The 1920s was a decade of contradiction in the United States of America since the country was experiencing a period of great prosperity and progress.1 On the other hand, there was a lot of social and political turmoil. The Roaring Twenties was a time of economic growth and technological innovation. However, it was also a time of Prohibition, organized crime, and the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan. Further, the affiliation amid mass immigration and the emergence of the second Ku Klux Klan reveals that there was a lot of tension and hostility between Americans and immigrants. The Klan was formed in order to protect Americans from the immigrants who were seen as a threat to their way of life. The Klan was very violent and often attacked and killed immigrants. This showed that Americans were afraid of the immigrants and did not want them in their country. Moreover, the period was defined by the rise of the flapper lifestyle, in which young women embraced a more accessible way of life.
On the other hand, the decade was also marked by Prohibition, which made alcohol illegal. In addition, there were new opportunities for women in the 1920s due to the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.2 African Americans also had new opportunities in the 1920s due to the Harlem Renaissance, a period of artistic and literary achievement by black Americans. The 1920s was a decade of tremendous change for women in the United States. They were finally granted the right to vote in 1920 with the passing of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. However, most women were still limited to traditional roles in Society. They were expected to marry, have children, and take care of the home. Many women did not have the opportunity to attend college or pursue a career. Precisely, the 1920s was a period of Prohibition in the United States, where alcohol was highly prohibited.
The cultural products of the Great Depression were significant during this era since they contributed by providing Americans with a way to express their feelings and thoughts about the times they were living in.3 Similarly, the cultural products also served as a way to connect with others experiencing similar feelings and thoughts. Besides, culture plays a significant role in our lives by depicting characters that we can identify with and who share similar values. For example, in many popular books, movies, and songs, the protagonists are shown as independent, successful, and happy people who have overcome adversity. This sends the message that these are the values that we should aspire to. Additionally, the Great Depression made Americans become more pessimistic and isolationist. They also became more critical of their government and its policies.
African Americans benefited the least from the New Deal since they continued experiencing inequalities as well as racial discrimination. Further, the Roosevelt programs were not specifically designed to address this population’s needs. For example, the New Deal programs did not include job training or placement provisions for African Americans. Additionally, the Social Security Act did not provide benefits for domestic or agricultural workers, which made up a large portion of the African American workforce. Also, the New Deal had a mixed impact on race relations, such as the creation of several programs that benefited African Americans, including the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. On the other hand, the New Deal did not do enough to address the issue of segregation, and many of its programs were segregated.
The U.S government should not have ordered the internment of Japanese Americans because this was a racist and xenophobic decision that caused immense harm to Japanese Americans.4 Additionally, there was no evidence to suggest that Japanese Americans were a threat to national security, and the internment camps were brutal and inhumane. The fear of espionage or sabotage does not justify depriving Americans of their rights. The Constitution protects the rights of Americans, and the government cannot take away those rights without due process of law. The status of women, African Americans, and other non-heteronormative groups in the United States was impacted in a number of ways by World War II.
For instance, women were given the opportunity to work in many different industries that had been traditionally male-dominated, such as manufacturing and agriculture. African Americans were able to serve in the armed forces and also work in a variety of war-related industries. Non-heteronormative groups, such as homosexuals and those with physical or mental disabilities, could contribute to the war effort in various ways. Notably, other Americans may have missed the opportunity for lasting personal gains from wartime experiences because they were not able to relate their experiences to the post-war world, or they may have experienced different types of trauma that made it difficult to adjust to civilian life.
In the 1960s, the role of the federal government changed dramatically. The government became much more involved in Americans’ lives and the economy. The government also became much more powerful and centralized. The federal government assumed many new roles and responsibilities as a result of the Great Depression. One of the most significant was establishing the Social Security system, which provided a safety net for retired Americans or otherwise unable to work. The federal government also took on a more significant role in regulating the economy, and it established programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps to provide jobs for Americans who were out of work.
In addition, the federal government can make permanent social change more effective by investing in programs and initiatives that address the root causes of social problems. For example, the government can invest in early childhood education and job training programs to help reduce poverty and improve economic opportunity. The government can also create incentives for businesses to create more jobs in disadvantaged communities.
Many people in American Society criticized the nation’s way of life in the 1960s because they felt that the government was not doing enough to help those in need, they were tired of the country’s involvement in wars, and they wanted to see more social and economic equality. The Civil Rights Movement was also gaining momentum, and people were beginning to challenge segregation and racial discrimination. These criticisms were valid because the nation was founded on certain principles that were being challenged. These principles included the rule of law, individual rights, and limited government. The challenges to these principles threatened the very foundation of the nation. Similarly, the nation was going through a lot of changes at the time. The country was changing from an agricultural society to an industrial one, and many people were not ready for it. There was also a lot of civil unrest, and people were fighting for their rights.
Besides, they wanted to change the country’s segregation, racism, and discrimination policies. They also advocated for improving the economic conditions for minorities and ensuring that everyone had equal rights. So, to achieve their goals, they put more pressure on the Government by agitating for their rights through protestations. There were undoubtedly communities that did not challenge the government in the 1960s. Whether or not these communities were actively opposed to the government’s policies or simply apathetic is challenging. Some examples of communities that may have been relatively uninvolved in the political turmoil of the 1960s include rural communities, small towns, and conservative religious groups.
Bibliography
Cohen, Robert, and Sonia E. Murrow. Rethinking America’s Past: Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States in the Classroom and Beyond. University of Georgia Press, 2021.
Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. An indigenous peoples’ history of the United States. Vol. 3. Beacon Press, 2014.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: One Volume. WW Norton & Company, 2016.
Zinn, Howard, and Matt Damon. A people’s history of the United States. New York: New Press, 1998.
Footnotes
- Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History: One Volume. WW Norton & Company, 2016.
- Cohen, Robert, and Sonia E. Murrow. Rethinking America’s Past: Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States in the Classroom and Beyond. University of Georgia Press, 2021.
- Zinn, Howard, and Matt Damon. A people’s history of the United States. New York: New Press, 1998.
- Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. An indigenous peoples’ history of the United States. Vol. 3. Beacon Press, 2014.