The 1920s - Research

The "Roaring Twenties," the "Jazz Age," the "Golden Age"; what happened in this decade that made it so "roaring, jazzy, and golden?" What made up the twenties? Known for fun, style, and prosperity, the ‘20s were one of the most exciting, controversial, and productive periods in America. This paper will cover some (not all) of the significant events and inventions that happened in this revolutionary decade. Well-known parts of the "Jazz Age" include, jazz, flappers, fashion, and the radio. Also notorious for being a reckless, irresponsible, and materialistic era, the 1920s also had some infamous problems; Prohibition, gangsters, and the start of the great Depression. Many new things arose in this era. The new technologies that became available had a great effect on the culture. Many fads came and went and included different fashions, terms, and ways of life. The 1920s were a great time period in the world of technology. Many new advancements made work easier and more efficient, time shorter, and the standard of life easier. Industry and the economy were vastly improved by the new technology. Many of America's families made their living farming out in the Western United States. The mechanization of agriculture was on the rise. Gasoline-powered tractors had just recently begun to be sold commercially. A small prairie-type combine (for harvesting wheat and oats) was just introduced in 1918. New irrigation methods also helped the large agricultural part of America's economy in 1928 when the Flood Control Act was passed. This program was designed to control floods with dams built by army engineers. Irrigation canals were a part of this project. Another product that helped agriculture was commercial fertilizer. The first compound fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (the three primary nutrients) were manufactured in 1926. Farming was already a large part of the economy, but became even larger after George Washington Carver pioneered new uses for