society 1920-45 fINISH

19th amendment

1920 - gave women the right to vote

fraction of uni degrees that went to women by 1930

1/3

First female mayor

1926 - Bertha Knight Landes, Mayor of Seattle

how many women in the US armed froces in WW1

approx 90,000, women also helped the war effort in taking on traditionally male jobs - heavy industry, egineering and transport

impact of WW1 on the role of women

• greater social freedoms in habits and going out unchapheroned

• their participation in the war effort draw attention to the fight for suffrage

• ALTHOUGH during WW1 the army were more conservative with the roles they gave to women

number of employed women increases

1920 to 1930, by 2 million

issues in employment for women

a gender wage gap existed - the Supreme court banned all attempts to set a minimum wage for female workers

women limited to mostly ‘female’ jobs

issues with women in politics

women on the most part not seen as realistic candidates for office, many chose not to get politically involved

the women’s movement failed to get the Equal Rights Amendment act passed, which would give them equality woth men in the law

Margaret Sanger - Birth Control

drew attention to the plight of poor women, began to write arcticles on contraception

BUT the Comstock Act of 1873 banned distribution of artciles in the mail

teh birth control movement and Sanger herself had associations with eugenics

flappers

middle and upper class young women who challenged traditional social attitudes to women and showed greater independence in their appearance and social life - embraced drinking, smoking, jazz and dancing

negative reaction to flappers

• the Anti Flirt League established

• seen as too extreme by traditional groups

• their social challenge did not change the legal status of women

• lifestyle only accessible to the wealthy

by 1930 percentage of female uni professors

4%

medical schools only allocated x % of places to women

5% meaning the number of female doctors declined in the 20s

18th amendment

established prohibition in the constitution - known as the Volstead Act/National Prohibition Act, banning the productiona nd sale of alcohol

18th amendment year

1919, came into effect in 1920

‘the great social experiment’

prohibition sometimes referred to as this, highlighted the divide between urban and rural areas. Some motivation behind this was to improve the loives of immigrants and peacefully assimilate, emphasising clean wholesome living

Anti Saloon League founded

1893 - used alcohol as a scapegoat for wider social issues eg, urban moral decline, violence, immigration

prohibition drove drinkers underground

huge no.s of people prepared to break the law of prohibition, making criminals out of ordinary citizens - illegal drinking in private bars known as speakeasies

no. of speakeasies on NY

more than 30,000

bootlegging

illegal production and distribution of alcohol, often selling moonshine - made prohibition difficult to enforce due to undercover rings

growth of mob violence

due to prohibition - driving drinking underground created gangs and crime - mobsters controlled territories by force and established monopolies in illegal alcohol sale

geographically difficult to enforce prohibition

USA has 18,7000 miles of coastline, difficult to prevent smuggling

1925 - IRS agents intercepted only 5% of illegal alcohol smuggling

Internal Revenue Service

IRS - set up to enforce prohibition, never had more than 2,500 agents

10% of agents fined for corruption

‘the Golden Age of Sport’

1920s - sport made even more popular due to radio

• popularity of baseball celebrtities like Babe Ruth, introduction of cork centred balls and new stadiums eg. West Side Grounds in Chicago

• 1926 - 145,000 spectators came to see boxing match of Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey

The Negro National Baseball League

est. 1920, created when sport was still mostly segregated, ironically they played to mixed crowds

NNBA attracted up to 30,000 spectators

players earned less than their white counterparts

first commercial radio station set up

1920 - KDKA set up in Pittsburgh

by 1922 - 500 stations est

advertising in radio

eg, Amos & Andy comedy radio show sponsored by Pepsodent toothpaste

had an audience of 40 million - beneficial to business

typical cost of a radio

$150 - usually bought on credit, making it somewhat accessible - 60% of all families purchased one

Radio united Americans - same music, jokes, sporting events

by 1920s - Hollywood was

the 4th largest industry in America

first sound film

The Jazz Singer - 1927

elaborate cinema complexes built

eg, The Roxy in NY, cost $10 million, had an 118 piece orchestra

movie stars of the era

• Clara Bow - “it Girl”

• Theda Bara - the vamp/sex symbol

• Buster Keaton and Charlie chaplin - comic actors

• Douglas Fairbanks - action hero roles

‘The Jazz Age’

Jazz became a highly popular genre - originated from slave music, blues and spirituals

became popular with the middle class youth, especially flappers - seen as another sign of failing moral standards

some cities like NY and Cleveland banned public performance of Jazz, making it more appealing

also heard on radio and in speakeasies

1921 Ladies Home Journal Article

‘Is Jazz putting the Sin in Syncopation?’

jazz artists of the age

• Duke Ellington

• Louis Armstrong

• Ma Rainey

• Bessie Smith

decrease in deaths caused by alcohol

1921 - deaths caused by alcohol fell by 20%

deaths caused by poisoned bootleg alcohol

50,000 people die by poisoned alcohol

no. of gang murders in Chicago 1927-1930

227 murders

money Al Capone’s gang made from illegal activities

over $70 million

St Valentines Day Massacre

14th Feb 1929 - Al Capone ordered the assassination of 7 rival gang members

positives of Al Capone

• seen as a glamorous person moved in high social circles

• first to open soup kitchens following the Wall st crash