HIST 2112 The Roaring Twenties: Babbits, Klansmen and Flappers- Modernism vs. Traditionalism- Economy up 40%- Per capita income up 20%o Factory workers went up 15%o Corporate workers went up 30%- Top 1% controlled 44% of the income- Farmers are in trouble because of overproductiono The Farm Crisis of the 1920so Many abandon their farms and move to citieso Others tried to grow more Caused their soil to be overworked- Very Capitalist Decadeo Pro-capitalist presidentso Calvin Coolidge – America’s business is business 1924-1928 Did not run for his second term From a small town in Vermont ‘No fooling around’ kind of guy Advocate of old fashion values Pro-capitalist Not a fan of reform or unions- Not a progressive Opposed to regulation- Consumerismo Want it but don’t need ito The idea of buying things that you don’t needo Best example – automobile Model T Ford – 30 million in the 1920s Industrialism and its efficiency makes this possible Not cheap but cheap enough that everyone could have one Opened up more possibilities to peopleo Radioso Washing machineso Decade of advertising and catalogs Advertising becomes an art form Mail order was hugeo Birth of the celebrity Movie stars Sports stars- Now that housewives had the tools, they had to keep a spotless home- Women do not have the feeling that they have to have a husbando Have jobso Become consumerso Flapper Not very common More important as a symbol rather than reality Signified peoples desires and anxieties She is wild, free, and fun- Shows more flesh- Short hair- Wears make up- Danceso Many progressive women hated the flapper Hated their use of their freedom that they fought for- People were scared of Modernismo Changed everything- KKK is reborn as a result of Modernismo New Klan does not like immigrants, blacks, Jews, Catholics, flappers, alcohol, and Modernism in
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