CITY/URBAN LIFE IN THE 1920S

By, Elana Cooper, Safiya Lochan, and Gabriela Patla

Population and Immigration

40% of nations people lived in cities More Americans lived in cities of 2,500+ people than in

small towns or rural areas Immigrants settled in New York due to the open jobs

and the fact that they were brought over from Ellis Island.

Immigrants were attracted to the cheap housing and job opportunities in the city

They moved in large groups of mainly young men who hoped to be successful in the city

Foreigners of many different cultures all came in large groups

The percentage of immigrants were cut down each year

Life as a teenager

Majority of the male population in high school were drafted into the army due to World War I so school wasn’t a priority.

They often started families and got jobs at an early age unless they were in the war.

Girls were influenced by the flapper style which became the latest trend.

Rock N’ Roll set an example of what men/teenagers should wear which was a leather jacket.

Night Life

Prohibition began on January 16, 1920

Speakeasies were created which were hidden rooms in public areas that illegally sold alcohol

Speakeasies used secrets codes that you would have to say in order to fool the police and keep them from finding out about the speakeasy

The people who were involved in speakeasies were usually in gangs and supplied the alcohol, or flappers who would dance all night

Common Jobs Work was usually 12-14 hours but it later

became 8 hours in the 1930’s due to much protest

Jobs during this time weren’t much different how they are now excluding the fact that women were now starting to get a bit more equality.

Down in the South farming, share croppers and tenant farmers were still in business

New York Had more doctors, shopkeepers, lawyers and clergies

Outside the city there would usually be factories, seamstresses, miners and loggers

The Wealthy

Lived on the outskirts of the cities because the city was overpopulated and they could afford to have a car to transport in and out of the city as much as they needed.

Created separate neighborhoods for themselves in the suburbs.

Built mansions on large empty plots at the edges of cities.

The ones that did live in the city lived on the upper side

Transportation Holland Tunnel opens Development of railroads, street cars, and trolleys

in the 19th century allowed city boundaries to expand People didn’t have to live within walking distance

of their jobs The cities roadways could not keep up with the

growing demand for automobiles More than half a million new cars were built but

there were no highways constructed. Because there weren’t any highways, cars traveled

through the cities which caused heavy traffic. transportation video

TRANSPORTATION

New Technology

Besides cars as a new invention, many appliances that we use today were invented during this time period as well.

The radio became a big hit for spreading information quickly, the media had a major influence on people.

Because of the crowded streets and accidents the traffic lights were created to ease congestion.

Assembly lines were created to increase production and produce things more quickly and efficiently.

Depression

The great depression began on October 29, 1929 (Also known as Black Tuesday) on the day that the stock market crashed

The stock market crash was only the beginning to the crisis

It left many homeless and unemployed The US wasn’t the only country to have a

depression. France, Germany and England had one as well.

It lasted until 1939

Unemployment

Much lower than previous decades but still common

3.2 million people were unemployed after the depression

Unemployment rose up to about 25% of the country and even 33% in other countries

People were desperate for money so they sold basically any item they could find.