The Roaring 1920s

Fitzgerald and his works were part and parcel of the 1920s, a decade of socioeconomic growth and cultural change. Known as the Roaring 20s and the Jazz Age, this time in US history was seen a revolution from the country’s Victorian roots due to the growth of cites, mass entertainment and consumer culture. It was also a year of technological progress: over two-thirds of American households owned a vacuum cleaner, refrigerator and freezer and automatic washing machines. The car industry would also be revolutionized by Henry Leland, Henry Ford, and Random Olds. On the more cultural side of things, US film and radio would have their humble starts, and the genre of Jazz would be the cultural representative of the decade. Things such as gender roles, sexuality and fashion had changed with the times, with the prosperity of the country leading to a great amount of excess. However, with progress comes strife: the generational convergence resulted a cultural civil war, leading to the birth of the Ku Klux Clan, Prohibition, and the country’s religious fundamentalism. Furthermore, the unbalance between the wealthy and the working class along with excess spending and consumption would ultimately cause the Stock Market Crash of 1929, putting an end to the era.

For a better look at the era, there are videos below: