The Jazz Age

The Jazz Age was a defining point in the history of America. This point in time defined the clear division between the older and younger generations of America. The Jazz Age was more than just a time period but a cultural movement. Although African-Americans receive credit for the introduction of this music into America, it had quickly expanded to the white middle class and further erupted from there. The introduction of this new style of music resulted in the younger generation of America at the time to become rebellious and less inclined to follow in their ancestors footsteps culture wise (Boundless). Jazz music, in its beginnings, was most often played in cities such as New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. Each city boasted its own unique …show more content…
There was a large increase in teens participating in rebellious activity. The rebellious culture was most followed by young women since the 19th amendment had given them the right to vote. Along with that the 18th amendment introduced prohibition which was a huge mistake. Speakeasies were established to sell illegal alcohol, “these speak-easies would bring these [young women] to come and drink alcohol illegally” (Stage). The rebellious young women in this time period were also called flappers due to their very open lifestyles. The young women would dress very provocatively unlike the older generations of America. They were simply the voice of the 1920s, influencing the culture of the America of …show more content…
In fact, prohibition created more than just rebellion in young women. The era of gangsters “can ultimately be traced back to the 18th amendment” (Gangsters). Men like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano had originated from this age. These men, as well as many others, took tremendous advantage of prohibition by “making money through the manipulation of the poor, the rich, and everyone in between” (Gangsters). Al Capone was notorious for working under Chicago’s Johnny Torrio. Capone was given orders to eliminate rival gangs and convince speakeasies to purchase their alcohol through Torrio (Trueman). This is what caused such violence between gangs. Their main goal was to make money through the illegal distribution of alcohol and would not let anybody in their way. Some, like Al Capone, were very successful at this feat. Due to Torrio’s death, Capone was now the leader of the “business”. The operation of the business was earning Capone “$60 million a year in alcohol sales alone” (Trueman). With money like that, many rivalries will undoubtedly come into effect resulting in an abundance of violence. Remember, gangs and violence did not appear out of nowhere, they were introduced through prohibition which was later repealed in the last quarter of