Roaring Twentieswas the period of the 1920's in the United States. The Roaring Twenties were years of rapid economic growth, rising prosperity for many people, and far-reaching social changes for the nation. The period is sometimes called theJazz Age,because of the new style of music and the pleasure-seeking people who made it popular. It is also called theTribal Twenties,because of the rise ofnativism(hostility toward foreigners). This nativism led to immigration restrictions and the growth of the Ku Klux Klan, a white secret society.
More than 116,000 American soldiers had died in World War I (1914-1918), answering President Woodrow Wilson's call to "make the world safe for democracy." After the war ended, large numbers of Americans wanted to forget about the troubles of Europeans and return to a normal life. But the war had brought many changes that set the stage for social and cultural clashes during the 1920's. Spurred on by new prosperity and a desire to be "modern," large numbers of Americans adopted new attitudes and lifestyles. They listened to jazz, drank bootleg liquor, and enjoyed other new thrills. Many other Americans, however, strongly disapproved of what they saw as immoral behavior and tried to enforce a national prohibition of alcoholic beverages.
"Roaring Twenties."World Book Advanced. World Book, 2015.Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
