In 1920, the 19th amendment was passed, giving women the vote. The 20s was the era of the 'flapper' as young women were known. They shortenede their skirst, cut their hair, and took to drinking, smoking, wearing makeup, sunbathing, and driving automobiles and aeroplanes. They went out with young men without chaperones. They danced the wild flapping dances of the era, like the Charleston, the Black Bottom, etc.
The 20s was the era when moving pictures became enormously popular, stars like Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Theda Bara, Tallulah Bankhead, Rudolph Valentino and Dorothy and Lillian Gish were the superstars of their day, adored and revered by millions of people.
Jazz music was enormously popular, and Mamie Smith became the first black singer to record Jazz songs in 1920, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, King Oliver, and others became enormously succesful in this period.
Prohibition meant that the sale of alcahol was prohibited, leading the to rise to power of the 'bootleggers' who supplied illegal alcahol, most famous was Al Capone. Bootlegger gangs fought each other for supremacy in the illicit alcahol trade. Such rivalry led to the famous Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929. People drank secretly in 'speakeasies' and some people brewed illicit drink at home.
Flying was a novelty that became popular in the 20s, and Charles Lindberg rose to fame when he became the first person to fly non-stop from New York to Paris in 1927. Some fliers peformed as 'barnstormers' giving exhibitions of flying skills, performing stunts, and giving people rides in planes. Young women danced the charleston on the wings of aeroplanes while they were in flight.
Sport was very popular in the 20s, and sporting heroes included the baseball player Babe Ruth and boxer Jack Dempsey. Sporting heroines included the tennis player Helen Wills ("little miss poker-face") and swimmer Gertrude Ederle.
The most famous writer of the era was probably F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose novel The Great Gatsby captured the spirit of the times.
The 20s was the era when listening to the radio became a widespread activity, by 1929 a third of all American households were listening to radio, the vast majority every day.
In 1929, the Wall Street Crash brought to an abrupt end the era of prosperity of the 1920s.
The 20s was the era when moving pictures became enormously popular, stars like Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Theda Bara, Tallulah Bankhead, Rudolph Valentino and Dorothy and Lillian Gish were the superstars of their day, adored and revered by millions of people.
Jazz music was enormously popular, and Mamie Smith became the first black singer to record Jazz songs in 1920, Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, King Oliver, and others became enormously succesful in this period.
Prohibition meant that the sale of alcahol was prohibited, leading the to rise to power of the 'bootleggers' who supplied illegal alcahol, most famous was Al Capone. Bootlegger gangs fought each other for supremacy in the illicit alcahol trade. Such rivalry led to the famous Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929. People drank secretly in 'speakeasies' and some people brewed illicit drink at home.
Flying was a novelty that became popular in the 20s, and Charles Lindberg rose to fame when he became the first person to fly non-stop from New York to Paris in 1927. Some fliers peformed as 'barnstormers' giving exhibitions of flying skills, performing stunts, and giving people rides in planes. Young women danced the charleston on the wings of aeroplanes while they were in flight.
Sport was very popular in the 20s, and sporting heroes included the baseball player Babe Ruth and boxer Jack Dempsey. Sporting heroines included the tennis player Helen Wills ("little miss poker-face") and swimmer Gertrude Ederle.
The most famous writer of the era was probably F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose novel The Great Gatsby captured the spirit of the times.
The 20s was the era when listening to the radio became a widespread activity, by 1929 a third of all American households were listening to radio, the vast majority every day.
In 1929, the Wall Street Crash brought to an abrupt end the era of prosperity of the 1920s.