1. Postwar Uncertainty (Ch. 15, Sec. 1)

2. New Scientific Theories Challenge Old Beliefs
World War I caused many to question religious faith (fear of uncertain future)
Writer T.S. Eliot described the postwar world as lacking hope and faith
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (space and time not constant) challenged Newton’s absolute laws of motion & gravity
Freud’s theory of unconscious, irrational behavior attacked the idea of reason/choice

3. New Ideas/Styles in Philosophy, Art, and Music
Sartre and Nietzsche believed in existentialism (meaning through choice & action)
Cubism transformed natural shapes into geometric shapes (Picasso)
Artists rebelled against realism and turned to surrealism (above or beyond reality)
Jazz , which originated in the US, gained popularity across the US and Europe

5. Changes in Women’s Lives/Roles
Women gained right to vote in most democratic nations
Women wore less restrictive clothing (no more corsets)
They continued to work outside the home in careers (still responsible for family)
Cut their hair short (bobbed) and began to wear makeup
Drove cars, and drank & smoked in public

6. New Technologies in Transportation and Entertainment
Automobiles became a part of everyday life (commute to work, vacation, travel)
People began to travel by airplane (passenger airlines catered to the rich)
Radio became an important form of family entertainment (news, sports, weekly shows)
Movies (first silent, then with sound) became another popular form of entertainment