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Essay / Music Production and the Prohibition Era in the 1920s
The 1920s were a time of growth and innovation. The workforce grew, women finally had the right to vote, and African Americans began to integrate and migrate from the South to the North in search of work. The result was a larger working class and the creation of a new middle class. Society has become more consumer-oriented, giving people more free time. Times couldn't be better. Business was booming, America was becoming a world power, skyscrapers dotted the skyline, and new music was beginning to sweep the nation. However, all was not good. Crime increased dramatically and society's heroes were also the biggest criminals. Due to the Jazz Age and Prohibition, the 1920s were an intense time with a new push for innovation, the new woman, and a loss of structure. Jazz and Prohibition brought spirit to the air in the 1920s, and people couldn't get enough of it. America was becoming more diverse as African Americans moved north in search of opportunity. But they weren't the only ones. There has been a huge increase in the number of immigrants coming out of foreign countries in search of the same work. There was an aura in the 1920s that gave everyone a sense of opportunity, innovation and excellence. It is representative of the American dream and the promise that everyone can achieve all their wildest dreams. The promise of something new captivated the 20s, whether it was the search for an identity or creating something where no one had gone before. Writers of this era sum up this ideology perfectly: "There was something magnificent about him, a heightened sensitivity to the promises of life,... an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic disposition such that I do not like him . paper...a spirit of innovation in the air, women taking on new and exciting roles within society, and a rise in crime and chaos. The Jazz and Prohibition movements were essential to the formation of American society at this time. Along with innovation in writing, dance and music were an essential part of the ideals of American life. The new woman fought for what she believed and wanted equal rights. However, among those who wished to reform society, there were those on the other side of the spectrum who simply wanted to have fun, in defiance of authority. The increase in crime has been attributed to two things: the first being the terrorist tactics of the KKK and the disregard for other ethnic groups. The second being smuggling, the creation of alcohol that people were not allowed to consume. The ideologies of the 1920s emerged from the Jazz Age and Prohibition movements...