I do not have extensive knowledge of the 1920s outside of the stereotypical Gatsby perceptions and a vague historical timeline. The first thoughts I associate with the 1920s are flappers and wealth. Women started to express themselves more freely and participate in society in a way that was once considered taboo. I think of parties and speakeasies and the growth of jazz culture as a result of the Harlem Renaissance. F. Scott Fitzgerald is responsible for much of this grandiose imagery we associate with the 1920s, however, it was not always the most accurate portrayal of the decade.
Beyond the grandeur of the social scenes created by the media of the 1920s, the decade was also a period of immense social, economic, and political change. Following the conclusion of World War One, the 19th Amendment was ratified and Women gained Suffrage in 1920. This was also the time of the Prohibition and Temperance Movements which banned the sale of alcohol. The Temperance Movement helped gain support for the Women’s Suffrage movement through means of controlling the alcohol intake of men. Oftentimes drunk men exhibited abusive and aggressive behaviors towards their families which caused women to advocate for rights in society more heavily.
In addition to the social advancements, there was a massive economic boom as a direct result of the conclusion of World War I. Populations grew in urban cities because of the industries and economic opportunities. Also with the addition of the Ford Assembly line, factories were a major source of employment for many men, women, and children. With the increased necessity of laborers, working conditions were extremely poor due to lack of federal regulations. The work days were incredibly long, the equipment was extremely dangerous, and there was a lack of labor unions. People often injured themselves at work because they were not trained or supervised.
When searching for images of the 1920s Google did reflect my understanding of the decade. Many of the initial images include flappers and parties. The images focused on the portrayal of flappers highlighting their outfits and dances. They were surrounded by men, alcohol, and musicians. While the images themselves do not surprise me, it is striking how disproportionate the number of images of flappers is to other major events of the time period. Majority of the images depict flappers’ dress, dance, or bodies compared to other aspects of the decade. This is likely due to the media’s portrayal of the decade in entertainment such as The Great Gatsby.
In addition to the more upbeat social scenes depicted, there are also numerous images from protests during the 1920s. Majority of the protests reference Prohibition and Women’s Suffrage. This does not surprise me because these events were two major controversial social and political shifts during the time period. There were also a few images depicting protests for worker’s rights. One thing that surprised me was the amount of images focused on the streets and specifically cars of the 1920s. This is not a topic I often hear about in reference to the 20s and makes me curious as to how personal automobiles contributed to the social and economic standards of the decade.
Bibliography
“The 1920s, the Roaring Twenties, in Britain.” Historic UK, December 8, 2023. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-1920s-in-Britain/.
Yumpu.com. “Bloximages.Chicago2.Vip.Townnews.Com Magazines.” yumpu.com. Accessed January 29, 2025. https://www.yumpu.com/en/bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com.
Erin Pryor is a History and Philosophy double major in the Honors Program, graduating with the Class of 2025. She is a writing consultant on campus at the Center for Reading and Writing. She is the president of Phi Alpha Theta history honors society and a member of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity.
