Consumerism
Identify products that become advertised more during the 1920's?
food, cosmetics, toiletries
Identify two movie star celebrities from the chapter.
Clara Bow – A famous silent film actress known as the “It Girl,” who became a symbol of the modern flapper lifestyle in the 1920s.
Rudolph Valentino – A hugely popular silent film star known as the “Latin Lover,” famous for romantic roles that captivated audiences.
Charles Lindbergh – An aviator who became a national hero after completing the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.
Amelia Earhart – A pioneering female pilot famous for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Jack Dempsey – A heavyweight boxing champion who became one of the most famous and exciting sports figures of the 1920s.
Charlie Chaplin – A legendary silent film comedian known for his character “The Tramp” and physical comedy.
Josephine Baker – An African American dancer, singer and actress who became an international star performing in Paris during the 1920s.
Identify the state in America that was known for their skyscrapers in the 1920s?
New York
Identify two characteristics of the U.S. government’s response during the Red Scare.
Political intolerance – the government acted against certain political beliefs, especially communism, socialism, and anarchism.
Targeting of individuals and organisations – groups or people deemed “radical” were investigated, arrested, or deported.
Suppression of civil liberties - arrests without warrants, limited legal protections
Use of raids and surveillance - e.g., the Palmer Raids
What has to be broken before you can use it?
An egg.
Define consumerism.
•Individuals acquiring goods and services beyond what is needed for survival and instead is used as a display of status
•A persons well-being and happiness depend on obtaining products
Define bootlegger
Manufacturers and sellers of illegal alcohol products during prohibition.
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?
An echo
Define nativism
Policies or beliefs that favour the rights of native-born residents over those of immigrants.
Define eugenics
What is the most common birthday month in many countries?
September!
Explain women's involvement in sports during the 1920's.
Women were freed from the restraints of long skirts and petticoats. They embraced sport and the stereotype of women's physical limitations were challenged by athletes in events such as swimming.
Explain the US Steel Corporations role in the growth of Skyscrapers around the world.
The US Steel Corporation produced nearly 20% of the global total, enabling architects to construct buildings with load-bearing structure steel frames, allowing them to safely reach new heights.
Explain what the Palmer Raids were and why they were criticised by Congress.
An event where federal agents were sent to raid the offices of radical organisations (group whose ideas or activities were considered a threat to the U.S. government, society, or capitalism — particularly advocating for extreme political change, revolution, or overthrow of the government).
It was criticised due to members believing this breached civil liberties.
Explain what the Immigration Act 1924 was and who it favoured / limited.
Quotas introduced in 1924 to prevent certain people from entering America. It favoured British and western European migrants and limited the number of vias issued to Southern and Eastern Europe—including Italy, Poland, Russia, and Jewish populations.
Explain how department stores, such as Woolworths and JC Penney, used advertising.
They used it to combat smaller rivals - using their enormous buying power to establish chain stores around the country and defeat smaller local stores by offering lower prices.
Explain what the Herlem Renaissance is and why it was significant during the 1920's.
It was the cultural flowering in the New York suburb of Harlem. Black artists, poets, writers and photographers, musicians and scholars worked together in this movement. It was significant because it promoted racial pride in black cultural history and achievements and fuelled the movement for civil rights.
Explain the Precisionists' two opposing views of the role of techology in American's lives during the 1920's
The Precisionists were a group of Americans who began experimenting with highly controlled approach to technique and form...
One view = stressed the machine as having a dehumanising effect on the human condition, leading to pollution, destruction of nature and exploitation of the worker.
Opposite view = machines allowed for speed and efficiency
What is the most popular board game of all time?
monopoly!!
Explain the foreign policy during the 1920s.
WW1 and its aftermath left the US keen to avoid foreign policy commitments that could lead to its involvement in another overseas conflict. For this reason, they chose not to join the League of Nations, favouring an isolationist position. It did, however, play a role in international negotiation to limit arms and promote peace.
Evaluate the impact of consumerism on American society in the 1920s.
Consumerism had a major impact on American society in the 1920s because it increased economic growth and changed people’s lifestyles. Mass production meant goods such as the Ford Model T became cheaper and more Americans could afford cars, radios and household appliances. This improved living standards and created jobs.
However, consumerism also caused problems because many people bought goods on credit. While this allowed families to purchase more products, it also meant many Americans went into debt. Overall, consumerism brought prosperity to many people but also created financial risks.
The more of me you take, the bigger I get. What am I?
A hole.
Evaluate the extent to which skyscrapers represented progress in American society during the 1920s.
Skyscrapers represented progress in 1920s America because they showed the country’s economic growth, technological innovation, and urban development. Buildings like the Chrysler Building reflected modern design and created space for businesses in crowded cities. However, they also highlighted social inequality, as many people still lived in poverty while these towers symbolised wealth. Overall, skyscrapers were a sign of progress but also reminded Americans of the gap between rich and poor.
Evaluate whether the U.S. government overreacted during the Red Scare.
The U.S. government largely overreacted during the Red Scare. While there was a small risk from radical groups, the Palmer Raids and arrests of suspected communists and anarchists often targeted innocent people and violated civil liberties. Fear and propaganda amplified public panic, showing that the response was more about controlling society than addressing a real threat.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the 1920s immigration restrictions in achieving their intended goals.
The 1920s immigration restrictions were very effective in the short-run, reducing the number of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, which was their main goal. Quotas and the Immigration Act of 1924 successfully limited entries from targeted countries. However, they also caused social tension and resentment, and did not address underlying nativist fears, showing that while the laws achieved their immediate goals, they had negative side effects.