The 1920s: Definition and Facts

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January 1922: A Roaring Twenties-era Carnival on the roof garden at the Criterion in London.

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The Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties were a Jazz Age burst of prosperity and freedom for flappers and others during the Prohibition era, until the economy crashed in 1929.

Women’s Independence Multiple factors—political, cultural and technological—led to the rise of the flappers. During World War I, women entered the workforce in large numbers, receiving higher wages that many working women were not inclined to give up during peacetime. In August 1920, women’s independence took another step forward with the passage of the 19th Amendment, […]

Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal of the 1920s shocked Americans by revealing an unprecedented level of greed and corruption within the federal government.

1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Tulsa’s Black Wall Street In much of the country, the years following World War I saw a spike in racial tensions, including the resurgence of the white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan, numerous lynchings and other acts of racially motivated violence, as well as efforts by African Americans to prevent such attacks on their […]

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Teapot Dome Scandal

Warren Harding’s presidency was rocked by scandal, including one that didn’t come to light until after he left office.

Prohibition Raid

Police raid a garage in Chicago that contained five hundred and thirty‑seven barrels of alcoholic beverage, $30,000 worth of illegal drink.

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18th and 21st Amendments

Did you know it wasn’t illegal to drink during Prohibition? Get the whole story behind the “noble experiment.”

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Flashback: Scopes Monkey – Rare Footage of the “Trial of the Century”

The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial was one of the most important legal battles of its time. Two of the greatest speakers of the era, Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, faced off in a debate encompassing science, religion, and Constitutional rights.

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