1920's Beliefs

As a nation coming out of a devastating war, America faced many changes in the 1920s. It was a decade of growth and improvements. As immigrants fled from Europe, the economy improved, and new machines offered convenience and luxury from the kitchen to the streets. However, with all change comes opposition. The 1920s revealed a conflict between traditional America and the new attitude and lifestyle through the changing role of women, continued dominance of Christian values, and racism.

In the years following World War I, the United States was comfortable with returning to its prior state of traditional values. In the government, this was reflected as the 1920 election was won by Republican candidate Harding, who ran with the slogan “A Return to Normalcy.” Americans simply wanted to recuperate after the intense global conflict that had just ended; however, changing and new attitudes were at battle with their desire of normalcy. It was movements like “New Morality” that contested traditional stances of those who sought security in their lives. As a result of the constant battle between old and new values, tensions were mounting between citizens. The Roaring Twenties was a time of innovation in American life; however, tensions surfaced between traditional and new values, shown through court rooms, national politics, grass roots campaigns, and media revolutions, due to a rise in differing theological views, women’s fight for independence, racial conflict, technology, and advertising.

In the end, no one can dispute that the 1920’s presented seemingly insurmountable tension between, “Old America,” and, “New America,” in terms of religion, social conflicts, and cultural values. This tension was masked in some places by the prosperity, brought on by the roaring twenties, but still remained at large. One good side effect of these tensions was brought about though, in the sense that many precedents, which are still followed

The 1920s were a period of tension between new and changing attitudes on the one hand and traditional values and nostalgia on the other. What led to the tension between old and new AND in what ways was

Many innovations throughout history have been met with backlash from people who felt that innovations hurt society as a whole. The 1920s were no exception since it was one of the biggest decades of innovation in the United States’ history. Although conservatism gained a little ground during the 1920s, it was greatly overshadowed by the innovations of technology, social norms, and entertainment that still affect America today.

Frederick Lewis Allen described the revolution in morals that occurred in the 1920’s as an inevitable outcome. In his publication, Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the Nineteen-Twenties, Allen attempts to provide a detailed analysis as to how this revolution upset the moral foundation of the United States. Frederick Allen explains to the adult figures of his era how the efforts to quell this chaotic revolution in social custom were futile, that it was impossible to halt this rapid redefining in moral code.

Following World War I in the 1920s was a drastic rise in numerous industries such as, automotive, film, radio, and more. Although there were substantial political and social changes, many Americans continued to dwell in the past discouraging progressive reforms. Essentially, the 1920s was a conservative era where many Americans advocated restrictions on immigration, prohibition on drugs, and support for anti-evolution. A considerable amount of Americans at this time suspected that immigrants were seen undesirable in the country, the immigrants were also to blame for many unfavorable issues, and many did not settle for teaching new concepts. The 1920s were clearly a reactionary movement as many individuals remained in this time period supporting

Progressivism, flappers and the Harlem Renaissance are all points that underlie a theme of the 1920s and the air was optimistic. A euphoric desire for to indulge the individual had become more normal throughout the country during the 1920’s. Social groups started to express themselves outside of the prescribed norms and certain lines began to blur between stereotypes and divides.

The 1920s is recognized as a time of citizen imbalance, from the various industrialization, the Prohibition Era, and the fight for women’s rights. It was essentially rural versus urban as America was divided into two categories, Fundamentalists, and Modernists. Modernists, who lived mainly in cities, would strive for a future in knowledge and being technologically advanced. As for the Fundamentalists, they based themselves off old ideals, and considered any other race allied with the more “superior” race to be degrading. More often than not, each association would either approve a supremacy, or fight to discontinue it.

The 1920’s in America comes with mix emotions both good and bad. It was a period of exhilarating social changes and philosophical cultural struggles. It was as if American was put in a bottle and shake thoroughly; science and technology became a major part of life; cities were being developed; different types of entertainment on the rise; no longer was America under the Victorian restriction. During the 1920’s drastic changes were seen in dress codes, hair styles, gender roles namely flappers (female smoke, drink cut their hair, wear clothes that were revealing, no longer housewife); sexual morals and mannerism. There were conflicts over evolution, races, entertainments, one’s belief, and immigration from foreign countries.

Perhaps one of the most controversial, creative and courageous times in American history; the decade after the first world war would take America as a nation to the front of the world stage. It is best summed up in a reflective editorial from the small newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution, “The people of every age think theirs is the “golden age” of the world—and they think aright. The age we live in is the alivest and best that mankind has ever known” (Howell 8). And although there were aspects of the 1920s that seem to support the argument that the decade was reactionary, when seen alongside the loud, roaring culture and society, these events simply fade into background noise.

Going on now in the early 1920s, white Americans enjoyed economic growth, while black Americans saw little change in their social status. The combination of increasing long-standing racial hatred towards blacks might lead us to a tension filled decade. The Ku Klux Klan is a perfect example of how this tension has continued, membership has increased dramatically during this year. “Membership was secretive, but historians estimate that there were between one and eight million members by the mid-1920s.” “Klan members used their power to manipulate state and local politics, forcing members to recruit voters who promised to support racist politics, white supremacy, Anglo-Saxon Protestantism and segregation.” The Klan also participated in violent

In The Context of Cultural Changes of America In The 1920s. City University of New York CUNY Academic Works, 2014, academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1262&context=gc_etds. Accessed 18 February 2018.

During the 1920’s sometimes referred to as the "Jazz Age", America was taking its last final steps from the traditional period to new era of modernization. It was a time in which American popular culture reshaped itself in response to the urban, industrial, consumer- oriented society America was becoming (Brinkley 641). In this reshape two sides stood in defense of their beliefs, the traditionalist who wanted America to stay the same or go back to the way it was. Rebelling against the new customs and morals of the urban middle class, they sought to defend older values. However, the new modernist looked forward to change; embracing the future and its fore coming traditions and ethics.

Although there were many up sides to the Roaring 20s, such as flappers and jazz, higher levels of education and cultural movements such as the Harlem renaissance and the “New Women”. The 1920 however also hosted many negative things such as Prohibition, Fundamentalism and the corruption within the government. And although there were many positive things make it easy to overlook these blemishes it is necessary to acknowledge that, the 1920s were also a time of strife for many Americans