The Roaring twenties

1
The Roaring twenties

• America
• 1919 to 1929

2
Aims of the lesson

• By the end of this lesson you will
• Understand what we mean by the term Roaring
  Twenties
• Describe the main features of prohibition and
  know what we mean by organised crime and
  speakeasy
• Evaluate the importance of developments in
  entertainment and cinema in the 1920s

3
Prohibition

• In 1920 the US government introduced prohibition
  the banning of the sale of alcoholic drinks
  why?
• Alcoholism was a growing problem
• Many temperance groups were set up and they
  linked drinking with crime and poverty
• By 1917 eighteen states had already banned alcohol

4
Effects of prohibition

• Most people were against prohibition those
  would never broke the law saw nothing wrong in
  breaking this one
• Made moonshine illegal homemade alcohol
  could make you ill or kill you
• Went to illegal drinking dens called
  speakeasies alcohol was smuggled in from the
  West Indies.
• By 1930 there were 250 000 speakeasies

5
Prohibition in popular culture
6
Organised crime

• Speakeasies made a lot of money most controlled
  by gangsters such as Al Capone. Also used for
  drugs, gambling and prostitution
• Fought over territories 227 gangsters killed
  in Chicago between 1920 and 1924
• Police did nothing were either bribed or left
  them to deal with each other

7
Why did Prohibition fail?

• Too many people wanted to drink and were prepared
  to break the law
• Gangs became too powerful ending prohibition
  was the only way to stop this
• Police too many taking bribes and enforcing the
  law took up too much time
• December 1933 - ended

8
Developments in entertainment

• Young people in the 20s wanted to forget the war
  and enjoy the good times
• Roaring twenties due to the pace at which
  things changed
• Jazz became popular. Played in nightclubs and
  in speakeasies
• Made people like Louis Armstrong and Duke
  Ellington famous

9
Flappers and Culture

• Radio became popular in 1920 2 had a radio. By
  1930 it was 60. Radio stations made money by
  advertising
• New dances Charleston
• Women started wearing shorter skirts, having
  short hair and smoking flappers
• Many people disapproved of these developments

10
Crazes

• Crazes began to sweep the USA in the 1920s and
  then became unpopular just as quickly
• Dance marathons
• Charles Lindbergh the famous pilot
• Jack Dempsey the famous boxer

11
Film and Hollywood

• Movie industry took off after WW1 by 1929 110m
  Americans each week went to the cinema
• MGM and Hollywood made films in black and white
  and no sound
• Charlie Chaplain and Mary Pickford main stars
• 1930s colour and talkies introduced