Meredith Muirhead

AP US History

Period 1

26 March 2019

Extra Credit: Roaring Twenties and Great Depression

“The Roaring Twenties” were a time of great prosperity, wealth, and change for

Americans. The word “roaring” came from, in short, the fact that people were having a

“roaring good time.” A time of economic growth, a “consumer society” came about at this

time. The radio helped with advertising products that were once viewed as luxuries but soon

became necessary household items. This advertising led to more spending, which led to the

economic prosperity. Another reason for this “roaring good time” was the celebration of

women. Women had very recently been granted the right to vote, and as a result celebrated

their independence by bobbing their hair, wearing cosmetics, and wearing shorter skirts. This

style became known as the “New Woman,” a celebration of female freedom that defined the

“roaring good time” of the 1920s.

“The Great Depression” was, on the contrary, a time of severe economic decline in

America. Millions of investors were wiped out by the stock market crash on October 29th,

1929. What followed was the highest rates of unemployment that the country had ever seen,

with dragged the country into an overall low mood. Many families could barely afford food,

and as a result stood in line for hours at soup kitchens waiting for mere bread handouts. Small

shantytowns cropped out throughout the country due to how many people had been evicted

from their homes. Another reason for this “Great Depression” was the Dust Bowl in the
Midwest. The land was in a drought, and as a result of overplanting, dusty soil blew around in

what became known as dust storms and caused severe damage to homes and plants in the

Midwest. With this loss of foundation-money and homes-the country was truly in the throes

of “The Great Depression.”