Mr. Raasch's Social Studies
WWI
Europe was entangled in alliances following the imperialist era, setting the continent up for the largest war in the history of the world to that point. The Great War was the first time that tanks, airplanes and several other weapons were used in combat.
Unit 7: WWI- 1920s
Weapons and Tactics of WWI
WWI was mostly fought from trenches, with the two sides observing each other without the means of attacking. A new frightening weapon first arrived on the WWI battlefield causing invisible death: gas. Victims would be choked, blinded and killed by this device of great terror. Planes were used to scout enemy positions and later fight each other for the edge in the war of the skies. WWI saw the greatest changes of any war in both its brutality and scale, marking a shift in the way war is fought and won.
Culture of the 1920s
Following WWI, the US had a great economic boom, leading to the creation of Ford Motor Company, full length movies, and a growing middle class. The "Roaring 20s" also saw cultural changes, like women enjoying a new sense of freedom, mass migrations to the cities, and booms in African American culture with the creation of Blues and Jazz, through a movement called the Harlem Renaissance.
The Century- Boom and Bust, part 3
The Century- Boom and Bust, part 2
The Century- Boom and Bust, part 1
The Prohibition
The US began the "Noble Experiment" with the 18th amendment, outlawing the consumption and distribution of alcohol in the nation. Bootlegging and illegal underground bars called speakeasies rose from the profits of the criminal action of selling the banned liquor. The Mafia fought for control of the lucrative market and used the millions gained to grow the organization into some of most powerful gangs in American history.
