Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties refers to the North American historical period of the 1920s, which has been described as "one of the most colorful decades in American history." The decade encapsulates a fascinating story, beginning with the return of young soldiers from the fronts of the First World War and emergence of a new and confident face of the modern womanhood, and ending with the sad note of the Black Tuesday, harbinger of the Great Depression. The years of the Roaring Twenties are marked by several inventions and discoveries of far reaching consequences; emergence of unprecedented industrial boom and accelerated consumer demand and aspirations, coupled with significant changes in the lifestyle; and a series of events, national as well as the international, which shaped a large part of the history of the 20th century.

Related Topics:
North America - Historical period - American history - Soldier - First World War - Modern - Womanhood - Black Tuesday - Harbinger - The Great Depression - Invention - Discoveries - Industrial - Boom - Consumer - Demand - Lifestyle - National - International - History

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Roaring Twenties started in North America and spread to Europe after the aftereffects of the first world war ceased. In Europe, the period after the First World War was marked by a deep recession and many years of rebuilding and coming to terms with the vast human cost of the conflict. Unlike after World War II, the United States did little to try and rebuild Europe, and retreated to an isolationist stance. In Canada, an important economic transformation accelerated as Britain was wholly supplanted as Canada's main economic partner. At the middle of the decade economic development started to soar in Europe and the Roaring Twenties broke out in Germany, England and France, where the second half of this decade was termed "The Golden Twenties". In France and Canada they were also called the "Crazy Years" (années folles).

Related Topics:
Europe - Period after the First World War - Deep recession - World War II - Isolationist - Canada - Britain - Germany - England - France

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The spirit of the roaring twenties was marked by a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity, and a break with traditions. A new and different era was felt to be coming up. Everything seemed to be feasible through modern technology, the limits ecology and sustainability pose to economic and technological growth were yet unknown. Technologies like trains, cars and mass communication by radio spread the idea of modernity to a large parts of the population. Formal decorative frills were shed in favor of practicality, in architecture as well as in daily life. At the same time amusement, fun and lightness were cultivated in jazz and dancing, in defiance of the horrors of the First World War, which were still present in people's minds. The period is often called the "Jazz Age."

Related Topics:
Modernity - Ecology - Economic - Technological - Train - Car - Mass communication - Radio - Population - Architecture - Jazz - Dancing - Jazz Age

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~