Inventions & Improvements in the way of life

The Roaring 20’s was one of the liveliest decades in history. It was a prosperous time and people embraced the new forms of entertainment and new trends that altered America’s cultural landscape. You will now explore those changes and understand how the 20’s earned its nickname.

1. Radio: a household necessity The radio was as important to people as cars. People were no longer isolated and could hear about the weather and news in distant cities as well as listen to the same drama and comedy episodes. Click on the radio to find out more……

Men to remember… Guglielmo Marconi is known as the “Father of Radio”. Marconi produced and detected waves over long distance, inventing and laying the foundations of the radio as we know it.

David Sarnoff created the broadcast industry. His first attempt to bring radio into the homes of millions was ignored in When he became General Manager of RCA in 1921 he seized an opportunity to give a blow by blow of Dempsey- Carpentier boxing match and it was a great success. The idea of broadcasting caught on.

2. Silent Films progressed to “talkies” and 35 million people went to the movies each week. The movie palaces of the 20’s were huge and lavish. Some really big theaters in places like New York and Detroit could seat up to 5000 people.

The movie palace was designed to make customers feel like royality. This movie palace was located in San Fransico.

The first “talkie” “The Jazz Singer” ushered in the talkies. It was the first film to replace cards with dialogue along with plot.

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S The most glamorous of all during the 1920’s were the movie stars. Because of the money movies made, the stars made millions even that long ago.

The Big Stars…  Charlie Chaplin- silent film  Rudolph Valentino – The Great Lover  Mary Pickford –America’s Sweetheart Click on Charlie

Which famous cartoon character was “born” in 1927? Click the question mark to find out!

3. Telephone Even though Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in the late 1800’s, there was much more increased availability in the 1920’s.

“Let’s Go Motoring”

Henry Ford Henry Ford’s assembly-line system drastically reduced the time it took to make a car and the amount it would cost. In 1920 a Model T cost roughly $800 but by 1925 it was reduced to $260, making very affordable to most. By the late 1920’s about 23 million cars were registered in the U.S.

A New Freedom The automobile provided a new freedom to people. It allowed isolated farmers to travel into cities, workers find more affordable housing away from their jobs, and gave young people a chance to get out more.

Results of the automobile: 1- greater mobility 2- creation of jobs (assembly line, construction) 3- growth of auto related industries (oil, steel, road construction)

The Wright Brothers’ In 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first engine powered flight. By 1929 planes were being used to carry passengers for profit. Click the plane to find out how long the first flight lasted.

Electrification Electric lighting began to replace candles. Cities lit up first, followed by rural areas and by the end of the 1920’s, most people had electricity.

Labor Saving Products Because of electricity spreading and Ford’s perfection of the assembly line method, industry of the 1920’s focused heavily on consumer goods that saved time on household chores. Ex: washing machines, refrigerators stoves, vacuum cleaners water pumps

Advertising In 1850 the national annual income was about $95 per person but had risen to $586 by With the increase of income there was also a powerful new business that emerged-modern advertising- to convince consumers to spend their money.

The psychology of buying Advertiser's focused on the psychology of buying and ads soon appeared that appealed to people’s needs, frustrations, and anxieties. See the following ads for example of how advertisers convinced people to buy a product:

Listerine mouthwash pledged to save young people from the loneliness caused by unpleasant breath.

Holeproof Hosiery Company featured what were, for that time, a rather scantily clad young woman wearing the company’s silk stockings saying, “Make the public want what you have to sell. Make ‘em pant for it.”

Advertising played on women’s fear of aging and losing their looks to sell their products.

Billboards Because of the increase in the automobile, advertiser's used the billboard to reach many new consumers.

Effects of Advertising Ex: Listerine saw profits rise from roughly $100,000 in 1920 to more than $4 million in It was a boom time for U.S. companies and the economy. For those who didn’t have money on hand to buy goods, a solution was proposed that was irresistible at the time:

Buying on Credit The growth of the installment plan also fueled consumerism of the 1920’s. These plans allowed people to buy goods on credit by paying a small amount down and then make monthly installments until it was paid off. Ex: a vacuum could be bought for $ A consumer would pay $2 down and $4 a month.

Changing Role of Women Women’s roles in society changed a great deal during WWI and throughout the 1920’s. After working in a traditionally male job during the war, it increased their motivation to be treated as equals. Women began to rally for better wages and more rights. After winning the women’s suffrage movement there was a diminish in political interests and turned more towards a social life.

Fads & Fashion For many women the 1920’s brought new freedoms and independence. There was more leisure time and money and women began to challenge traditional ideas of women's role in society. Women’s fashions became an outlet or personal expression and there was more focus on women’s body image.

Not everyone agreed with this new found freedom. Women wearing bathing suits were measured to see if they were showing to much leg. Chicago police are arresting a girl for “indecent exposure” in 1922.

Men’s Fashions Baggy knickers called “plus fours” after the yards of fabric needed to make them. Zoot suit often worn by gansters

Flappers: Flappers were rebellious young women who wore short skirts, danced wildly, used cosmetics, and proudly displayed the signs of their independence, sexuality, and energetic youth.

Sports Mania All areas of entertainment became big business in the 1920’s, and sports were no exception. Baseball, college football, and boxing were spectacles for the masses.

The Babe By 1927 Babe Ruth was a better-known American to most foreigners than President Coolidge. He rivaled the Prince of Wales as the most photographed man in the world. He was the greatest player of his times. Click on the bat to find out how many home runs the Babe had and how long his record held: