The radio and movie industries emerged and grew significantly in the 1920s, changing popular culture. Radio broadcasts brought common speech, news, and entertainment into American homes. Movies standardized behaviors, dress, heroes and reinforced racial stereotypes through popular films. These new media played a key role in spreading American popular culture worldwide in the 1920s and still influence popular culture today through radio, television, and movies.

1. How pop culture changed in
the 1920s
Unit topic: The Roaring 20s
Content Standards 11.5.6 Trace the Growth and Effects of Radio and Movies and their role in the worldwide diffusion of popular culture
US History Grade 11
Kevin Naglie

2. Objectives
Content Objective: I will be able to describe how the radio and movie industry
changed popular culture.

3. Bellringer
Discuss with your shoulder partner and write down answers to the following
questions. Be prepared to share your answers with the rest of the class.
● What is your favorite leisure activity when you have free time?
● How do you obtain information about current events?
● Be ready to share your answers with the class!

6. You’re the expert!
Discuss with your shoulder partner and write down your answers to share with the class:
● What do you think most Americans did for leisure activities during the 1920s?
● How do you think most Americans obtained their news?
● What changed Americans’ leisure habits and how they obtained new information in the 1920s?
● Be ready to share your answers with the class!

8. How radio changed America

9. Broadcast Companies from the 1920s that are still influential
today

10. Show me what you know!
How did the invention of radio change American
culture?
● On your own write down 2 to 3 ways you think the radio changed American
culture.
● Then break up into groups of 3 to 4 and discuss what you have written down
● Each group will present their reasons of how the radio changed American
culture
● Be ready to share your answers with the class!

11. Bellringer #2
How do movies affect popular culture today?
● Discuss and write down with your shoulder partner how movies affect popular
culture
● Be ready to share your answers with the class!

12. Movie Industry
● Movie industry moved to Hollywood in the 1920s
● Mostly Silent Films
○ Charlie Chaplin
● The Jazz Singer first movie with sound
● Hollywood released nearly 700 movies a year
○ Most worldwide
● 95% of British Market
● 70% of French Market

13. Movies and Radios effect on popular culture
● Common speech
● Common Dress
● Common Behavior
● Heroes
● Reinforced Racial Stereotypes

15. Show me what you think!
Break up into groups of 3 to 4 to discuss and write down answers to the following
questions:
● What was the most important effect of the radio and movie industry?
● Do these industries still have an important role in popular culture today?
○ If yes, explain how and provide examples.
● Do you think advertising in radio broadcasts and movies had an impact on
people’s spending habits?
○ Why?
○ Does this still happen today?
● Create a scenario to demonstrate how radio and movies affect popular culture in
the 1920s, and a scenario to demonstrate how radio, podcasts, TV, and movies
affect popular culture today.
● Be ready to share your answers with the class!