User talk:Lovely Tacos

The Roaring Twenties (1920's)

Americans prospered in the 1920's, and owned about 40% of all the worlds wealth. Many ways of life were changing during this time. The installment plan was invented, which enabled people to buy goods over an extended period without having to put down money at the time of the purchase. A popular slogan for this was "Enjoy while you pay". The traditional family changed, birth control was invented resulting in a decrease in birthrate. New inventions also simplified life at home such as; readymade clothes, sliced bread, canned food, etc. Women were becoming more rebellious and independent. Some women even became "Flappers" who were emancipated young women that embraced the new fashions and urban attitudes. The invention of the model T or A (an automobile) impacted many things including; paved roads, gasoline stations, repair shops, motels, shopping centers, traffic signals, and houses with garages and driveways. They also allowed women and young people to become more independent. Prohibition and the 18th amendment also first took place in the 1920's. Prohibtion only caused disrespect for the law and organized crime. The phrase "juice joint" was slang for speakeasies. Speakeasies were hidden saloons and night clubs for illegal drinking. Bootleggers were people who sold liquor. Al Capone was a gangster whose bootlegging empire made over 60 million dollars a year until he was "bumped off" slang for murdered or killed. Other slang commonly used are "horse feathers", "Apple sauce", and "carry a torch". To "carry a torch" meant to have a crush on someone. "Horse feathers" and "Apple sauce" were used in a context such as "oh Apple sauce!". Flagpole sitting, the chareslston dance, and the blues were becoming increasingly popular fads. Bessie Smith, the "empress of the blues" was a famous singer. Other famous people such as Harry Houdini (a magician) and Coco Chanel (a fashion designer) impacted the 20's and America in ways we still recognize in this day in age.