Why study the 1920's?
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To borrow a cliché tactic, done a million times, I will provide a quote to introduce my reason for studying this unit on the 1920's. Historian Howard Zinn once wrote that one reason why he became interested in history was that he "started studying history with one view in mind: to look for answers to the issues and problems I saw in the world about me". What he was saying here is that we must use history as an example and opportunity to learn. Here we can draw the necessary parallels between past events and what is going on in our lives today. Fortunately for us, America in the 1920's offers many historical lessons which we can use.
To begin with, this unit deals with many of the same social/political issues that we experience today. Equal opportunities for women, immigration, and the role of government in business regulation are just some of the issues in which apply directly to both the 1920's and today. Most recently, people looked back to this period more than ever to look for answers on how to deal with a devastated economy. The Great Depression served as a model of what the government's role would be in stimulation and job creation, as the country experienced a monumental recession. This unit on the 1920's also gives us a glimpse into when we developed into who we are as Americans today. It was during this time that America emerged from WWI as one of the world's leading powers. Here, the country took on the role as a major influence in the world economy and foreign affairs. It was here where we developed our penchant for risk taking and The 1920's was also the first time America became the leading provider in popular culture. From music, literature, and Hollywood, Americans were creating art and entertainment which spread and influenced the rest of the world. In particular, what is in my opinion, our greatest contribution to society, jazz music began to take-off and developed into one of the most influential art movements of all-time. |