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U.S. History 1877-Present 7: The Roaring Twenties 451 Views


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Description:

Today we'll learn about a renaissance that had nothing to do with medieval times, roaring industry growth, and a "sexy" dance called the Charleston. Buckle up. We're going back to the 1920's.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

No doubt the Roaring Twenties really did roar not because

00:07

America was overrun by lions but because America experienced a cultural and [Lion lying on the ground]

00:11

economic explosion that stuff we all read in the Great Gatsby really went

00:15

down American cities were packed with jazz flappers and people doing sexy new

00:21

dances like you know the Charleston hey it was sexy back then even though modern [Women dancing the Charleston]

00:25

club dancing would probably look like an orgy to a person from the 1920 it's also

00:29

true that 20 was a time of huge wealth and excess industry was booming thanks [Cash falling]

00:34

to new assembly line production and some very very pro-business policy makers new

00:38

affordable goods made luxuries available to the middle class and radio and cinema [Woman holding loaf of bread]

00:42

were making a whole new entertainment culture America became obsessed with

00:47

buying stuff and worshiping celebrity sound familiar right of course not

00:51

everything was as hunky-dory as it seemed during the twenties for one most [Dory swimming]

00:55

of the new wealth was based on predictions of future growth rather than

00:58

well actual growth people were going deep into debt to gamble on the stock [Men gambling]

01:03

market also American farmers were facing a panic inducing crisis as newly

01:08

peaceful European countries flooded the global market with cheap crops so while [Man covered by corn]

01:14

the flappers were flapping in the city's farmers were steadily getting poorer at

01:17

the same time the pro-business policies of the Conservative government were

01:21

making American exports really expensive which irritated are struggling European [Man holding box of twinkies]

01:26

trade partners and led to a big economic backlash against American good so even

01:31

though the 24 roaring underneath all the economic prosperity you could already

01:35

hear the growl of the Great Depression which would hit the stock market crash

01:38

of 1929 well the 20s also had a darker side like [Darth Vader appears]

01:42

always racism was rampant everywhere in America which made it prime time for the

01:46

Klu Klux Klan to make comeback even going so far as to proudly parade

01:50

unmasked down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington [Men walking down avenue in Klu Klux Klan costumes]

01:53

DC proving that not all parades are fun so ultimately the 20s was a time full of

01:58

contradictions while racism was gone full steam lights were also jamming to [Man dancing to music]

02:03

the music and poetry of the black artistic movement known as a Harlem

02:06

Renaissance while alcohol drugs and contraception were becoming criminalized

02:11

seriously and exciting new poppy culture based on sexual freedom drinking [Woman stretching by the ocean]

02:16

and drug use was make an old lady st. from Seattle to Bangor

02:20

yeah the stock market was booming but the agricultural and industrial basis of

02:23

the economy were shrinking up was down dogs were getting along with cats and [dogs playing with cats]

02:27

everyone wondered where it was all going to end up probably in a bootleg bourbon

02:31

induced days or rest while in jail with Al Capone oh boy [Man in jail with Al Capone]

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