Title: What was the American Dream in the 1920s? - eNotes.com
Headings: What was the American Dream in the 1920s?
History
What was the American Dream in the 1920s?
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Content: Americans had confidence in their country and in their economy, and they were spending lots of money. They were proud to display their wealth through their purchases, offering up these items as status symbols. Inventions like the telephone and the radio were reshaping the culture, allowing information and music to flow directly into American's homes. And prohibition, which many initially believed would reduce crime rates, often had an indirect impact on societies in the 1920s, with bootlegging becoming widespread and large parties celebrating the underground distribution of alcohol. All of these factors influenced the idea of the American Dream in the 1920s. Looking to the idea that they were guaranteed "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," in many ways, Americans sought to purchase the life and happiness they desired. Acquiring more wealth and more property became a common goal of both the wealthy and the working class. Society was increasingly upwardly mobile, and men not born into wealth realized the potential to make a great deal of money during this decade. Americans partied and enjoyed illegal alcohol, and women found new ways of expressing themselves as well. They cut their hair short, raised their hem lines, and stepped out into culture with a new sense of freedom, particularly since the 19th Amendment granted them the right to vote.