Life in the Roaring Twenties

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Compare and contrast 1910-1920.

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Technically, there's no comparison between the 1910's and the 1920's. 

The United States in the 1910's was basically a slower, more down-to-earth society that clung to good old-fashioned ideals.  Transportation was slower and more costly, prompting most people to want to stay close to home.  Most women didn't work, families were larger, and the country was mostly agricultural.  The existing cities during this decade were dirty, crowded, and for the most part, undesirable places to live. 

Then, almost overnight, the "Roaring Twenties" came into existence.  World War I had ended, bringing with it a lifetime forever altered by the effects of the war.  Industries had been supercharged to support the war effort and there began to be a large shift from rural to urban living.  The age of the "flapper" was ushered in and we experienced Prohibition.  As a result, people began to lower their standards and morals.  Fashion became all important, and with the increasing availability of automobiles, our society became more mobile.  Families began to break down as more and more young people were drawn to the thrill of big cities. 

 

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