Home Life

Economy

Role Of Government

Leisure Life

The 1920s was a time of prosperity for most Americans. The concept of the 'New Woman' emerged. Women were living for themselves instead of for their families and this mentality dramatically changing their home life. They went out late at night, went dancing, wore shorter clothes, and more makeup. They were experiencing their new freedom in the 1920s. In the 1930s however everything changed. Due to the crash of the economy Women were expected to stay home to cook, clean, and make clothing. There was no money to buy clothes and new cleaning machines. Women experienced a dramatic decline in the 30s. Keeping with the theme of a high then a decline was the African Americans Leisure life. In the 20s they experienced a surge of creative expression in the Harlem Renaissance. In the 1930's however the fun creative 'New Negro' turned into jobless people living off of what little they had left. African Americans were the first to loose jobs to White Americans and changed their Leisure time of creative expression to job searching. Stock Brokers also experienced these turn of events in the Economy. In the 20s they where becoming rich off of margin buyers in the Stock Market. They would loan money to people trying to buy stock that didn't have money. In the 30's when the Market crashed they lost their modern luxuries. Many had to file bankruptcy because they could not collect their owed money from margin buyers who now had less money then they had in the beginning. The one group who didn't experience this Boom to Bust was the farmers. In the 20s they experienced and early depression due to the surplus in crops from World War One and the rebuilding of European farms. They had over produced crops that were no longer needed. Many where forced to sell their land and belongings. In the 1930's however the Dust Bowl hit ruining more farms and draining farmers of the little they had left after the 1920s. In the late 30s however F.D.R. created multiple programs as part of the New Deal. The government had realized that they needed to get involved in business, leading to the New Deal. These programs had many that targeted farmers. They learned new things like how to farm without creating to much dust and new ways to farm efficiently. The A.A.A. (Agriculture Adjustment Act) and the S.C.S (Soil Conservation Service) where just two programs that helped farmers improve their lives. In conclusion for most groups the 1920s where a time of freedom and good faith that was ruined by a time of sorrow and poverty also known as the Great Depression. While some groups like the farmers had nowhere to go but up most groups struggled in their new life of poverty as they came crashing down from the top.