Cultural Changes In The 1920s

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The roaring 20’s, the Jazz Age, the Great Depression, no matter what you call it, it’s hard to deny the 1920’s was an iconic era to note in the United States. Some may believe that it shaped the United States to what it is today. Although, the question has to be asked; what were the major cultural and societal changes in 1920s America and how did they pave the way for the Great Depression? Although the 1920’s did not have one specific reason for paving a way for the Great Depression, many changes stuck out such as the role change of women, evolution of transportation, and the information of sports media. To begin, women challenged traditional values by gaining the right to vote in the early twentieth century. Many women came together to achieve …show more content…

The evolution of transportation introduced the automobile and the airplane. According to The American Yawp the amount of cars registered in 1920 increased drastically from around nine million cars registered to twenty-seven million by the end of the decade (Wells 2). This meant that the increase of people buying more cars led to a change in the economy. The more people who bought cars the less differences there would be between the rich and poor. The cultural impact of the automobile gave more opportunities for things such as tourism and it allowed farmers to travel to the city (Surdam 1). As time passed after WWI, fewer people paid attention to airplanes. An example of this is how Eddie Ricken Backen was unable to get a job in aviation after being a WWI ace, he then ended up selling cars. This meant that there needed to be a change of opinion on flying. In order to change the people's mindsets Charles A. Lindbergh flew a plane for thirty-three hours and thirty minutes from New York to France. This was a major achievement and it led him to be known as a genuine hero (Minnesota Historical Society 1). Even though Lindbergh was the main reason for the changed opinions on flying, many other people attempted to change the opinions of society on flying as well. The famous flier Amelia Erhart allowed 10 million Americans to fly for the first time at the low cost of five dollars for a five minute airplane