America in the 1920s

What were Americans doing in the 1920s? Dancing the Charleston, listening to jazz music, and watching Rudolph Valentino at the movies. It was illegal to make or sell liquor during the 1920s, but Americans drank anyway. They sneaked into secret nightclubs called speakeasies and cooked up "bathtub gin" at home.

The 1920s were a time of prosperity in the United States. Americans bought new devices such as radios and refrigerators. They watched as the stock market rose higher and higher. But the decade ended tragically when the stock market crashed in late 1929, ushering in the Great Depression.

The decade's newsmakers included President Calvin Coolidge, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, silent film star Greta Garbo, and bandleader Duke Ellington. They helped set the tone for a decade of celebration, wealth, and excitement. From flappers to Frigidaires, from bootleggers to Babe Ruth, read about this fascinating decade from start to finish.

Outlines life in the United States in the 1920s, including Prohibition, the stock market crash, and advances in technology and entertainment such as the first radios and first talking movies.

What were Americans doing in the 1920s? Dancing the Charleston, listening to jazz music, and watching Rudolph Valentino at the movies. It was illegal to make or sell liquor during the 1920s, but Americans drank anyway. They sneaked into secret nightclubs called speakeasies and cooked up "bathtub gin" at home.

The 1920s were a time of prosperity in the United States. Americans bought new devices such as radios and refrigerators. They watched as the stock market rose higher and higher. But the decade ended tragically when the stock market crashed in late 1929, ushering in the Great Depression.

The decade's newsmakers included President Calvin Coolidge, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, silent film star Greta Garbo, and bandleader Duke Ellington. They helped set the tone for a decade of celebration, wealth, and excitement. From flappers to Frigidaires, from bootleggers to Babe Ruth, read about this fascinating decade from start to finish.

School Library Journal

Gr 7-10–This well-written, appealing series provides glimpses into life in the United States during the 20th century. Chapters discuss the politics, science and technology, economy, social issues, literature and entertainment, sports, and music of the time and analyze how those factors affected this country's history. The texts are enlivened with quotes and excerpts from primary sources, period photos, and two sets of sidebars. “Profiles” provides biographical sketches of important people and “Turning Points” explains the significance of important events. Both the main texts and the sidebars offer extensive coverage of women and minority groups. A solid choice for readers and researchers.

Edmund Lindop has written many books for young adults, including several books in The Decades of Twentieth-Century America series.

Margaret J. Goldstein was born in Detroit and graduated from the University of Michigan. She is an editor and author for young readers. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.