Identity- In the 1920's teenagers and women in their 20's began following the Flapper trend. Flapper's were a group of women who would go to jazz clubs and dance. They were the first generation to wear clothes that exposed skin, such as shoulders and neckline. Flapper's painted their nails and wore lots of make up. An easy identifier of a flapper included the beads(pearls) they wore, flappers had beads all over themselves. Older women(foogies) and older men looked down upon the younger generation of women, disproving of these younger ladies. This time was a turning point for what women in the future would wear, outfits would continue to show more and more skin for generation's to come. Although just because women outfit's changed men's outfit's stayed the same.
Work, Exchange and Technology- Although Prohibition legally banned the purchase and consumption of alcohol bootleggers continued to sell and distribute alcohol. Famous bootleggers such as Al Capone would get very rich from the alcohol, he was very powerful and famous for the way he handled exchanges. He would murder people if they got in his way, as a result working for Al Capone typically didn't end very well for you. The demand for alcohol was so large that men like Al Capone could get away their crimes and still get a large profit. The values of economics changed to the degree that people were using their money on alcohol, an illegal substance, instead of saving their money which will be needing in The Great Depression. Mobsters and gangsters were the terms for people who worked for men such as Al Capone. Many people continued to migrate into cities in search of good alcohol and jobs such as gangsters.
Peopling- During this time there wasn't as much migration to the United States as people migrating from the South to the North. African Americans were moving from poverty and racism in the South into the North in search of a better life. Jazz music became a big hit in the among people in the 1920's, it was the meshing of African Americans ideas and traditions with the white middle class. Jazz music was a mix of genres that started in the south and migrated north during the Great Migration. Louis Armstrong a popular jazz musician, trumpet player, started his career in the south.
Politics and Power- The 1920's was the time period leading up the Great Depression, prohibition is said to be one of the main reasons of the depression. Groups of bootleggers competed to be the most successful in the business. Bootleggers such as Al Capone and the Purple Gang would use violence to control the business. Often times ending in murder for the groups competing against them. Because the gangs kept their violence "under the weather" putting them on fair trial often times took years. The Government was working to prove these groups guilty to arrest and or execute them. Although, the Government was in the lives of Americans, it seemed as though they had slightly decreased their roles in the lives of Americans during the 1920's.
America and the World- The 1920s were a quiet period for the United States foreign policy. The war ended in 1918, but it would be decades before the U.S. was able to partner with many countries including Germany. The U.S. suffered from their large WW1 debt which would also be a cause of The Great Depression.
Environment and Geography- People were migrating from the South into cities in the North, moving from farms to urban areas. Farmers were losing money on due to dust storms that were ruining their food. Farmers were not making enough money keep their farms and many were led to bankruptcy.
Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture- Jazz music was an important part of the African American culture. Also, literature was important to African American culture. The literature were short stories/ poems that gave African Americans a path or guide for where they need to be in the future, but also preserve the past. Famous writers included Claude McKay who wrote about African American discrimination and hardships. Also, Langston Hughes who wrote about celebrating African American culture and life. The Harlem Renaissance was a celebration that brought African American culture to life and placed it in the spotlight. It altered the way many whites view African Americans....however, equality still did not exist. The Harlem Renaissance was seem as a civil rights movement, it ends with the national financial collapse.