1920’s Web Quest

Make-up Assignment February 6, 2016

Look at the list of topics below. You will need to select six of the eleven topics. On a piece of lined paper, handwrite research information and responses to the questions asked in each topic. Do not copy and paste, as it must be handwritten.

1920’s Web Quest Topics

  1. F. Scott Fitzgerald: Basic information on his life, interesting facts, who/what were major influences in his life and for his writing?
  1. World War I: What were THREE MAJOR INNOVATIONS that came out of WWI experience? After the war: What were the dominant postwar attitudes and the major movements of the 1920’s? (Lost Generation, Prosperity and Consumerism Movement)
  1. 19th Amendment: Basic information on amendment and its impact on women and society.
  1. The Roaring Twenties: List THREE major events that occurred in 1922 (the year in which the novel is set)
  1. 18th Amendment: What exactly did this amendment abolish? What was the result?
  1. Prohibition: What is a Speakeasy? Why did they become popular? How did they impact culture and society?
  1. Organized Crime and Arnold Rothstein: What are THREE elements of Rothstein’s life that are interesting to you?

from this article, what is interesting about the case/Rothstein’s death? What is your overall impression of Rothstein from his biography and the linked article?

  1. Flappers: read the first five paragraphs of the “Flapper Jane” article, linked below. are the essential elements of being a true flapper?

Look up Louise Brooks. Does she fit the flapper profile as expressed in the article? Why or why not?

Read does Parker feel about Flappers? Explain.

  1. Automobiles: Why were cars considered “the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920’s”? Read the article “The Rise of Automobiles”, found at the end of this document. Research different models of cars popular in the 1920’s and include information on your poster.
  1. Music: Research popular music and singers of the 1920’s. How did music relate to and impact the culture of the 20’s?
  1. 1920’s Slang: Research 1920’s slang and its connection to 1920’s culture. Include a list of slang and their meaning on your poster. Create a sentence using the slang of the 1920’s.

The Rise of Automobiles

By Tim Samuel

There was no greater symbol of the 1920's than the automobile. The impressive leather coaching and customized interiors radiated luxury and prosperity. The relative ease of operation and reliability meant freedom. Beneath their hoods many of the cars exhibited impressively large engines, delivering speed and excitement.

The automobile was arguably the most important catalyst for social change in the 1920's, liberating Americans from often restrictive home or neighborhood situations. Many women used the cars to save time in their daily domestic chores -- in turn giving them more free time, in which they could educate themselves, or find a job. The younger generations loved the car as an escape from the chaperones. A juvenile court judge criticized the auto as a "house of prostitution on wheels," due to the relatively large quantity of "inappropriate" sex occurring in the car. Businessmen, possessing a faster, more personal form of transportation, could live farther from the city and subway stops. Consequently the suburb lifestyle began in places like Queens and the Bronx. Rural Americans loved the car as a ride to town and the social circles.

Automobiles had existed before the Twenties, but were expensive, unreliable, and generally only toys for the rich. What made the auto so influential in the 1920's was its increased availability and dependability. Scientific management and the assembly line increased factory productivity and decreased cost, making the auto more affordable. By 1930 every 1.3 households owned a car, versus 44 households in 1910. Henry Ford was largely responsible for this movement, pioneering efficient production methods and striving to produce a reliable and practical car for the masses. His legendary Model-T, produced between 1913 and 1927, was sold as low as $290 (+-$2,900 today). Its successor, the Model-A, sold for as little as $460 ($4,600). There was a movement in America to make Henry Ford president.

However, there was also a large high-priced auto market. The Coolidge Prosperity fueled the prices of such monsters as the Locomobile Model 48, for $13,000($130,000), and the 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom, selling between $17-18,000(180,000). These luxurious cars undoubtedly functioned as status symbols, transporting the occupants in a style that cannot be found today.