Women’s Suffrage/Prohibition/Roaring 20s
Historical Context:
The 1920s was a decade of some social change following the end of the WWI war effort. Women were finally given the right to vote with the 19th amendment that went into effect in 1920. President Woodrow Wilson had argued to Congress that
“We have made partners of the women in this war… Shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and right?” (Wilson Center).
President Woodrow Wilson to Congress, 1918
African Americans who had migrated to northern cities in search of manufacturing jobs during the WWI industrial boom, sought more equality and recognition as contributors to the war effort. In the South, Jim Crow still ruled and many African-Americans were repressed by restrictive segregation laws. In the North, Black culture thrived in urban areas like Detroit, Chicago, and Harlem, NYC. The Harlem Renaissance saw a birth of African-American art, literature, and music.
The 1920s also saw the attempt at moral legislation, in the form of National Prohibition. A growing temperance movement had advocated for the removal of alcohol and complete abstinence from booze. With the passage of the 18th Amendment, the United States effectively went “dry.”
Despite the changes that were seen as “positive” the 1920s also saw some less than desirable change as well. The 1920s Red Scare pit Americans against Americans and increased fear over Communism in the U.S. It led to crack downs on labor unions, which had reached new heights during WWI. It also saw a resurgence of “nativism” or the dislike of anyone foreign born.
The two sided nature of the 1920s perfectly sums up the 1920s. An era of great wealth and growth, but an uneven and unequal prosperity among Americans. A time of great changes and massive discrimination and fear mongering. The 1920s is NOT as simple as the movies would have it seem.
Task: Women’s Suffrage Movement and 19th Amendment
Watch this short (6min) video on Women’s Suffrage Movement LINK and this (4min) video on the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution LINK
Explore https://www.docsteach.org/topics/women and in particular, the following Links on the Site to find some stories largely ignored by most textbooks!
Then complete the LINKED discussion post in Innovation Assessments. You must post one substantial, initial post and respond with substance to at least two classmates.
Task: Harlem Renaissance
Read/explore the following two readings on the Harlem Renaissance
“A New African American Identity” and “Harlem Renaissance” on History.com
Complete the short Google Form on Harlem Renaissance LINKED here
Task: Listen to Podcast Episode “Closing Time” (Should be HW)
American History Tellers Podcast (link to website… can also be found on phone’s podcast player)
Task: Prohibition Analysis
Read the Library of Congress page “Prohibition: A Case Study of Progressive Reform” and view some of the linked documents at the bottom.
Complete the Google Doc Assignment on Prohibition Analysis attached to the Google Classroom Assignment and turn in. This must be done independently.
Task: Prohibition- The Story…
Take a look through this website https://prohibition.osu.edu/why-prohibition and https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2011/septemberoctober/feature/going-dry.
Also watch the Youtube Video: How Prohibition Created the Mafia
What do you learn about the cause and effects of Prohibition in the United States? What stories might not be included in our textbook? Complete this Google Form to share your findings.
Task: Textbook Analysis- What is left out of the Story? (MASTERY!)
Read/Skim the textbook pages 733- 755… identify what “stories” may have been left out by the textbook? WHO/WHAT IS NOT REPRESENTED? Identify and create a list of groups, people or events that are ignored/missing that all American students should learn about.
Task: The Whole Story– Your Textbook (MASTERY!)
After skimming/reading the textbook and learning about the 1920s, write a section for the textbook with a partner that addresses these gaps. Make it readable for the average middle school student! You can include images, graphs, and maps to help students understand the time period. Share with Mr. Paradis via lparadis@slwildcats.org