Peter Thompson

March 20th, 2015

AP US History
3rd Quarterly Essay

The 1920s was a period of economic boom. The Roaring Twenties, as it was known,
introduced to America a new economic philosophy of consumerism, business and capitalism. In
the aftermath of World War I, the economy of the United States underwent abundant amounts of
change. The end of the war led to isolationism and Hoovers rugged individualism, which
distanced the United States from foreign policy and trade with other nations. Decrease in the
need for farms also lead to a decrease in agriculturalism during this period. Overall the First
World War eventually changed American society culturally, politically and economically for the
rest of Americas history.
For farmers in America, the end of World War I meant that the need for American
agriculture had decreased. During the war it was very important that farmers produced food for
all the soldiers in the war. While many American men were on European soil fighting for their
country, farmers on the home front were providing the soldiers with food fresh from American
farms. However, when the war ended this changed. The need for farmers to provide food had
decreased. After the war, these products werent needed, and the farmers fell into poverty
(Sparks)1. Despite Congresss effort to sell farming surpluses abroad with the McNary-Haugen
Bill, farmers suffered unfortunate amounts of poverty during this period of time.

1 Kristen Sparks. The Politics of Boom and Bust. Coventry, 2015.

The poverty of the farmers prevailed for a long period of time, leading to cultural change.
America was becoming more centralized on business. The anti-capitalist movements of the
Progressive Era had mostly died out after World War I, leading to even more business in the
1920s. Another effect of the mass increase in business was the amount of consumerism. With the
strong middle class of the 1920s and the advances in technology that had happened, business in
many fields was booming. People, including the iconic flappers of this period, began to
constantly make purchases to upgrade their homes and lives to what was then the modern
standard of living for the middle class. New Yorks flappers have two new fashions in footwear.
One is the DArtagnan overshoe, and the other is the Winter sport shoe (Flappers).2 One can
even argue that the flapper movement was created by the war. I believe in this age the flapper
and the so-called cake-eater are only reflecting the spirit of the times. The after-war reaction
accounts for this (Upheld).3The amount of purchases that people were making was a result of
changes in society brought upon by American isolationism and the boom of American business.
The cause of isolationism during this time was the fear of war and bad conflict with other
countries. World War I had just ended gruesomely. When Woodrow Wilson made his Fourteen
Points address, one thing that he stressed was for the peaceful self-determination of many
European countries. We cannot be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We stand together
until the end (Wilson).4 Clearly the primary goal of many of Americas actions during this time
2 Flappers Flaunt Fads in Footwear. New York Times, 1922. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?
res=9E0CEFD91239E133A2575AC2A9679C946395D6CF

3 Flappers Upheld by This Minister. New York Times, 1922. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?

res=9D04E7DA1339E133A25752C2A9639C946395D6CF

4 Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points Address. 1918.

was to pursue a peaceful future of all the nations in the world. As a result, the United States
became a fairly isolationist nation from the end of World War I to the beginning of World War II.
A rise in protective tariffs began. The Hawley-Smoot Tariff of 1930 raised the tariff to an
unbelievable 60%. (Sparks).5 These tariffs, also known as protective tariffs, were aimed to
encourage the usage of nationally bought goods, as foreign ones would cost 60% more. The rise
in the tariff during this time is an obvious sign that the United States was aiming to decrease its
interaction with other nations during this time.
When Herbert Hoover was elected as president, he praised the idea of rugged individualism.
Hoover believed that the American man could survive on their own without the aid of other
countries. His idea brought about the tariff changes. His beliefs in rugged individualism sprang
from the idea that too much interference with other countries would lead to another terrible war.
Those who have a true understanding of America know that we have no desire for territorial
expansion, for economic or other domination of other peoples (Hoover)6. Hoover stated this in
his inaugural address to portray the idea that imperialism would lead to further conflict with
other nations. Most of his foreign acts were just to help other countries in need. Next Hoover
turned to a far more difficult task, to feed Belgium, which had been overrun by the German
army (Freidel)7. The war led American presidents to stray away from foreign conflict.

5 Kristen Sparks. The Politics of Boom and Bust. Coventry, 2015.

6 Herbert Hoovers Inaugural Address. 1929.

7 Frank Friedel and Hugh Sidey. Herbert Hoover. Whitehouse.gov, 2006.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/herberthoover

An increase in consumerism also led to economic and social changes in the 1920s. During this
time the middle class was stronger than ever. Many industries were very successful during this
time as a result of the consumers. Although there was a social hierarchy with wealth
concentrated at the top, ordinary people could enjoy the same products and goods that the people
at the top did (Beder).8 During this time there were many different technological advances.
Devices like radios, cars and much more were commonplace in every house. Every person in the
middle class during this time set out to purchase all these necessities. The catalog contained
literally hundreds of pages featuring products like sewing machines, bicycles, clothing, radios,
and just about everything else imaginable (Sullivan).9 With the amount of demand in this time
period, industry became an integral part of American society. Never before had Americans across
the country relied on factories so much. Consumerism was the cause of this rapid change in
society.
The 1920s were a period of time that quickly followed the end of World War I and the increase in
consumerism. These events led to changes in Americas economy, politics and society. The
economy underwent massive success on the heels of a strong, consumerist middle class, while
the fear of a second world war led to a decrease in American foreign policy. All of these things
led to an American society like no other: spotlighted by rugged individualism, new technology
and prosperity for thousands of American people across the nation. From Maine to California,
the people of America experienced dramatic changes following the end of World War I.

8 Sharon Beder. Consumerism A Historical Perspective. Uow.edu, 2000.

http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/consumerism.html

9 Nate Sullivan. American Economy in the 1920s: Consumerism, Stock Market & Economic Shift. Study.com.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/american-economy-in-the-1920s-consumerism-stock-market-economic-shift.html

Works Cited

Beder, Sharon. Consumerism A Historical Perspective. Uow.edu, 2000.

http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/consumerism.html
Flappers Flaunt Fads in Footwear. New York Times, 1922.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?
res=9E0CEFD91239E133A2575AC2A9679C946395D6CF
Flappers Upheld by This Minister. New York Times, 1922.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?
res=9D04E7DA1339E133A25752C2A9639C946395D6CF
Friedel, Frank and Sidey, Hugh. Herbert Hoover. Whitehouse.gov, 2006.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/herberthoover
Herbert Hoovers Inaugural Address. 1929.
Sparks, Kristen. The Politics of Boom and Bust. Coventry, 2015.
Sullivan, Nate. American Economy in the 1920s: Consumerism, Stock Market & Economic
Shift. Study.com. http://study.com/academy/lesson/american-economy-in-the-1920sconsumerism-stock-market-economic-shift.html
Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points Address. 1918.