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Unit

Chapter 11: The Roaring Twenties and Great Depression 1920-1932

Guiding question

Invite students to explore how the modernization of the American economy and society led to cultural conflict during the 1920s.

Grade
9–12
Published
Oct 5, 2021
Download unit inquiry organizer
A man in a bowler hat stands next to an early 20th-century automobile with a crowd in the background.

Chapter 11 of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, BRI’s U.S. History Curriculum Resource, invites students to explore how the modernization of the American economy and society led to cultural conflict during the 1920s. Discover our suggested sequence for Chapter 11.

Teacher resource

Chapter 11: 1920-1932 Inquiry Organizer

How did the modernization of the American economy and society lead to cultural conflict during the 1920s?

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Lessons

Black and white portrait of a bearded man wearing a white shirt, looking directly at the camera.
Ernest Hemingway and the Lost Generation
  • 1 Activity
  • 90 min

Use this Lesson to have students analyze the effect of WWI on western culture and how this was dealt with by authors such as Ernest Hemingway.

Political cartoon depicting violence, oppression, and racial themes, featuring a shield and symbolic figures.
The KKK during Reconstruction vs. the KKK in the 1920s
  • 85 min

Use this Lesson with the Postwar Race Riots Narrative, The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s Narrative, and Marcus Garvey, "Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World," 1920 Primary Source to highlight the struggles of African Americans during the 1920s.

A man in a tuxedo and woman in a blue dress pose in a vintage setting with a "Cadillac" sign in the background.
The Blues and the Great Migration

Use this Lesson with the Langston Hughes, "I, Too" and "The Weary Blues," 1920 and 1925 Primary Source and the Andy Razaf (lyrics), Thomas "Fats" Waller and Harry Brooks (score), "Ain't Misbehavin'," Jazz and the Radio, 1929 Primary Source to show students how migration influence art and literature through the Harlem Renaissance movement. In this lesson, developed by and included with the permission of Teach Rock , students will analyze various accounts of the Great Migration to address the following question: How did the Great Migration spread southern culture and help give the blues a central place in American popular music?

Unit resources

A woman in a coat leans on a car wheel cover with "Repeal the 18th Amendment" written on it.
ActivityWas Prohibition a Success or a Failure?

Given the impact on the economic, social, and political lives of Americans, was the outlawing of the manufacturing and sale of alcohol a wise policy? David E. Hamilton and Johnathan O’Neill debate this question.

Black and white portrait of a middle-aged man in a suit, looking directly at the viewer.
ActivityShould Herbert Hoover Be Considered an Activist President?

Did Herbert Hoover use unprecedented federal power to try to stymy the calamities of the Great Depression or was he a conservative who tried to uphold the traditional governing structure of the country? Glen Jeansonne and Michael Parrish debate the question.

A woman stands at the base of a stairway labeled with various occupations, symbolizing social mobility and opportunity.
ActivityCartoon Analysis: Elmer Andrews Bushnell, “The Sky Is Now Her Limit,” 1920

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.

A cartoon depicting Uncle Sam delivering a message to imprisoned figures labeled "Lenin" and "Trotsky".
ActivityMitchell Palmer, “The Case against the Reds,” 1920

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Black and white portrait of a man seated at a desk, wearing formal attire and looking towards the camera.
ActivityMarcus Garvey, “Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World,” 1920

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Black and white image of a man in a bowler hat and a woman in a straw hat standing together on a street.
ActivityCharlie Chaplin, The Kid, 1921

Use this primary source imagery to analyze major events in history.

ActivityAlice Paul and the Equal Rights Amendment (Lucretia Mott Amendment), 1923

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

A man in a suit examines a document, with a serious expression, standing in an indoor setting.
ActivityEllison DuRant Smith, “Shut the Door,” 1924

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Man typing on a typewriter at a desk, with a lamp illuminating the workspace.
ActivityLangston Hughes, “I, Too” and “The Weary Blues,” 1920 and 1925

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

A vintage black and white photo of a jazz band with musicians posing with various instruments on stage.
ActivityAndy Razaf (lyrics), Thomas “Fats” Waller and Harry Brooks (score), “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” Jazz and the Radio, 1929

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Historical depiction of a crowded congressional chamber with an American flag and prominent speakers at a podium.
EssayChapter 11 Introductory Essay: 1920-1932

What challenges did the U.S. face in the post-WWI era?

Men in overcoats and hats sit on rows of benches.
EssayThe Red Scare and Civil Liberties

By the end of this section, you will explain the causes and effects of international and internal migration patterns over time.

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