1. Changing Ways of Life
The 1920’s: Tradition vs. Modernity
U.S. History II
By Jackie White

2. Changing Ways of Life

3. Rural vs. Urban
• Do you live in an urban or rural area?
• Rural:
• A town with a population of less than 50,000
people
• Urban:
• Population is greater than 50,000 people
• Rural vs. Urban today
• 84% of Americans live in urban or suburban
communities.
• Urban land only occupies 10% of American land

4. Changing Ways of Life
• What percentage of
Americans lived in urban
areas in 1850?
• What percentage of
Americans lived in urban
areas in 1900?
• In what decade did a
majority of Americans live
in cities?
• What was the highest
percentage of people
living in cities?
• What general trend does
this map show?

6. 1920 Census
• In 1920, 51% of Americans
lived in communities with
populations of 2,500 to 1
million
• Between 1922 and 1929,
migration to cities
accelerated (2 million
people per year)
For first time the census
reflected an urban society
people had moved into
cities to enjoy a higher
standard of living
“Cities were the place to be,
not to get away from”

7. What is Rural Life Like?

8. Rural Life
• Small towns
& farms
• Conservative/
strict moral
values
• Hard work, thriftiness
• Slow paced
• Intimate/close knit
relationships

9. What is Urban Life Like?

10. Urban Life Which is the largest
• Industry city in the US?
• Ethnic & religious diversity
• Night life-movie theaters
• Tolerated drinking, gambling,
& casual dating behavior
considered sinful in small
towns
• Competition, judge on
accomplishment not on family
New York City 1900 population: 3,437,202
background
• Impersonal-strangers, New York City 1930 population: 6,930,446
frightening
New York biggest city in U.S.
• Fast paced lifestyle

11. Urban Life
• What are some challenges American cities face today?
• Why do cities face these challenges?
• What are some benefits of a large urban population?
• What are some of the consequences of a large urban population?

12. Rural vs. Urban
• Where would you rather live, the city or the countryside?
• What are some advantages and disadvantages of each?

13. Rural vs. Urban
• What are the differences between urban (city) and rural
(countryside) lifestyles?
http://www.newyorkwritesitself.com/2012/11/video-nyc-in-the-1920s/

14. Changing Ways of Life
What issues do you think society might face in the 1920s as a
result of urbanization and lifestyle changes?
• Prohibition
• Organized crime
• Changes in youth culture
• Changes in women’s roles
• A clash between fundamentalism and science
• Growth in the sports and music industries
• A decline in agricultural jobs

15. Prohibition

16. Decision Making
You are the President of the United States. A “crisis of
morals” is happening in your country. This means that a
significant amount of people, mainly men, are showing
aggressive behavior towards their spouses and their
children, are failing to maintain a job, and are living in abject
poverty. It so happens that alcohol consumption is high
among the people in question. Also, a lot of these people
are exhibiting low levels of health and a shorter life
expectancy. It is your job to create a law to tackle this
situation. Your advisors have given you four choices and
now you have to pick one (or a combination of these
programs).

17. Choices
The choices are:
• 1. Institute harsher penalties for spousal and child abuse, increase
adult school educational programs, and increase social safety net
programs to help those in poverty
• 2. Have the federal government assume control of the sale of
alcohol, dramatically raising the price of alcohol to prevent poorer
people from purchasing liquor. Also, increase funding for
alcoholism recovery programs.
• 3. Illegalize the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol in
the United States.
• 4. Hand the problem off to state and local governments. The
federal government has no business trying to legislate morality to
its people.

18. Underage Consumption of Alcohol in Mass
To persons under 21 years of age: Any person without a
license to serve alcohol may not serve someone under 21
years of age, unless their relationship is that of parent and
child or husband and wife. Violation of this section may
result in a fine of $2000, 6 months imprisonment, or both.
M.G.L.c.138, #34
•Should Massachusetts have a legal drinking age? Why or
why not?
•What should the legal drinking age be and why?

19. Underage Consumption of Alcohol in Mass
• By unlicensed persons: It is unlawful for unlicensed
persons to serve alcohol to persons underage. The only
exception to this law is that parents may serve alcohol to
their own child and a spouse may serve alcohol to an
underage spouse. Parents may not, however, buy alcohol
for their child or spouse at a bar or restaurant.
M.G.L.c.138,#34, #34A.
• http://web.mit.edu/alcohol/wwwlaws.html#mass3a
• Should parents/spouse be allowed to serve their children
alcohol at home or in a bar or restaurant?

20. Social Hosting Law
• Under Massachusetts law, a host of a party may be held
liable for the injuries suffered by others if the host knew or
should have known that a guest was drunk and
nevertheless gave/permitted the guest to take an alcoholic
drink and thereafter, because of the guest’s intoxication, the
guest negligently caused injury to others. If the guest who
causes an injury is a minor, the host who served the alcohol
or permitted alcohol to be served to the minor might be held
liable to others even if the minor was already intoxicated
when the minor was served alcohol.
• Should parents be held legally & financially responsible for
minors who cause injury to others while intoxicated?

21. Should alcohol be illegal?
Many people believe the
government should make alcohol
illegal to protect the public, while
others believe it is a personal
decision and not morally wrong.
What do you think?
Consider:
 Impact of alcohol on people
 Individual freedom
 Enforcement
 Can/should the government legislate
morality?

22. Why should alcohol be banned?
• Religious groups believed
drinking was sinful
• Reformers believe the
government should
protect public health
• Many reformers believed
alcohol lead to crime,
abuse, and accidents

23. Prohibition 1920-1933
18th Amendment (Volstead Act)
•Prohibited the manufacture, sale, transportation and
consumption of alcoholic beverages in the United
States
http://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/videos#america-goes-dry-with-prohibition

24. Who might support
Prohibition?
• Many progressive
reformers and religious
groups
• Anti-Saloon League
• Women’s Christian
Temperance Union-
considered drinking a sin
• People who lived in the
rural South and West
• Native-born Protestant

25. Why might groups support Prohibition?
• Too much drinking led
to crime
• Wife and child abuse
• Accidents on the job
• Drinking is sinful
• The government
should outlaw liquor to
protect the public’s
health and morals

26. Which groups oppose
Prohibition?
• Many liberals,
conservatives, and
intellectuals
• Immigrant groups
• People who
opposed the
government
meddling in their
lives

27. Prohibition: Success or Failure?

28. What is a speakeasy?
video
• Underground hidden saloons and nightclubs where people
obtained liquor illegally.
• These places were called speakeasies because once a
customer was inside, they spoke quietly, or “easily,” to avoid
detection
• People had to have a membership card, or know a secret
password to gain entry

29. Bootlegger
People who smuggled alcohol into the U.S.
from Canada, Cuba, or the West Indies
Name for a smuggler’s practice of carrying
liquor in the legs of the boots

30. Ways Around Prohibition
• Alcohol could be purchased
for religious or medicinal
purposes, and as a result
people began posing as
doctors and priests to
purchase alcohol
• People learned to distill
their own alcohol and built
their own stills
“The business of evading the
law and making a mock of it has
ceased to wear any aspects of
crime and has become a sort of
national sport.” –H.L. Mencken

31. Organized Crime
• One of the unforeseen consequences of prohibition was
the explosion of organized crime
• Huge operations were set up around the country intending
to smuggle alcohol
• The operations also ran prostitution rings, money-laundering
businesses, and hit men
• Prominent crime cities included New York and Chicago
• New York: The Masseria and the Marazano factions of the Italian
Mafia, Irish-American “White Hang Gang”
• Chicago: Al Capone’s “Chicago Outfit”, Irish-American “North-Side
Gang”

32. Al Capone
• Chicago home notorious gangster
Al Capone, whose bootlegging
empire netted over $100 million a
year
• Born January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn,
NY
• Always led a life of crime
• Began working for New York
mafia boss Frankie Yale as early
as 14
• Moved to Chicago and joined
Johnny Torrio’s “Five Points”
Gang
• Torrio was targeted in an
assassination attempt and fled
to Italy leaving Capone in
charge

33. Al Capone
• Politically savvy
• Capone lobbied for expiration
dates to be printed on milk
cartons, opened soup kitchens,
and even paid for the healthcare
of some Chicago citizens
• Known for his extravagant living
style
• Indulged in clothing, liquor, jewelry,
and women
• A trip to Chicago was not complete
without an Al Capone sighting
• Chicago’s Robin Hood

34. St Valentine’s Day Massacre
• The Irish “North Side” Gang
began to interfere with
Capone’s operation
• On February 14, 1929, seven
members of the “North Side”
Gang were arrested by
Capone’s gang members
dressed as police, lined up
against the wall, and shot.
• Known as the St. Valentine’s
Day massacre

35. St. Valentine’s Day Massacre
• The Newspapers printed graphic images from the crime
scene and the public was appalled
• Capone officially named Public Enemy No. 1 a short time
later

36. Capone Imprisoned
• The Federal Government investigated Capone for income
tax evasion
• Arrested in 1931 put on trial in 1932 and was sentenced to 11
years in prison

37. What is this a picture of?

38. Capone Imprisoned
• Capone was originally sent to
prison in Atlanta, but he became
too close to the Warden
• In 1934 Capone was transferred
to Alcatraz Island where he
served out the rest of his
sentence
• Became an unpopular figure at
the prison
• When the Alcatraz Warden • Eventually, the dormant
refused to succumb to
syphilis Capone contracted
Capone’s wishes he tried to
have his way with other as a child began to emerge
inmates and his health deteriorated.
• Capone was stabbed after • Also, Capone’s influence
trying to cut in line for a hair outside prison declined with
cut the end of prohibition.

39. Capone’s Legacy
• How does Al Capone’s life
serve as a metaphor for the
problems created by
prohibition and the 1920s?
• His fame and fortune was
amassed largely through the
illegal sale of alcohol made
possible by the law
• The fact he was never convicted
on any prohibition related crimes
highlights the ineffectiveness of
the Prohibition bureau
• His immense fame shows just
how easy it was for people to pay
attention to a glamorous lifestyle

40. Effects of Prohibition
• Consumption of
alcohol declined
• Increase in
lawlessness (such as
smuggling and
bootlegging)
• Criminals gain alcohol
as a new source of
income
• Organized crime grows

41. End of Prohibition 1933
• Local police and the federal
enforcement agency were
under funded, understaffed,
and overwhelmed
• Drinkers and bootleggers
found ways to evade the
law through speakeasies,
home stills,
bootlegging/smuggling, etc.
• Underworld gangs caused a
rise in crime and
lawlessness

42. 21st Amendment -1933 repealed prohibition
Conflict between traditional and modern ideas

43. Science & Religion Clash
Terms & Names: Objective:
Scopes Trial Identify & describe the
Clarence Darrow conflict between science
Charles Darwin & religion in the 1920’s?
Theory of evolution
fundamentalism

44. What is a world view?
The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the
world.

45. How do Americans see the
world?
Do all Americans have the same world view?

46. • We carefully construct
our worldviews in order
to make sense of the
world as we see it.
• Challenges to our
worldview can be
discomforting and even
terrifying.
• Sometimes people are
willing to accept that
their worldview is
wrong, and willingly
adapt as need be, but
other times, people will
fight tooth and nail in
order to uphold their
worldview.

47. World View Building:
• Where are we?
• Is the earth round or flat?
• Does 2 + 2 = 4?
• Which music genre is the best?
• Coke or Pepsi?
• Too bitter or too sweet?

48. What happens when world views
collide?
• Did you disagree with
someone’s answer?
• How did you feel when
they said something
different from you?
• Now imagine the
question was not 2 + 2
or Coke or Pepsi.
Imagine it was “does
God exist?” or “is
Nazism wrong?”

49. What might be some controversial
world view points?
• Sexuality
• Civil Rights
• Nationality
• Religion
• Abortion
• Gay Marriage
• Gender Roles

50. Origin of Life
What do you believe is the origin of life on earth?

51. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
What is Darwin’s Theory of Evolution?

52. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
• Plants and animals species developed and changed over
millions of years
• Humans evolved from a common ancestor with modern African
apes (chimpanzees & gorillas) but evolved into hominids

53. Which groups support evolution?
Scientists
Secularists
Non-fundamentalist Christians
Atheists

54. Fundamentalism
What do fundamentalists
believe?
•A literal interpretation of
the bible
•All important information
can be found in the Bible
•Creationism

55. Creationism
What is creationism?
The Bible teachings
that the universe and
living organisms
originate from divine
creation as in the
biblical account
God made the world
and all its life forms in
six days

56. Evolutionism or Creationism?
• In 1999, Kansas State School Board voted to eliminate the
teaching of evolution from its curriculum.
• Some people believe that creation theory of the origin of life
(bible story) and not evolution (Darwin’s theory) should be
taught in schools. What do you think?

57. Scopes Trial
• 1925 Tennessee passed the nation’s first law making it a
crime to teach evolution
John T. Scopes a
young biology teacher
in Dayton Tennessee
challenged the law that
forbade teaching of
evolution
Who is this man?
 What is he known for?

58. Scopes Trial
Main Supporters:
(For Scopes)
• Secular thinkers
• American Civil Liberties
Union
(ACLU)
• People who didn’t interpret
the bible literally
• People who believed
Clarence Darrow
Darwin’s theory of evolution
lawyer for Scopes

59. Scopes Trial
Against Scopes:
• Protestant fundamentalists
• Believed in creationism
• the literal interpretation of
Genesis
• skeptical of scientific
knowledge
• Did not want evolution William
taught to their children Jennings
Bryan

60. Scopes “Monkey” Trial
Click image for
video link
Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, 1925 Clarence Darrow, a famous Chicago
lawyer, and William Jennings Bryan, defender of Fundamentalism, have a friendly chat in a
courtroom during the Scopes evolution trial. Darrow defended John T. Scopes, a biology
teacher, who decided to test the new Tennessee law banning the teaching of evolution. Bryan
took the stand for the prosecution as a bible expert. The trial in 1925 ended in conviction of
Scopes.

61. Scopes Trial Outcome
• Scopes was found guilty
• Fined $100
• Verdict was later overturned
• The outlawing of the teaching of
evolution remained on the books
• The real issue of the trial was the fight
over evolution and the role of science
and religion in public schools and in
American society

62. Scopes Trial
How does the Scopes Trial illustrate conflict between traditional
and modern values in the 1920?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9IO4dj_BqQ

63. The Twenties Woman

64. Chalk Talk Gender Roles Activity
• What does feminine mean? (“Act like a lady”)
• What does masculine mean? (“Be a man”)
• Where do we learn these gender roles?
• What reinforces our ideas about femininity and masculinity?

65. Chalk Talk
• This is a SILENT activity, no one is allowed to talk during
it.
• The teacher will write a statement/question in the center of
the board/paper.
• Every student can comment on the initial statement/question
and any subsequent questions by simply drawing a line from
the comment or question.
• Read other peoples questions or comments and write
whenever you feel like it.
• DO NOT USE: NAMES/NICKNAMES OF STUDENTS,
RACIAL/ETHNIC/RELIGIOUS SLURS, SWEAR
WORDS, or other types of language that are highly
offensive or inappropriate for school.

66. Gender Roles Chalk Talk
Consider the following:
•Personality traits
•“Traditional” or stereotypical characteristics
•Physical appearance or features (tall, muscular)
•Socially acceptable behaviors
•Professions (Jobs/Occupations)
•Manners or Etiquette (i.e. open the door)
Read our class list.
•Which items do you agree with?
•Which items do you disagree with?
•Did you find any offensive? If so, which one’s? Why
•How could you try to challenge these roles?

67. Men’s Fashion
• How do men/boys dress
today?
• Where do you think they
get their sense of fashion
from?

68. Changes in Men’s Fashion
• Men took their fashion ideas
from gangsters
• Wanted to appear “dapper”
• Baggy pants, polished
shoes, & a handkerchief
• Baggy “zoot suit”
• Why do you think men
wanted to dress like
gangsters?

69. How did women’s fashion change?
1910 1920

70. Changes in Women’s Fashion
• Brighter colored clothing
• Shorter & looser fitting dresses
• Skin colored stockings instead of black
• High Heel pumps instead of high laced-shoes
• Hair cuts “boyishly” short and dyed jet black instead of
long and natural
• Exposed their legs in public
• Smoked cigarettes in long holders

71. Flappers
An emancipated (freed)
young women who embraced
the new fashions and urban
attitudes of the day

72. Changes in Women’s Fashion
• Listen to the lyrics of Flapper
Girl by the Lumineers.
• Underline historical
references to changes in
women’s fashion and other
trends of the 1920s within the
song.
• “Cut off all of your hair, Did you flinch, did you care?”
• “Cadillac, Cadillac, businessmen dressed in slacks. I'm gonna buy one for us
when I get back, a big Cadillac.”
• “Makin o's with her cigarette.”
• “Flapper girl, flapper girl. Prohibition in curls. Hair of gold and a
neck of pearls, it's flapper girl.”

73. Changes in Women’s Behavior
• More assertive Watch 3
• Smoked & drank in public minutes of the
• Casual dating video
What do you
• Dancing without care notice about
• Talked openly about sex women’s
behavior?

74. How would you describe women’s attitude
in the 1920’s?
• Rebellious Watch 3 minutes of
• Youthful the video
• Fun loving What do you notice
• Relaxed about women’s
• Casual behavior?
• Daring
• Assertive 
• Independent

75. What are some examples of
professions/jobs occupied mostly by women
today?

76. Changes in Women’s Work
• More jobs available How did women’s roles change
in the 1920’s in regards to
• Demand for clerical work?
workers, store
clerks, &
assembly line
workers
“women’s
professions”

77. Problems in the Workplace
What are some
problems women
face in the work
place in the
1920’s or today?
• Few managerial jobs
• Inequality in the workplace
• Lower wages earned then men

78. Changes at Home
• Relationships
• Before World War I, courtship was most common
• Men only pursued women they wished to marry
• In the 1920s, casual dating greatly increased How might these
Marriage changes impact
• based on personal choice (love) not arranged women in society?
• marriage viewed as an equal partnership
• housework & child-rearing were still considered the
woman’s job
• Wider availability to birth control information
• Affordable ready made clothes, sliced bread, &
canned goods
• More schools for children to attend
• Household labor simplified with inventions
• Public services for elderly & sick

79. Changes in Society
• Pressure of juggling
both work and family
• Women’s work viewed
as temporary workers
whose real jobs were at
home
• “Women’s professions”
were created
• Adolescent
rebelliousness
• Conflict between
traditional and modern
values

80. A false image?
• Who are these women?
• Do they represent the
typical woman in
America?
• Why are these women so
highly recognizable?

81. A False Image
• Magazines, newspapers,
and advertisements
promoted the image of the
flapper
• However, many young
people in America,
particularly in rural
America, still adhered to
the traditional standard
• Traditionalists in churches
and schools protested
against the new dances
and norms

82. Double Standard
• Principles granting
greater sexual
freedom to men
than women were
accepted
• Women had to
observe stricter
standards that
men
• Many women
were caught in the
middle between
the old and the
new standards

83. Good Wife’s Guide
• Read an actual 1955
Good Housekeeping
article.
• Identify the male and
female gender roles
described in the article.
• How have women’s
roles changed over
time?