The 1920s became known as the Roaring Twenties due to rising mass consumption in America and breakthroughs in the arts and entertainment industries. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon's tax cuts for the rich and Henry Ford's advances in mass production made previously luxury goods more accessible to the middle class. New technologies like the radio and movies provided affordable entertainment. Jazz music and Art Deco became dominant as literary works from Hemingway and Fitzgerald reflected the cultural liberation of the time period. Overall, the economic conditions and developments in arts/entertainment helped define the decade as one of increased spending, innovation, and cultural changes.

1. The Roaring Twenties
by Isaac McDermott, Matt
McCormick, and Aimee Meller
Day 6 Group B

2. In what ways did economic conditions
and development in the arts and
entertainment help create the
reputation of the 1920’s as the Roaring
Twenties?

3. Thesis
The 1920’s became known as the Roaring
Twenties through the rising consumption and
investment by the American people and
significant breakthroughs in the arts and
entertainment industries.

4. The Age of Mass Consumption
• Throughout the 1920s, Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon
encouraged an expansion of capital investment.
– He also reduced taxes for the rich
• Advertising emerged as a widespread method to pitch goods to the
people.
• Henry Ford pioneered mass production and the use of the
automobile with the Model T.
– Because of the automobile, 6 million new jobs were created.
• On Wall Street, over-speculation resulted in alarmingly high rise in
the market, and an outpouring of money into the market.
– This would culminate in the Crash of 1929
• Overall, money became more available throughout the 1920s, and
good that were previously luxury became more accessible for the
middle class.

6. An Artistic and Entertainment
Revolution
• Many radio stations started up throughout the 1920s. As the radio
became cheaper to own, Americans embraced this new technology
with a passion.
• In 1928, the first “talkie”, The Jazz Singer, was released, spurring the
boom of the movie industry, and providing an affordable form of
entertainment for the American people.
• Jazz became a dominant form of music throughout the 1920s, with
artists such as Louis Armstrong prospering during the decade.
• Art Deco art and architecture was very prominent in the 1920s.
• A “cultural liberation” took place in American literature as
well, spearheaded by The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• Overall, the 1920s marked a shift towards advancement in
technology and thinking, and would influence generations to come.