GED Social Studies TestU.S. HistoryHard
A student is researching the social and cultural changes in the United States following World War I. The period often referred to as the 'Roaring Twenties' was characterized by which of the following trends?
- AA significant decline in consumer spending and a rise in unemployment.
- BIncreased government regulation of business and a decrease in international trade.
- CA return to strict Victorian moral codes and social conservatism.
- DWidespread social and economic prosperity, cultural innovation, and new freedoms.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Widespread social and economic prosperity, cultural innovation, and new freedoms.
The 'Roaring Twenties' was a decade of significant economic growth and widespread social change. It was marked by new technologies, mass production, increased consumerism, jazz music, flapper culture, and a general sense of liberation and modernity, particularly for women.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The 1920s saw a boom in consumer spending and generally low unemployment, contrasting with the Great Depression that followed.
- B. The 1920s were marked by a period of less government intervention in the economy (laissez-faire policies) and a rise in protectionist tariffs, not necessarily a decrease in international trade overall but a shift in policy.
- C. The 1920s were characterized by a loosening of traditional moral codes, epitomized by the 'flapper' culture and jazz music, rather than a return to Victorian conservatism.
Roaring Twenties
A decade of economic growth and cultural change in the United States and Europe during the 1920s.
- Characterized by jazz music, flapper fashion, and new social freedoms.
- Saw the rise of mass consumer culture and new technologies like radio and automobiles.
- Experienced a period of economic prosperity before the Great Depression.
- Marked by significant shifts in societal norms and values.
Memory trick: Jazz, cars, and freedom roared through the twenties.