The Defiance Of Prohibition In The 1920's

The 1920’s in America was a time of defiance, a time to express oneself, and a time of controlled chaos. It was a time of political and social change. It was the first time that most people lived in cities rather than on farms. The economy skyrocketed, and the United States became a consumer society. It was a time in American History where change, curiosity, and experimentation wasn’t frowned upon, but rather encouraged. The 1920’s were considered “roaring” because of the provocative culture, as shown by defiance of prohibition, singing, and dancing styles, as well as rejecting traditional morals. During the 1920’s, alcohol prohibition was instituted in the United States, but the general population ignored the new-founded law. In The American Pageant, AP Edition, Updated 16th Edition, the author states, “Prohibition might have started off on a better foot if there had been a larger army of enforcement… The old-time ‘men only’ corner saloons were replaced by thousands of ‘speakeasies’… Hard liquor, especially the cocktail, was drunk in staggering volume…” Because of the lack of enforcement, it defying prohibition became part of society, and

In The American Pageant, AP Edition, Updated 16th Edition, the author writes, “… jazz moved up from New Orleans… ‘St. Louis Blues’ became instant classics, as the wailing saxophone became the trumpet of the new era. Black performers such as Handy, ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Joe ‘King’ Oliver gave birth to jazz…” Because of Jazz, flappers came about. Flappers were women who thrived with jazz music, danced with men, and became national sex symbols. The jazz industry began to give way on gender and racial norms. The UNIA and its followers stated a cultural movement. Blacks started the jazz industry, and soon whites began to love the new style of music. Jazz brought new music, new dancing, and new lifestyles to the United