1. Comparative History
Articles
Brooke Soto
M. Arguello

2. Cultural Change in the 1920s
• The change in the 1920s created a new,
modern America.
• Economic innovation created work & thrifty
values.
• Cars & consumer goods increased
consumption & leisure
• Media boomed with advertising & Jazz
• Values & morality seemed to be slipping
away causing a panic among Americans.
• This started political & cultural conflict over
issues like immigration, racial relations, and
prohibition.

3. Cultural Change in the 1920s
• Post-war prosperity create new attitudes
towards sexuality, prohibition, and
automobiles.
• Flappers & Speakeasies were seen as the
popularity in the 1920s.
• Prohibition seemed to make drinking even
more popular.
• The feeling of rebelling during the time
period sent a chill of excitement through
people of the age.

4. Cultural Change in the 1920s
• Movies played a central role in freeing middle class manners & morals.
• People flocked to movies to see a compilation of men, jazz, champagne
baths, midnight revels, and a gasping climax.
• Smoking, drinking, flirting, dressing & undressing had brought thrilling
attention to theater.
• Silent films brought comedy to this time period as well.

5. Cultural Change in the 1920s
• Jazz developed in late 19th century out of a
long tradition of African American
expression.
• Jazz includes work songs, marches, dance
music, & spirituals.
• Music brought a spontaneous, emotional, &
improvisational impact.
• Jazz music was born in New Orleans.
• It slowly gained acceptance because of its
racial origin.
• Only when white orchestras started using
Jazz music is when the mass of Americans
widely accepted it.

6. Cultural Change in the 1920s
• Jazz symbolized the “Americanization” of
France.
• The spread of American modernity was linked
to Jazz.
• The French were fascinated by the
“Americanization”, yet also frightened that
they might lose their identity.
• Jazz was seen as jungle music because it
started in the “partially civilized” black culture.
• Jazz was seen as a sign of the times!
• The soundtrack of this era stripped away
morals, values, tastes, & rules.

7. The Great Depression
• Early 1930s, a worldwide crises occurred.
• October 29, 1929, New York stock market
crashed.
• Since U.S. was more successful that other
countries, the fall hit harder with dramatic
defeat.
• There was a pattern of plunging production,
prices, and employment.
• Most national economies plummeted & hit
rock bottom by 1933.
• The great depression lasted until 1939.

8. The Great Depression
• The Great Depression demoralized
American banks, investors, & consumers.
• The impact reverberated around the
world, while security markets declined,
lending decreased, & prices deflated.
• Between 1929-1933, over 11,000 American
banks failed, national production was cut in
half, & 13 million people were put out of
work.

9. The Great Depression
• Agricultural countries ended up faring better.
• In Brazil & India, crop prices declined, but peasants were able to make their
own food.
• Local businessmen in these countries also recovered quickly by production of
textile manufacturing and other industries.
• Western governments attacked joblessness with planned production.
• Citizens were anxious to restore order with President Franklin Roosevelt’s
New Deal.

10. The Great Depression
• While the rest of the world crumbled, the Soviet Union seemed to be
immune to the crash.
• This country broke away from capitalism of the time.
• The U.S.S.R. engaged in massive ultra-rapid industrialization under its five-
year plans.
• 1929-1940 Soviet industrial production tripled.
• Surprisingly, there was no unemployment either.

11. The Great Depression
• People during the Great Depression turned to two political leaders: Adolf Hitler & Franklin
Roosevelt.
• There were many similarities between the two leaders than anyone ever thought there
could be.
• Bother leaders came to power around the same time.
• Both symbolized “energy & commitment” & were willing to experiment with government
initiatives to bring economic recovery.
• The New Deal & Nazi’s economic policies were surprisingly similar as they both combined
deficit spending on modern improvements with old fashioned idealization.
• Neither Hitler nor Roosevelt solved the problem of the Great Depression, but Hitler
seemed to be more successful at restoring employment.
• Action, confidence, & purpose brought both leaders into their roles.