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No doubt the Roaring Twenties really did roar not because

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America was overrun by lions but because America experienced a cultural and [Lion lying on the ground]

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economic explosion that stuff we all read in the Great Gatsby really went

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down American cities were packed with jazz flappers and people doing sexy new

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dances like you know the Charleston hey it was sexy back then even though modern [Women dancing the Charleston]

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club dancing would probably look like an orgy to a person from the 1920 it's also

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true that 20 was a time of huge wealth and excess industry was booming thanks [Cash falling]

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to new assembly line production and some very very pro-business policy makers new

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affordable goods made luxuries available to the middle class and radio and cinema [Woman holding loaf of bread]

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were making a whole new entertainment culture America became obsessed with

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buying stuff and worshiping celebrity sound familiar right of course not

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everything was as hunky-dory as it seemed during the twenties for one most [Dory swimming]

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of the new wealth was based on predictions of future growth rather than

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well actual growth people were going deep into debt to gamble on the stock [Men gambling]

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market also American farmers were facing a panic inducing crisis as newly

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peaceful European countries flooded the global market with cheap crops so while [Man covered by corn]

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the flappers were flapping in the city's farmers were steadily getting poorer at

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the same time the pro-business policies of the Conservative government were

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making American exports really expensive which irritated are struggling European [Man holding box of twinkies]

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trade partners and led to a big economic backlash against American good so even

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though the 24 roaring underneath all the economic prosperity you could already

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hear the growl of the Great Depression which would hit the stock market crash

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of 1929 well the 20s also had a darker side like [Darth Vader appears]

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always racism was rampant everywhere in America which made it prime time for the

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Klu Klux Klan to make comeback even going so far as to proudly parade

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unmasked down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington [Men walking down avenue in Klu Klux Klan costumes]

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DC proving that not all parades are fun so ultimately the 20s was a time full of

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contradictions while racism was gone full steam lights were also jamming to [Man dancing to music]

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the music and poetry of the black artistic movement known as a Harlem

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Renaissance while alcohol drugs and contraception were becoming criminalized

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seriously and exciting new poppy culture based on sexual freedom drinking [Woman stretching by the ocean]

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and drug use was make an old lady st. from Seattle to Bangor

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yeah the stock market was booming but the agricultural and industrial basis of

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the economy were shrinking up was down dogs were getting along with cats and [dogs playing with cats]

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everyone wondered where it was all going to end up probably in a bootleg bourbon

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induced days or rest while in jail with Al Capone oh boy [Man in jail with Al Capone]

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