1920s

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades: 1890s 1900s 1910s - 1920s - 1930s 1940s 1950s
Years: 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929

Sometimes referred to as the "Jazz Age" or primarily in North America and in Australia as the "Roaring Twenties" . In Europe it is sometimes refered to as the Golden Twenties. See 1920s Berlin.

1 Events and trends
2 People
3 External links

[edit]

Events and trends

Since the closing of the 20th Century, the 1920s has drawn close associations with the 1990s, especially in the United States. This due to the fact both decades were considered very economically prosperous times, and a prosperity which lasted throughout almost the entire decade following a tremendous event at the closing of the previous decade (World War I and Spanish flu in the late 1910s, and the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s). In Australia, this decade was known as the Roaring Twenties.

Despite the comparisons, however, there were a number of differences. First of all, Germany, like many other European countries, had to face a severe economic downturn in the opening years of the decade, due to the enormous debt caused by the war as well as the one-sided Treaty of Versailles. Such a crisis would culminate with a devaluation of the Mark in 1923, eventually leading to economic prosperity during the remainder of the period. Second, the decade was characterised by the rise of radical political movements, especially in regions that were once part of empires. Communism began attracting large numbers of followers following the success of the October Revolution and the Bolsheviks' determination to win the subsequent Russian Civil War. The Bolsheviks would eventually adopt semi-capitalist policies-- New Economic Policy-- from 1921 to 1928. The 1920s also experienced the rise of the far-right in Europe and elsewhere, starting with Italy, and were perceived by some in the Western world as an antidote to Communism.

The Stock Market collapsed during October 1929 (see Black Tuesday) and drew a line under prosperous 1920s.

[edit]

Technology

John T. Thompson invents Thompson submachine gun, also known as "Tommy gun"
John Logie Baird invents the first working mechanical television system (1925)
Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean (20 May-21 May 1927)
Penicillin is discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming (1928)
Philo T. Farnsworth invents the modern electronic CRT television
Insulin is discovered by Frederick Banting during the winter of 1921-1922

[edit]

Culture, religion

Youth culture of The Lost Generation; flappers, Charleston, bobbed hair
Women's suffrage movement continues to make gains as women obtain full voting rights in the United States in 1920, in Denmark in 1921, and in England in 1928; and women begin to enter the workplace in larger numbers
Prohibition — legal attempt to end consumption of alcohol in Canada, the USA, and Finland
In the US, gangsters and the rise of organized crime, often associated with bootleg liquor, in defiance of Prohibition
"The Jazz Age" — jazz and jazz-influenced dance music widely popular
First commercial radio station in the U.S. goes onair in Pittsburgh, in 1920, and radio quickly becomes a popular entertainment medium
Start of commercially viable "Talking Pictures" (motion pictures with sound tracks)
Beginning of surrealist movement
Beginning of the Art Deco movement
Fads such as dance marathons, mah-jongg, crossword puzzles and pole-sitting are popular
The Harlem Renaissance
The Scopes Trial (1925) which questioned evolution and the right to teach