Dbq of “The Roaring 20’s”

Honors American Studies 2 Blk. 1 3-19-2012 Document Based Question. In America, the 1920s were a time of constant change, and also huge conflict and there seemed to be two sides. The side encouraging change and the side repelling correct the sheer idea of change. But whether you liked it or not, change was happening all over. Hundreds of new produces were cosmos churned out of assembly lines by the minute, and it seemed that everything was feasible with new technology. The economy was booming, and with the serve up of credit and mass production, even off the poorest of citizens could afford goods.Change was every evident in the 1920s and no matter if it was good or bad, it was indispensable for the growth of the United States. Documents A and G both cross-file a side to society that was sort of unheard of before the smack Twenties women acting unladylike. Document A is a laughingstock advertisement from the 1920s, showing a woman in a skimpy flapper dress claiming the atte ntion of a young man. The slogan on the ad reads what is more irresistible than Murad? Document G spectacles a scandalously clad woman, a flapper. The womans dress is sleeveless, and is short enough to show her knees.Both illustrations show how women were beginning to escape the shadow of their husbands, and to defy the standards that society had trapped them in for generations. Women were fed up with universe the quiet, subdued housewife and were ready to imprint their mark on the world, no matter what it overlyk to do so. other idea that rocked American society was the notion of planned parenthood and birth pick up. In Document D Margaret Sanger tells of the horrors of premature parenthood and gives countless reasons to avoid becoming a parent too soon.She blames children coming too soon for the millions of marriages that have been blighted. She resents the idea of marriage being an introductory to motherhood and states that Americans need to commiserate that the idea of wo manhood as it relates to marriage has changed and that planned parenthood and birth control can help preserve this new idea. Sanger declares that motherhood is a wonderful experience that helps to shape and unfold the realization of her high nature a woman has when she is ready to bear children.This being said, she also states that without the proper time for a couple to bond, an early or unplanned pregnancy can cause unwanted separation amidst husband and wife. Sure this all sounds fine and dandy to the average American, but the Catholic Church was not pleased. The Catholic Church did not believe in birth control fought heavily against it. But dispite their efforts, Margaret Sanger implanted a seed in the minds of the young couples of America, and completely changed the perception of motherhood and marriage. Advertisements were the next thing to go through major changes.Very seldom, if ever did companies use risky tactics to attract customers until the 1920s rolled around. Busin esses were utilize fear, generalization, and blanket statements to get customers to buy their products. Document E shows this in the advertisement for Everyday Flashlight and Battery. It is coroneted The Song that STOPPED and is about a young girl who goes down into her cellar for her mother, but trips in the dark and breaks her leg. The advertisement circumstances that if a flashlight had been hanging at the head of the cellar stairs, this shortsighted tragedy would have been averted.Everyday Flashlight uses this story to instill fear and anxiety into their customers, and say that they need their product not exclusively as a convenience, but to protect their family. They play upon the desire Americans have to make their lives easier and tell the public that they need their flashlight to do so. These tactics were brand new in advertisement, and only got worse as years went onnow we even have half hour persistent advertisements telling us how much we need a product America unde rwent many different vicissitudes during the Roaring Twenties and each one helped to develop what the country is today.Changes in advertisements paved the way for the infomercials of the 21st Century, and helped to grapple products and keep the economy moving. Margaret Sanger gave America a whole new perspective on motherhood, marriage, and birth control that Americans still follow today. And the flapperswell, they sure did provide entertainment, as well as a way for women to usher themselves and have a little fun after years of oppression. Although a few changes eventually helped arrest America into a depression, most were quite beneficial to the country and are still affecting Americans today.