To What Extent Was The 1920's ‘Roaring’?
Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources
The question selected for the investigation is “To What Extent Was The 1920's ‘Roaring’?” The investigation will focus on outlining and discussing the positive and negative social, economic, and political events that were experienced in the 1920s in the United States. Two sources were selected for the investigation: “What Made the Twenties Roar?” (Price, 1999) and “Boom and Bust in the 1920s” (Nolan, 1995).
Source 1: “What Made the Twenties Roar”
This source provides insights into the conduct and trends that characterized American society in the 1920s. The source presents readers with a wide range of events that happened during this period including fashion trends for women and men, entertainment and motion pictures, the availability of automobiles, and social evolution. It is a secondary source published in 1999 in the Scholastic Update journal. The source is relevant to the investigation because it provides illustrations and explanations of the historical events of the Roaring Twenties. In addition, the source describes the factors that contributed to the main changes that Americans experienced in the 1920s.
The article was selected for the investigation because it is useful in understanding the many social changes that characterized the American society of the 1920s. The source is specifically valuable in assessing the forces that influenced lifestyle changes in the United States, including entertainment and fashion. However, the article is limited to the social transformations of the 1920s. The political and economic changes of the period are not discussed in the article. In addition, the article is not adequately comprehensive. This is because the author highlighted several social changes in the 1920s American society but did not discuss them exhaustively. Nonetheless, the article is useful in guiding further investigations on the social changes that made the 1920s roar.
Source 2; “Boom and Bust in the 1920s”
This source is a speech by the former vice president of Monsanto Chemical Corp and Chase Manhattan Bank. The speech was given on 26, October 1995 during the Flagler Forum, which was held in St. Augustine, Florida. The speech provides credible primary data and information on the economic and political changes that America experienced in the 1920s. The source is relevant to the investigation because it presents a recollection of the economic and political history of the United States during the 1920s.
The speech is specifically useful for the investigation because it provides both the negative and positive economic and political changes that made the 1920s a prominent historical period in America. The speech is also comprehensive as it covers several political and economic issues of 1920s America, including policy changes, causes of prosperity, and their impact on farmers, African Americans, and Native Americans. Lessons that today’s American society can learn from the 1920s are also drawn in the speech. However, the source does not provide useful insights into social changes that were experienced in the period. It is therefore limited to the political and economic experiences of Americans in the 1920s.
Section 2: Investigation
The 1920s is the post-World War I period. It is described as the period that the US returned to isolationism. Price (1999) explains that isolationism refers to the attempt of the United States to diminish its involvement with global politics after World War I. Nolan (1995) argues that during the period of isolationism, most Americans were motivated by the desire to make money and to have fun. This motivation is attributed to the economic and social prosperity that America experienced in the 1920s (Lusted & Keller, 2014). There are specific positive and negative events in the post-World War I period that can be used to understand the extent to which the 1920s roared.
Reasons for Prosperity
Streissguth (2007) illustrates that the automobile is one of the main reasons why the 1920s roared. During this period, Henry Ford established an automobile manufacturing line. Ford’s positive contribution to employment and social development in the 1920s is related to the fact that unskilled workers were employed in the automobile industry (Kallen, 2002). In addition, the speed of manufacture of automobiles was enhanced. Drowne & Huber (2004) reveal that new manufacturing strategies made the production of automobiles cheaper. This resulted in the production of affordable cars. Nolan (1995) indicates that before Ford’s innovation, cars were only used by the wealthy. Advances in the automobile contributed to the roaring of tourism, restaurant, and gas station businesses in the 1920s (Lusted & Keller, 2014). Ford’s automobiles also enabled people who worked in cities to live in rural areas (Langley, 2005).
Nolan (1995) asserts that the 1920s roared due to industrialization. The automobile, motion picture, and electrical industries experienced significant growth in the period. The automobile industry contributed to an increase in advertising, social equality, a real estate boom, and an increase in oil and gasoline sales (McNeese & Jensen, 2010). The media industry was characterized by increased entertainment from motion pictures and radio. Kellogg (2003) argues that sports, politics, and advertising roared in the 1920s due to developments in the media industry. For example, politicians used motion pictures and radio to advance their political agenda.
Streissguth (2007) argues that the 1920s roared to a large extent due to an increase in the efficiency of production processes. New production techniques, such as assembly lines were developed to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing processes (Kallen, 2002). Conveyer belts were also used to enhance manufacturing processes. More goods were produced to meet the increasing demand in the market. The resultant boom in the economy led to increased expenditure on manufactured and luxury goods by the American population (Kellogg, 2003).
Political, Social, and Economic Changes
According to Nolan (1995), the political, social, and economic changes that America experienced in the 1920s are the main reasons why the period roared. The three presidents who led America between 1920 and 1930 were Warren Harding (1921-1923), Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) and Herbert Hoover (1929-1933). All of them were republicans. The three presidents contributed to the roaring of the economy in the 1920s because their policies favored American businesses. For example, they imposed high taxes for manufactured goods entering America in order to support local manufacturers (Moore, 2010). In addition, the three presidents supported the growth of big businesses because they did not enforce any laws prohibiting monopolistic businesses. They also imposed tax cuts for the wealthy and big businesses, which hurt people from the working and middle classes. For this reason, Price (1999) argues that the 1920s did not roar for the working and the middle classes.
President Harding is remembered for his motto “A Return to Normalcy”. He was committed to returning America to a normal economic, social, and political situation after World War I. He was specifically focused on ending the post-World War I recession (Lusted & Keller, 2014). Nonetheless, President Harding’s reign was characterized by scandals, which are used to support the argument that the 1920s roared only for the wealthy (Moore, 2010). The Teapot Dome Scandal was one of President Harding’s biggest problems. Government officials were reported to have received bribes from wealthy business people in exchange for oil turfs in Teapot Dome, Wyoming. Therefore, the economic boom of the 1920s benefited the wealthy and political elite, and not the working class (McNeese & Jensen, 2010).
President Coolidge is remembered for his slogan "Stay Cool with Coolidge." He took office after President Harding’s death. His commitment to business growth is argued to have contributed most to the roaring of the 1920s (Drowne & Huber, 2004). The economy improved during President Coolidge’s reign due to his laissez-faire style and approach to economic progress. President Coolidge also contributed to the signing of the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928. The pact banned armed conflict and represented the commitment of member nations to avoid conflict unless for self-defense. However, Price (1999) argues that President Coolidge’s contribution to the peaceful settlement of conflicts was not significant since there were no means of enforcing the Kellogg-Briand Pact.
When President Hoover came to power, he promised to mitigate poverty by promoting equality in the distribution of wealth. However, his laissez-faire governance did not end poverty (Langley, 2005). Hoover’s presidency was characterized by a huge economic downfall. For instance, the stock market collapsed in October 1929. The day of the crash was called Black Tuesday as it contributed to the start of the great depression. Nolan (1995) argues that President Hoover’s failures contributed to the great depression. Notably, historians use the events that led to the great depression to argue that the 1920s did not roar much.
Economic Challenges
Streissguth (2007) applies the economic challenge that working and middle-class people experienced in the 1920s to argue that the decade did not roar as much as many authors demonstrate. Notably, historians agree that the majority of Americans experienced an economic explosion during the period. However, it is argued that most Native Americans, farmers and African Americans did not experience the economic and social developments of the 1920s. For example, most Native Americans lived on reservations and did not have access to luxury services or goods (Moore, 2010). They were also discriminated against and had a high rate of unemployment during the time. African Americans also faced discrimination, low wages, and unemployment. They were also targeted by the KKK (Kallen, 2002).
Price (1999) demonstrates that farmers did not prosper during the 1920s. Economic policies of the time favored large producers and hurt small-scale farmers. European farmers started to produce in large farms post World War I. This led to a drop in the price of farm produce and a significant decrease in the income of small-scale farmers (Drowne & Huber, 2004). Therefore, from the small-scale farmers’ point of view, the 1920s did not roar much. Notably, the small-scale farmers of the time could not afford technology and luxury consumer goods (Langley, 2005). Therefore, it is only the wealthy that benefited from the economics roaring of 1920s America.
Social and Cultural Issues
Nolan (1995) applies the social and cultural changes that characterized post-World War I America to argue that the 1920s roared. The implementation of the 18th and 19th Amendments is one of the notable social and cultural changes Americans experienced during the period. Streissguth (2007) argues that the protection of women’s rights, such as their right to vote made the 1920s roar. However, Americans experienced specific negative issues that limited the extent of social and cultural development in the 1920s. For instance, there was a crash between religion and science and an increase in racism during the period. Nonetheless, African Americans experienced positive cultural developments related to the Harlem Renaissance or Jazz Age. Price (1999) argues that the 1920s were roaring due to developments in technology, socialization, music, and consumer habits.
Conclusion
Many historians and authors argue that the 1920s roared only for the wealthy and the political elite. Native Americans, farmers, and African Americans are examples of groups that faced economic and social challenges regardless of the overall roaring of the American economy in the 1920s. The positive economic growth of the period is mainly attributed to the automobile, new industries, and efficient production techniques. The three Republican presidents of the 1920s favored local manufacturers with the goal of promoting the growth of the American economy. However, political policies of the period favored the wealthy and disadvantaged the working and middle-class people.
Section 3: Reflection
Historians studying 1920s America use descriptive designs to collect comprehensive data used to understand the social, political, and economic issues and experiences that made the 1920s roar. Therefore, the discussions in the articles used for the investigation are comprehensive and useful in understanding the 1920s period in the context of economic, social, and political contexts. However, descriptive studies are associated with subjectivity and bias which limits the validity of what authors report. The main challenge historians face in studying the post World War I America is reliance on secondary data. Historians have to rely on the accounts of authors of the past to achieve an understanding of the positive and negative experiences of Americans during the 1920s. Notably, methodological challenges also face scientists in their research.
The use of archived history to study the roaring of 1920s America is associated with challenges related to the accuracy, reliability, and credibility of research findings. However, a wide range of archived sources and comparative analyses can be used to overcome the challenge of collecting accurate historical evidence. Drawing comparisons among several sources allows for the authentication of the accuracy of the information authors of present in their writings. Versions of history that are completely out of line with other artifacts in the same historical period should not be accepted because they are likely to be inaccurate. Historians provide similar accounts of historic events using different approaches and methods. Therefore, sources of historical information are considered reliable when they are not based on unrealistic or inaccurate assumptions.
Selection bias is another challenge that limits the reliability and validity of historical data on the roaring of the 1990s economy. This is because the data historian of the past used to make their conclusions would not have been based on an adequately representative study sample. The events of the 1990s America are historical because they represent major changes in social, political, and economic environments which had long-lasting implications on the society. Notably, it is the historians who recorded events in the 1920s that made them historical. Notably, it is challenging to present historical events without bias because they are often reported on the basis of qualitative studies. Nonetheless, terms like atrocities should be used in writing works of history because they depict a clear picture of the social challenges that people of past generations faced.
References
Drowne, K. M., & Huber, P. (2004). The 1920s. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.
Kallen, S. A. (2002). The roaring twenties. San Diego, Calif: Greenhaven Press.
Kellogg, W. O. (2003). American history: The easy way. Hauppauge (N.Y.: Barron's.
Langley, S. (2005). Roaring '20s fashions: Jazz. Atglen, Pa: Schiffer.
Lusted, M. A., & Keller, J. K. (2014). The Roaring Twenties: Discover the era of Prohibition, flappers, and jazz.
McNeese, T., & Jensen, R. (2010). World War I and the Roaring Twenties, 1914-1928. Infobase Publishing.
Moore, L. (2010). Anything goes: A biography of the roaring twenties. New York: Overlook Press.
Nolan, J. (1995). Boom and bust in the 1920s. Vital Speeches of the Day, 62(4), 124.
Price, S. (1999). What Made the Twenties Roar? Scholastic Update, 131(10), 18.
Streissguth, T. (2007). The roaring twenties. New York, NY: Facts on File.
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