The Roaring Twenties
The “Roaring Twenties” was the decade that changed America because for the first time in American history many Americans embraced the idea that people have the right to have fun. The reason for this major change was the sudden appearance at the same time of radio; movies, cheaper cars as well as advancement in home appliances which together created the first culture based on entertainment and a newly discovered leisure time.
To understand this decade of fun that fell in between World War I and the Great Depression, we must understand the feelings of most of the American citizens at the start of the decade. After the war people expected their lives to go back to pre war conditions but this was not the case America came out of World War I as a new nation. Once considered weak, America returned from the First World War as victorious and strong. “Now it was the strongest single power in the world, not only in military strength, but also in economic power and abundance and in its moral leadership of the victorious Allies” . Surprisingly after the war the United States did not remain involved in the affairs of Europe but rather reverted back to a more isolated nation now concerned with the threat of communism. “Immediately after the war, Americans were especially concerned about a new threat to normalcy- the threat of communism” . The most important change in the1920’s was the new found wealth and prosperity of the American people.” A postwar boom was touched off by pent-up consumer demand for hard to get civilian goods, easy credit, and foreign purchases of American products that lasted into the 1920’s” This was the state of the country post World War I, a strong nation after the war with a booming economy and a fear of communism. This set the stage for the decade of fun that was to follow. America was at the beginning of becoming the great nation that we are today with the inventions that allowed American to experience something new, leisure time.
The song “ Ain’t We Got Fun” came to symbolize the decade known as the “Roaring Twenties”. Americans were finally able to experience a better standard of living with a leisure time to fill with the new popular entertainment options.” The pattern of life in the United States changed in the 1920’s,in part because of a general increase in living standards; in part because of technological innovations; and in part because of a more relaxed attitude toward the way life could or should be lived.” . “New technology helped propel the boom. Industries such as automobile, road construction, movies, radio and home appliances help create the world’s first consumer economy” . How did the way of life change so quickly for the American people? How were they able to suddenly have time in their lives for fun and entertainment?
One reason was the impact of the automobile which was really felt during the 1920’s. Although Ford first made the model-T in 1908, the assembly line allowed the automobile to become accessible and affordable for the average Joe. Henry Ford used the procedure of an assembly line first used in the sewing machine industry to keep up with the increasing demands for his product. He also wanted to make the automobile affordable to more Americans.” Originally priced at $950, it eventually cost $350 as mass production and volume sales brought prices down- “. In the first year of the new production line Ford produced over 300,000 cars in one year. The mass production of the Model-T had huge impact on America for many reasons. One reason was it connected the people who lived in the rural area in the United States to the larger towns and cities.”, but the car gave it true mobility. Now they could shop in large towns where the stores offered lower prices and a better selection of goods, enjoy a restaurant meal or see a movie.” . The greater mobility also allowed people to work further from their homes increasing their opportunities for better jobs.. “it allowed both women and young people to become more independent through increased mobility. It allowed workers to live miles from there jobs, resulting in urban sprawl as cities spread in all directions. ” The automobile industry became the backbone of American business and Henry Ford became one of the most important businessmen in the world. “His influence ranged far beyond automobiles. No other man so flavored the century; his business philosophy of mass production and mass sales formed the basis of modern industry” . The affordable automobile gave all Americans easy mobility and freedom for the first time in history.
Another huge development in the 1920 was the inventions of the small appliances. These appliances such as irons, washing machines, vacuums and refrigerators had a huge impact on the way which Americans could live. The women now did not have to spend all of their time doing the household chores as they were assisted by the new appliances which were making their lives easier. In addition they were able to now buy canned food and already prepared foods in the markets. “Regardless who won the debate, more and more canned foods were being bought at the grocery store and less and less canning was being done at home. By the close of the decade, for the first time commercial bakeries produced more of their kind of goods than did the homemakers of America. ” These modern inventions again allowed Americans to enjoy more free time for leisure activities.
New business developments also added to the increased leisure time of the citizens living during the economic boom of the 1920. One business development was the shortened work week. “For the first time people had the money to buy things other than the necessities of life and the time to use them due to a shorter work week.” The installment plan was another new business concept was very important in the 1920’s. It enabled the average American citizen to afford to buy some of the luxurious new appliances which were being manufactured and advertised to the public. These products could ultimately make their lives easier. The plan allowed the customers to buy the products and pay a portion at the time of purchase and continue to pay monthly. This enabled the average person to buy things they could not really afford without the installment plan. “By 1929sales on the installment plan were up to$7,000,000,000 a year, including two-thirds of all auto sales and nearly half of the sales of household appliances. The system worked all right as long as business conditions continued to be good . ”This installment plan buying and the shortened work week were two new business developments which made the average American able to buy products which made their lives much easier and have the time to experience more leisure activities.
Where was the average citizen spending their newly found free time? Outdoor sports and movies got their share of new leisure time.” Sunday was no longer just a time for church and little else. Sunday movies and baseball games began to be permitted.” Professional baseball became America’s pastime. The story of baseball in the twenties is largely the story of the rise of the New York Yankees and of the greatest player ever George Herman (Babe) Ruth. The Babe turned the game into a game for the sluggers and it brought more and more fans in to the stadium making the game more profitable by bigger ticket sales. America now had their hero and the hero was not a god fearing man but rather an outgoing character. “The Babe’s life off the diamond was as colorful as his performance on it. Since the Babe was making such an impact on baseball the Yankees made a new stadium, they called it “The House That Ruth Built.” He continued with his success and in the following year hit 60 homeruns. In 1927 Ruth became the highest paid player in the history of the game. That year a news reporter complained that the Babe was making more money than the president. He answered by saying “I know, but I had a better year.” Another sport that took off in the twenties was College football. Thanks to college boys and flapper girl friends who made attendance at football games a popular social event. The Universities began making bigger stadiums to fulfill the demands of the public. “He played before 67,000 people in one of the enormous new stadiums universities were building with the proceeds of football gate receits,”
In addition to attending baseball and football games as spectators Americans were also participating in sports during their new found leisure time. Golf once only a game for the richest American was now played by many Americans.” Golf, heretofor a rich man’s game, captured the popular imagination and by 1928 89 cities had municipal golf courses. More than 2 billion dollars was invested in country clubs and golf courses and 100,000 workers we employed in maintaining the greens.” The new interests in sports became a big business in the 1920’s as Americans found more leisure time and choose to spend their money supporting their sports teams and their own new hobbies.
Another new idea that was sweeping through America in the 1920’s was the concept of playing games to entertain themselves in their new found leisure time. Americans were introduced to a new game of Chinese origins called Mah Jong. The game became an absolute rage.” In 1923 a passion for a Chinese game called Mah Jong swept the country. Many Americans- especially women who might otherwise have spent the afternoon sewing or playing bridge- were busy arranging tiles”
One of the most important developments with lasting effects in the 1920’s was the radio. Although it was invented in the late 1800’s the radio really became popular in the 1920’s. Because of technological improvements the radio became a commercial success in the 1920’s. Soon with the availability of the installment plan many Americans were able to bring entertainment into their homes by way of the radio. At first the radio as mostly used to broadcast news but soon all forms of music and stories filled the radio waves. President Coolidge was the first President to speak to the American people in broad numbers.” Coolidge, not Franklin Roosevelt as is usually stated, was the first President to use radio effectively. He had a thin, reedy voice that was a handicap on the stump but worked well on radio” . The radio was also used to bring the sporting events of the day into the homes of average Americans, from boxing events to baseball games the radio was keeping Americans in touch and entertained.” The fight was broadcast to an audience estimated at 50 million people, with Graham MacNamee, the best known announcer of the day at the microphone” The radio was also broadcasting songs of the new jazz age.”Radio also helped make jazz known and respectable” And Americans had found some new popular entertainers, Jazz musicians. “Popular songs spread father and faster than ever, thanks to radio and phonographs, so the whole nation was whistling such typical hits as “Yes We Have No Bananas” ” . The radio was certainly the most popular invention use in the 1920’s entertaining the American public during their free time with many kinds of broadcasts.
The form of recreation most associated to the 1920’s was the movie. The large movie houses replaced the nickelodeons and the feature length talking movie replaced the shortened silent films. America responded with very large audiences. “In 1922 weekly attendance at movies was 40,000,000;by 1929 it was 95,000,000. . “By 1925,filmmaking had become the nation’s fourth-largest industry” The audience enjoyed the fantasy of the movies where they could escape their daily lives and watch actors portraying all sorts of people. “.motion pictures, which developed at the same time, provided an easy escape into a fantasy world. Audiences were introduced to the lifestyles of cowboys,criminals,the modish and the rich” The movies also made stars of the actors and actress such as Charlie Chaplin,Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.” The movies also had a major effect on fashion as all Americans would see the same fashions shown in the films and want to look like their favorite stars.”There were innumerable hit movies and favorite actors and actress, for millions of Americans lived exciting lives at second hand through the glamour of the screen” The movies filled the days and nights of the American people during the 1920’s keeping the American spirit filled with the excitement and fantasy of Hollywood.
The Roaring 20’s was a very exciting time in America’s growth. Americans were enjoying the booming post World War I economy with higher wages and shortened work weeks. They were buying new appliances on the installment plan which were making their lives easier and they were enjoying themselves. Americans were spending their newly found free times participating in the entertainment of the day, from baseball games and boxing matches to the “talkie movie” Americans were roaring through life.