The lives of American women changed significantly in the 1920s due to new technologies and social norms: 1) Labor-saving devices like vacuum cleaners and washing machines freed up women's time enabling new leisure activities and independence. 2) Widespread car ownership made it easier for women to socialize outside the home. 3) The "flapper" ideal of the 1920s represented a new social freedom for women through behaviors like drinking, smoking, and dating without chaperones. However, changes were not experienced equally and traditional roles remained important for many women, especially in rural areas.

1. Question 5 America in the 1920s model answers
5) a) Describe the American cinema andmovie industryinthe 1920’s (4 marks)
1 mark per point given (can get a maximum of two marks if point is developed.
The Americancinema and movie industryboomed in the 1920s with the increase inleisure time, far more people were able to
attendwith 95 million people a weekgoing to the cinema in 1929. Hollywood developed intoa centre for film production and
films became much more risqué withwomenfaintinginthe cinema at the sight of RudolfValentino’s nakedtorso in ’The Sheik’.
The first ‘talkie’ movie was alsoreleased in1927 and actresseslike Clara Bow became householdnames.
b) Explainwhythere was a RedScare inAmerica in the 1920’s (6 marks)
Level 1: Identifies problems caused by the invasion (1-2 marks)
Level 2: Explains one reason (3-4 marks)
Level 3: Explains multiple reasons (5-6 marks)
The Red scare inAmerica was causedbya fear of Communism. In 1917 the Communist revolution had occurred in Russia andmany
people inAmerica fearedthat Communismwouldspreadto the USA too(Communist beliefs were verydifferent to the Capitalist
American beliefs). As a result there wasa realfear of ‘reds’ (redwas the colour of Communism) andanyone whowas different. This
was part of the reason for the executionof the anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti in 1927.
The fear of Communismwas further increasedbythe actions of the headof the FBI Hoover whostarted collecting files onpeople
(over 60,000 in fact) althoughonly556 hadanybasisinfact. This overreaction ledto people believingthe problem wasgreater that
in was, hence the ‘scare’. With10,000 immigrants deported, the scare became a real overreaction, andthis wasdown to the actions
of Hoover.
c) How didthe lives of Americanwomenchange inthe 1920’s?Explainyour answer. (10 marks)
Level 1: Basic statement, general description (1 mark)
Level 2: Identification of reasons (2-4 marks)
Level 3: Explanation of either reasons for Soviet victory or Soviet failure not USA success/failure (5-6 marks)
Level 4: Explanation of both reasons for Soviet victory and Soviet failure not USA success/failure (7-9 marks)
Level 5: Clinching argument/judgement made (must be on L/4 9 to be able to access 10 marks) (10 marks)
The lives of Americanwomengot much better during the 1920s because ofthe inventionof labour saving devices such as the va cuum cleaner
and the washing machine. As a result women had much more leisure time and were able to go out andenjoythemselves more. This was
further supported bythe easyavailabilityof the motor car (1 in 5 Americans owned a car)whichmade it mucheasier to get a roundandenjoy
leisure time. As suchthe lives ofAmerican womengot much better in the 1920s because theywere able to have, andenjoy, more leisure time.
The lives of Americanwomenalsoimproved because the gainedgreater social freedom. This wasbest shownbythe rise of the ‘flapper’. These
women wore shorter skirts, drank alcohol, smoked, andwent out inpublic without a chaperone. As suchthese womenhad greater freedom,
which was a big change from earlier years. Thiswas further highlightedbythe fact that the number of divorces doubledbetween1919 and
1929 (to 200,000) proving that womenwere able to get out ofrelationships easier, another keychange to their lives.
On the other handdespite the storiesof flappers, most were not flappers but housewives raising a family. Thiswas particularlytrue for those
living awayfrom towns andinthe poorer areas of America (particularlyfor African Americans) where a greater control bythe churches was
exercised. The flapper was the outrageous partygirl. Inrealityonlya few womenwere like this.
There was alsooppositionfrom some groups inAmerica. For example, the ‘anti flirt’ groupwas set up to promote traditional valuesand
criticise the increasedfreedoms for womenat this time. As suchit is clear that there were groups opposedto the increased freedoms for
women andthat not all women would have had their lives changed.
Overall there canbe nodoubt that there were increasing freedoms for women inthe 1920s andthat their lives certainlychanged. However,
for the majorityof rural American women, the changes would have beenfewandfar between, whilst the flapper livinginthe citymight have
felt liberated, for manyAmericanwomen, far less hadchanged.