The Roaring 20's

     After the Great War, Americans wanted life to return to normal; however, the 20's did not bring a sense of normal back. We drew ourselves into isolation from other countries and ushered in several cultural changes. The election of 1920 was the first election in which women could vote, and we elected a President who brought scandal with him. Harding was known for being a "laid-back" kind of guy, but he was also known for choosing corrupt men for prestigious positions. Sadly, he passed away before finishing his term due to food poisoning. Calvin Coolidge became the next President and brought about an economic boom.
     American business grew through the speed of assembly lines and improved machinery, and Americans were increasing the amount of things they owned. Cars had replaced horse -drawn carriages and decreased the use of trolleys and trains. Another huge area of growth was the entertainment industry. The decade of the 20's saw the emergence of the radio. People were able to listen to news, political speeches, advertising, and entertainment through radio. The movie industry saw huge growth as well. By 1927 America had over 20,000 movie theaters. Of course that is nothing compared to now. But, as the old saying goes, "What goes up, must come down." Following the boom of the 20's, the 1930's brought a great depression. At least 25% of the nation was unemployed, the stock market had crashed, and banks were going under. The situation was critical. During this next Unit, you will see how President Roosevelt helped end the Great Depression.

I love the points brought up today in class comparing the issues of the 20's to current issues. Some things never change! You are all very insightful, and I love it!

Homework:
1. Read Unit 22
2. Complete bible work
3. Unit Project- write a 3-5 paragraph paper on The New Deal. It should cover the basics of the New Deal and how it helped America pull out of the Depression.
4. Don't forget to add to your Timeline!

*Thank you to Rod, Grace, Emily, and Abby who have signed up to lead discussion soon. I know you will do a great job! Don't worry if you haven't picked a Unit to lead, and you want to. You have until the end of the semester. Don't let fear keep you from signing up though. These are your fellow classmates, and we all want to see you succeed. No judgements at all. You will just be guiding the discussion and bringing up points to discuss. You can do it!