State your claim! Think of your first sentence as a mini thesis statement. I would prefer to have lived during (the 1920s or the 2020s) because…

Question

Provide background information. What changes were taking place in the United States during the 1920s? How did the change impact American society? And what changes are currently taking place in American society? How has the nation been impacted by that change in recent years?

answer these question only using this information In 1920, Americans were ready for a change. With World War I over, people were eager to focus on social and economic progress and success. Americans expressed new individual freedoms in reaction to the hardships of the previous decade.

At the start of this new decade, many Americans sought a new direction. After the horror and devastation of a world war, Americans sought a return to normalcy. Americans had faced many challenges during the previous decade. A flu epidemic had exposed the limits of science and technology in making Americans immune to disease. The Red Scare showed Americans’ fear of revolutionary politics and violent labor disputes. Race riots exposed long-standing social divides. A long era of Progressive initiatives and reforms had come to a close.As the presidential election of 1920 began, many American voters sought a new direction. They wanted to move away from Progressive politics. Republicans were anxious to return to the White House after eight years of a democratic president, Woodrow Wilson. Republicans responded with a candidate who promised that the country would return to normalcy rather than continue Progressive reforms.

The Republicans found their candidate in Senator Warren G. Harding from Ohio. Harding offered what the Republicans desired. He wanted to advance Republican policies of low taxes, immigration restriction, and noninterference in world affairs. He also practiced laissez-faire theory, which suggested that government should play a very limited role in society. He was a candidate who could look and act presidential, yet leave Americans alone to live their lives as they wished.

The Republicans promised a return to pro-business policies. Harding and Coolidge won the 1920 election in an overwhelming landslide, with 404 votes to 127 in the Electoral College, and 60 percent of the popular vote.In order to deliver on his promise of running the country like a business, President Harding supported tax cuts and the country’s first formal budgeting process. These policies reduced the debt the United States had incurred during World War I. However, as Europe began to recover from the war, U.S. exports to the European continent grew fewer. An export is a good or service produced within a country and sold outside of that country’s borders. Harding wanted to protect U.S. agriculture and other businesses threatened by lower-priced European imports, goods or services sold within a country produced in another country. Harding pushed the Emergency Tariff of 1921. A tariff is a tax on imported or exported goods. This tariff on imported goods from Europe increased American purchasing power, but it inflated the prices of many goods.

In the area of foreign policy, Harding worked to preserve peace through international cooperation. His most famous peace effort was the Washington Disarmament Conference, an international military conference held in the United States between 1921 and 1922. Armaments are the military’s weapons and war supplies. Although this conference brought about many new treaties, they became largely ignored in the 1930s when most of the world was again at war.The Harding administration was especially filled with scandal. While Harding was not implicated personally in scandals, some of his trusted advisors were. Harding often turned to personal friends rather than experts for advice and guidance. And, as he himself recognized, this group tended to cause him grief. “I have no trouble with my enemies,” he once commented. “I can take care of my enemies in a fight. But my friends, my . . . friends—they’re the ones who keep me walking the floor at nights!”

From 1920–1923, Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall was involved in a scam that became known as the Teapot Dome scandal. Fall had leased the navy oil reserves in Teapot Dome, Wyoming, and two other sites in California to private oil companies without opening the bidding to other companies. In exchange, the companies gave him $300,000 in cash and bonds, as well as a herd of cattle for his ranch. Fall was convicted of accepting bribes from the oil companies. He was fined $100,000 and sentenced to a year in prison. It was the first time that a cabinet official had received such a sentence.

Answer 1

I would prefer to have lived during the 1920s because the decade was characterized by significant social and economic transformation, coupled with a vibrant cultural renaissance that marked a stark departure from the hardships of World War I and its aftermath.

Following World War I, Americans were eager for change and sought to shift away from the difficulties of the previous decade, which included a flu epidemic, the Red Scare, and widespread racial tensions. The 1920s began with a strong desire for a return to normalcy, as President Warren G. Harding's election signaled a move towards pro-business policies and a rejection of Progressive reforms. This era was defined by individuals exploring newfound freedoms, while the economy flourished due to tax cuts and a laissez-faire approach that promoted personal liberties and capitalistic ventures. The Harding administration, despite its scandals, pushed for international cooperation through initiatives like the Washington Disarmament Conference, albeit with limited long-term effectiveness.

In contrast, contemporary American society is undergoing its own set of dramatic changes, including advancements in technology, evolving social dynamics, and the urgency of addressing issues such as climate change and social justice. The impact of the internet and social media has transformed communication, allowing greater dissemination of ideas and mobilization for social causes. However, this rapid change also comes with challenges, such as political polarization and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The societal shifts of the 2020s reflect a world grappling with both the promises of progress and the pitfalls of inequality, making for a complex living environment that often feels overwhelming compared to the more defined cultural and economic landscapes of the 1920s.

In conclusion, the 1920s represented a time of hope and cultural flourishing, while the present is marked by swift changes demanding careful navigation. The focus on individual liberties and economic opportunity in the 1920s makes that era, in many ways, a more appealing time to have experienced firsthand.