Transformed from a monarchy to a centralized communist state, marking a radical change in governance.

Chinese Nationalists and Communists

Struggle initiated in the 1920s following the collapse of imperial traditions.

Prohibition

A nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages, enacted by the 18th Amendment in the United States during the 1920s.

Black Market

A system of illicit trade that arose in response to Prohibition, allowing the sale of alcohol outside legal channels during the 1920s.

Amendment

A change or addition to the Constitution, often proposed to address specific legal or social issues, such as the 18th Amendment which established Prohibition.

Repeal

The action of revoking or annulling a law or amendment; in the context of the 1920s, it specifically refers to the 21st Amendment which repealed Prohibition.

Anthropology

The scientific study of people and their societies and cultures.

Folklore

The traditional stories, sayings, customs, and beliefs of a community that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Great Depression

A period of severe economic hardship that began in 1929 in the United States and spread around the world, lasting about 10 years.

Great Migration

The movement of about 6 million Black American from the South to cities in the North and Midwest from about the 1910s to the 1970s to escape racial violence and segregation.

Discrimination

The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, often based on race, gender, or other characteristics.

Speakeasies

Illicit bars that operated during Prohibition in the United States, allowing patrons to drink alcohol and socialize.