1920's

5 Pages 1133 Words

The twenties in the United States had a personality and character all its own and it was a “fun, frivolous and carefree” period in many respects. It was definitely a time not to be missed. But what made it so unique and important in the history of the twentieth century? World War I, “the war to end all wars” had just ended. American soldiers had fought, 112,432 had died and the victors returned home glad to be free and separate from the horrors they had seen. Woodrow Wilson’s “peace without victory” plan that became known as the Fourteen Points, a desire to place the U.S. in the forefront of the peace settlement in Europe, was never ratified and America never joined the League of Nations. Disillusioned with the terms of the peace settlement, Americans were also dissatisfied with a mild recession in 1921. Americans looked inward and the old order, the old morality, and the old rules no longer applied in the new era. Warren Harding was elected by a landslide with his slogan of “return to normalcy.” Changes and innovations occurred in the economy, technology and culture that gave more Americans more leisure time to do what they wanted to do. The pro-business atmosphere and the pursuit of profits led to a period of economic prosperity between 1922 and 1928. The business boom had a rise of manufacturing output of over 60 percent during the period from 1919 and 1929. Times were “roaring”, unemployment was less than 4% and real wages and standard of living increased significantly, mostly for those in urban areas. As more Americans were working and earning better wages, their standard of living also improved.

It is impossible to deny the incredible feats that the U.S. economy was performing in the 1920s and how they improved the quality of life for most Americans. The economic boom was a result of many things. The most obvious cause was the debilitation of Europe after World War I, which left America t...