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Prohibition
Early in the year of 1920, the United States set prohibition laws that would stop the legal sale, production, and consumption of alcohol products. It was passed to protect individuals and families from the “scourge of drunkenness”, but, it had unintended consequences, such as: rise in organized crime associated with the illegal production, illegal sale of alcohol, and an increase in smuggling. -
Women Gain The Right To Vote
Women didn’t get the right to vote until 1920. This was thanks to the inequality in genders between men and women. Women were not treated with respect and were not able to even work outside of the home until they were needed during World War 1. The 19th amendment, stating that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” was finally passed on June 4, 1919, and was ratified on August 18, 1920. -
The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby was a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It described the “Rags-to-riches” story where the main character accomplishes the american dream. It’s a story about the nation at the time of the Roaring Twenties, wealth, and capitalism. -
The Scopes Trial
John Thomas Scopes was found guilty of teaching the theory of evolution in school. This was controversial because many people (fundamentalists) wanted children to be taught about the world through lessons that were tied to the bible, whereas others (modernists) believed that it was important for children to be taught the scientific/biological way of life. -
Metropolis (1927)
Director Fritz Lang's Metropolis is a German movie that was a very influential and imaginative movie. It made way for sci-fi shows such as Star Wars and Blade Runner. The movie is an allegory that describes the difference in life between two social classes: the rich and the poor. Although the movie came out in Germany in January 1927 and didn't come out in the United States until March 1927, the American print is the only surviving copy. -
Stock Market Crash
It seemed as though the US had reached an all-time-high, until October 10th, 1929, when the Stock Market crashed.The crash, along with other factors, was what sparked the Great Depression. Investors and businesses both put significant amounts of money into the market and tremendous amounts of money were lost when it crashed. Businesses were forced to close and people were left with little to no money. -
The Dust Bowl
As if things couldn't get worse, the Dust Bowl affected the growth of crops in the great plains and lasted for ten years (1930-1940). This destroyed many jobs relating to agriculture and left many people unemployed. The Dust Bowl was caused by severe drought which resulted in erosion of topsoil. This topsoil became dry and was picked up by the wind turning into a big cloud that would take everything along with it. -
The New Deal
During the elections of 1932, Roosevelt proposed The New Deal Program to help solve the Great Depression as part of his campaign. The idea was that the new deal program would provide immediate, short-term, and long-term relief for Americans. This program aided Americans and American Industries, and allowed for a safer managing of the economy so that the Depression would not happen again. -
The Works Progress Administration is created
The Works Progress Administration provided jobs in construction to unemployed men and women of the ages 17-23 to make government buildings. The WPA built many government buildings such as schools, banks, offices, and camps. The WPA closed so that they could conserve funds that had been gained and instead use them for supplies during world war two. -
World War Two Begins
The Great Depression got it's final push when the United States entered World War Two. With the programs created by the New Deal, the US was able to create all their necessary weapons to enter war. After the war, the United States became the economic superpower that we know today.