5_The Roaring Twenties

1. Town vs. Country

  • 1920: For the first time, more Americans lived in towns and cities than in rural areas.

  • Urban growth: Skyscrapers symbolised the prosperity and modernity of 1920s USA.

  • Rural tension: Many rural areas, particularly in the South, resisted the “corrupting” influence of urban culture.

2. Entertainment and Leisure

  • More free time and higher wages allowed Americans to spend on leisure.

  • Leisure industries boomed: sport, cinema, radio, and music.

3. Radio

  • Almost every household owned or shared a radio.

  • Rapid growth of stations:

    • 1921: 1 licensed station

    • 1922: 508 stations

    • 1929: NBC network earning $150 million/year

  • Spread of music: Jazz and blues became hugely popular, particularly among youth.

4. Jazz and Changing Morality

  • Known as the Jazz Age.

  • New dances (e.g., Charleston) and social behaviour symbolised by the flapper: short dresses, make-up, smoking in public.

  • Older generations saw jazz and new morality as corrupting influences.

5. Sport

  • Baseball: Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox; stars like Babe Ruth became national icons.

  • Boxing: Stars like Jack Dempsey were popular.

  • Millions listened to sports via the radio.

6. Cinema and Hollywood

  • Hollywood became the centre of film production, aided by year-round sunshine.

  • Silent films dominated until 1927, when the first “talkie” was produced.

  • Stars included Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Douglas Fairbanks.

  • By the end of the decade, 100 million cinema tickets were sold each week.

  • Cinema was affordable even for the poor (10–20 cents).

7. Morals and Youth Culture

  • Sexuality became more openly discussed; contraceptive advice was available.

  • Hollywood exploited sex appeal: stars like Theda Bara, Clara Bow (“It” girl), and Rudolph Valentino.

  • Rural states attempted censorship, leading Hollywood to enforce its own moral code.

  • Youth were often criticised as “wild,” but delinquency statistics actually fell (New Republic, 1926).

8. The Car

  • Cars enabled suburban growth and mobility.

  • Facilitated leisure activities: visits to beaches, cinemas, sporting events, shopping, picnics, and private outings away from parental supervision.

  • Cars tied together all aspects of 1920s consumer and leisure culture.

Summary:
The Roaring Twenties were defined by urban growth, mass leisure, new forms of entertainment, jazz culture, changing morals, and car-fuelled mobility, creating a distinctive, confident, and modern American society.