1920's
There was no greater symbol of the 1920's than the automobile. The impressive leather coaching and customized interiors radiated luxury and prosperity. The relative ease of operation and reliability meant freedom. Beneath their hoods many of the cars exhibited impressively large engines, delivering speed and excitement. The automobile was arguably the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920's, liberating Americans from often-restrictive home or neighborhood situations. Many women used the cars to save time in their daily domestic chores -- in turn giving them more free time, in which they could educate themselves, or find a job. The younger generations loved the car as an escape from the chaperones. A juvenile court judge criticized the auto as a "house of prostitution on wheels," due to the relatively large quantity of "inappropriate" sex occurring in the car. Businessmen, possessing a faster, more personal form of transportation, could live further from the city and subway stops. Consequently the suburb lifestyle began in places like Queens and the Bronx. Rural Americans loved the car as a ride to town and the social circles. Automobiles had existed before the Twenties, but were expensiv
persuaded the legislature to deem sale of liquor throughout the state of Maine illegal. radio, not itself a new invention, began to broadcast news reports, sports scores, and However, the absence of the modern film elements is exactly what made, and still makes, the silent films unique and compelling. Without the distractions of sharp, swift photography and stellar sound, more emphasis and attention was placed on the story. Silent movie audiences were forced to complete the picture and plot for themselves, to think and analyze in order to understand. Unlike most current movies, in which the audience watches in an essentially subconscious state, lulled into lethargy by the fast action and lucid plot, the silent films demanded attention. Although, it is doubtful the popularity of the 1920's film industry relied on plot line and substance. It is more likely that the novelty, reality, and fantasy of the films motivated much of the movie patron population. course, bobbed hair. To attempt to summarize this period would be impossible. As the for social change in the 1920's, gave Americans a new freedom to leave the home, For others, fantasy was the main attraction. On screen, the movies provided spectacular romances, such as Pandora's Box and Phantom of the Opera, and action-packed thrillers, like Wings and Old Ironsides. The movie world was sometimes more interesting off-screen, with huge Hollywood scandals involving such big names as Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Charles Chaplin. In the entertainment world, technology provided irresistible distractions. The fought mainly by half-drunken soldiers and fully drunken minutemen. Liquor was used booze robbed the family. John Barleycorn became an increasingly unpopular figure. In
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Approximate Word count = 3175
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)
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