Popular Culture and Traditional Values

Mass Media

The 1920s saw a shift in the culture of America.  More traditional views were giving way to the ideas of modernism.  Modernism rejected conventional ways of viewing and interacting with the world.  The ideas of the modernism movement were reflected in the art, architecture, literature, music, entertainment, and fashion of the time.

Some of the changes inspired by modernism occurred in mass media.  Since TVs were just being invented in the 1920s, other media were popular.  Radios broadcast music but also sporting events, entertainment programs, and political information.  Newspapers and magazines had a significant influence on popular culture, helping create or establish a consumer culture in the United States. In this interactivity, you will investigate how media impacted this decade. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

How do you think communication changed in the United States when major media shifted from the printed word to the radio? On March 15, 1922, the first radio station broadcast in the South. This radio station, WSB out of Atlanta, became an avenue for news, music, and performers. Learn more about the evolution of radio through the video Georgia Stories: The Voice of the South from eMediaVASM.

Confrontations to Traditional Values

Alongside the prosperity of the decade, people began to question traditional values like religion, gender roles, immigration, and alcohol use. The rise of communism caused Americans to be afraid of outside influences.  This Red Scare led to a change in American’s attitudes towards immigrants. In this interactivity, you will explore such confrontations. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

 

Changes of the 1920s resulted from varying leadership, a growing economy, and social issues being redefined. Not all Americans had the same experiences or mindsets during this decade. Take a moment to view the video, The Roaring 20s: Crash Course US History #32 from eMediaVASM, to watch a brief snapshot of the shifting popular culture and changes to traditional American values.

 

Popular Culture and Traditional Values Review

Now that you have learned about popular culture and traditional values of the time period, review your knowledge in this non-graded interactivity. Click the player button to get started.