Changes In America In The 1920's

Historians have referred the 1920’s as “The Roaring Twenties,” the “Jazz Age,” and the “Age of Normalcy.” Each of these labels imply different things. America in the 1920’s had a very diverse population. With a diverse population comes variegated cultural, social, political, and economic differences. However, these differences created a unified theme. The theme was change. There were political, consumer, social, and cultural changes in America through the 1920’s that exemplified this theme. The Republican Party dominated the political world in the 20’s, not only in the executive branch but in Congress as well. Republican candidate, Herbert Hoover, won the 1928 election and carried on with focusing on economic growth and prosperity. His opponent, Alfred E. Smith, favored workers’ protections, but opposed prohibition. Throughout the 20’s this was a big issue and many businesses formed speakeasies to continue the buying and selling of alcohol. Another huge change in America was the consumer rate. According to Christine Frederick, the author of Selling Mrs. Consumer, women accounted for 90% of household …show more content…
Women started to become very materialistic and enjoyed individual pleasure. These qualities created a figure known as the flapper. Before the 20’s, women were modest women who stayed home cleaning and taking care of their children while the man of the house worked all day. Now, in the 20’s, women wore short skirts, makeup, smoke cigarettes, and had a carefree spirit. During this time women had strong feelings about women’s rights. Their spirit helped women gain independence, freedom of movement, and access to the delights of urban living. Many women also started to have professional careers outside of their home. Their image of being housewives was slowly diminishing. During this time homosexuality was also a big thing. The gay culture grew in urban centers such as New