Maria Butina's blog. Features of American life

At the dawn of the twentieth century, America was no longer a republic actively fighting for its freedom and survival. It can be described as one of the largest and most developed powers in the world. The foreign and domestic policy of the United States in the early 20th century was based on the desire and desire to take a more influential position on the world stage. The state was preparing for serious and decisive actions for the leading role not only in the economy, but also in politics.

The oath was taken in 1901 by another unelected and the youngest president - 43-year-old Theodore Roosevelt. His coming to the White House coincided with the beginning of a new era, not only in American but also in world history, rich in crises and wars.

In the article we will talk about the features of the development of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, the main directions of domestic and foreign policy, social and economic development.

The administration of T. Roosevelt: domestic policy

Roosevelt, during the oath to the presidency, gave his people a promise that he would continue the domestic and foreign policy of the country in accordance with the course of his predecessor McKinley, who tragically died at the hands of radicals. He assumed that the public anxiety about trusts and monopolies was unfounded and basically aimless, and he expressed doubts about the need for any state restriction. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the president's closest associates were the heads of influential corporations.

The turbulent United States at the beginning of the 20th century followed the path of limiting natural market competition, which led to a deterioration in the condition of small and medium-sized businesses. The dissatisfaction of the masses was caused by the growth of corruption and the spread of monopolies in the politics and economy of the state. T. Roosevelt tried with all his might to neutralize the growing anxiety. He did this through numerous attacks on corruption in big business and contributed to the prosecution of individual trusts and monopolies, initiated lawsuits based on the Sherman Act of 1890. In the end, the companies got off with fines and revived under new names. There was a rapid modernization of the United States. At the beginning of the 20th century, the states were already adopting the features of corporate capitalism in its classical form.

President T. Roosevelt went down in US history as the most liberal. His policy could not eliminate either the abuses of the monopolies and the growth of their power and influence, or the labor movement. On the other hand, the country's external activities were marked by the beginning of a wide expansion into the world political arena.

The role of the state in the economy and social relations

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it took on the features of classical corporate capitalism, in which giant trusts and monopolies launched their activities without any restrictions. They limited natural market competition and practically ruined small and medium businesses. Adopted in 1890, it was positioned as a "charter of industrial freedom", but had a limited effect and was often interpreted inappropriately. Lawsuits equated unions with monopolies, and strikes by ordinary workers were regarded as "conspiracy to restrict free trade."

As a result, the social development of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century goes in the direction of deepening the inequality (stratification) of society, the position of ordinary Americans becomes disastrous. There is growing discontent against corporate capital among farmers, workers, progressive intelligentsia. They condemn monopolies and see them as a threat to the welfare of the masses. All this contributes to the emergence of an antitrust movement, accompanied by an increase in the activity of trade unions and a constant struggle for the social protection of the population.

Demands for a "renewal" of social and economic policy are beginning to sound not only on the streets, but also in parties (Democratic and Republican). Appeared as opposition, they gradually capture the minds of the ruling elite, which ultimately leads to changes in domestic politics.

Legislative acts

The economic development of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century required the adoption of certain decisions by the head of state. The basis of the so-called new nationalism was the demand of T. Roosevelt to expand the powers of the president, so that the government would control the activities of the trusts in order to regulate them and stop the "dishonest game".

The implementation of this program in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century was supposed to be facilitated by the first law, adopted in 1903 - the "Act to Accelerate Proceedings and Settling Processes in Fairness". It established measures to speed up antitrust litigation, which was regarded as having "great public interest" and "priority over others."

The next was a law creating the US Department of Labor and Commerce, whose functions included, among other things, the collection of information about trusts and the consideration of their "dishonest activities." T. Roosevelt extended his demands for “fair play” to the relations between entrepreneurs and ordinary workers, advocating a peaceful settlement of disputes arising between them, but demanding in parallel the restriction of the activity of US trade unions at the beginning of the 20th century.

One often hears the opinion that the American state approached the twentieth century with zero "baggage" of international relations. There is some truth in this, because right up to the USA they were actively focused on themselves. The country did not get involved in the complicated relations of European powers, but actively carried out expansion in the Philippines, the Hawaiian Islands.

Relationships with Native Indians

The history of the relationship of the native inhabitants of the continent with the "white" Americans is indicative in terms of how the United States coexisted with other nations. There was everything from the open use of force to the cunning argumentation that justified it. The fate of the indigenous peoples depended directly on white Americans. Suffice it to recall the fact that in 1830 all the eastern tribes were moved to the west bank of the Mississippi, but the Croys, Cheyennes, Arapahs, Sioux, Blackfeet, and Kiowas were already inhabiting the plains. The policy of the US government in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was aimed at concentrating the indigenous population in certain specially designated areas. It was replaced by the idea of "cultivating" the Indians, integrating them into American society. Literally in one century (1830-1930) they became the object of a government experiment. People were first deprived of their ancestral land, and then of national identity.

US Development in the Early 20th Century: The Panama Canal

The beginning of the 20th century for the United States was marked by a revival of Washington's interest in the idea of an interoceanic canal. This was facilitated by the victory in the Spanish-American War and the subsequent establishment of control over the Caribbean Sea and the entire Pacific region adjacent to the Latin American coast. T. Roosevelt attached paramount importance to the idea of building a canal. Literally a year before, he openly said that "in the struggle for supremacy in the sea and commerce, the United States must strengthen its power beyond its borders and have a weighty say in determining the fate of the oceans of the West and East."

Representatives of Panama (which did not yet officially exist as an independent state) and the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, or rather, in November 1903, signed an agreement. According to its terms, America received indefinite lease of 6 miles of the Isthmus of Panama. Six months later, the Colombian Senate refused to ratify the treaty, citing the fact that the French had offered better terms. This aroused Roosevelt's indignation, and soon a movement for the independence of Panama began in the country, not without the support of the Americans. At the same time, a warship from the United States turned out to be very useful off the coast of the country - to monitor the ongoing events. Just a couple of hours after Panama's independence, America recognized the new government and received a long-awaited contract in return, this time an eternal lease. The official opening of the Panama Canal took place on June 12, 1920.

US economy at the beginning of the 20th century: W. Taft and W. Wilson

Republican William Taft held judicial and military posts for a long time, and was a close friend of Roosevelt. The latter, in particular, supported him as a successor. Taft served as president from 1909 to 1913. His activities were characterized by a further strengthening of the role of the state in the economy.

Relations between the two presidents soured, and in 1912 they both made an attempt to stand as a candidate for future elections. The dispersal of the Republican electorate into two camps led to the victory of the Democrat (pictured), which left a big imprint on the development of the United States in the early 20th century.

He was considered a radical in his inaugural speech, he began with the words "there have been changes in power." Wilson's "new democracy" program was based on three principles: freedom of the individual, freedom of competition, and individualism. He proclaimed himself an enemy of trusts and monopolies, but demanded not their elimination, but the transformation and removal of all restrictions on the development of business, mainly small and medium-sized ones, by curbing "unfair competition."

Legislative acts

In order to implement the program, the Tariff Law of 1913 was adopted, on the basis of which they were completely revised. Tariffs were lowered, income taxes were raised, banks were controlled, and imports were expanded.

The further political development of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century was marked by a number of new legislative acts. In the same year, 1913, the Federal Reserve System was created. Its purpose was to control the issuance of banknotes, banknotes of importance and to establish the percentage of bank loans. The organization included 12 national reserve banks from the respective regions of the country.

The sphere of social conflicts was not left without attention. Passed in 1914, the Clayton Act clarified the controversial language of the Sherman statute and also prohibited its application to labor unions.

The reforms of the progressive period were only timid steps towards the adaptation of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century to the new situation that arose in connection with the transformation of the country into a new powerful state of corporate capitalism. The strengthening of the trend occurred after the entry. In 1917, the Law on the Control of Production, Fuel and Raw Materials was passed. He expanded the president's rights and allowed him to supply the navy and army with everything they needed, including to prevent speculation.

World War I: US position

Europe and the USA at the beginning of the 20th century, like the whole world, stood on the threshold of global cataclysms. Revolutions and wars, the collapse of empires, economic crises - all this could not but affect the internal situation in the country. European countries acquired huge armies, united in sometimes contradictory and illogical alliances in order to protect their borders. The result of the tense situation was the outbreak of the First World War.

Wilson, at the very beginning of hostilities, made a statement to the nation that America should "maintain a true spirit of neutrality" and be friendly to all participants in the war. He was well aware that ethnic conflicts could easily destroy the republic from within. Declared neutrality was meaningful and logical for a number of reasons. Europe and the United States at the beginning of the 20th century were not in alliances, and this allowed the country to stay away from military troubles. In addition, entry into the war could politically strengthen the Republican camp and give them an advantage in the next election. Well, it was quite difficult to explain to the people why the United States supports the Entente, in which the regime of Tsar Nicholas II participated.

US entry into the war

The theory of the position of neutrality was very convincing and reasonable, but in practice it turned out to be difficult to achieve. The shift came after the US recognized the naval blockade of Germany. Since 1915, the expansion of the army began, which did not exclude the participation of the United States in the war. This moment hastened the actions of Germany at sea and the death of American citizens on the sunken ships of England and France. After President Wilson's threats, there was a lull that lasted until January 1917. Then a full-scale war of German courts against everyone else began.

The history of the United States at the beginning of the 20th century could have taken a different path, but two more events happened that pushed the country to join the First World War. Firstly, a telegram fell into the hands of intelligence, where the Germans openly offered Mexico to take their side and attack America. That is, such a distant overseas war turned out to be very close, threatening the security of its citizens. Secondly, a revolution took place in Russia, and Nicholas II left the political arena, which allowed him to join the Entente with a relatively clear conscience. The position of the allies was not the best, they suffered huge losses at sea from German submarines. The entry of the United States into the war made it possible to turn the tide of events. Warships reduced the number of German submarines. In November 1918, the enemy coalition capitulated.

US colonies

The active expansion of the country began at the end of the 19th century and covered the Caribbean basin of the Atlantic Ocean. So, the US colonies at the beginning of the 20th century included the Guan Islands, Hawaiian. The latter, in particular, were annexed in 1898, and two years later received the status of a self-governing territory. Ultimately, Hawaii became the 50th US state.

In the same 1898, Cuba was captured, which officially passed to America after the signing of the Treaty of Paris with Spain. The island came under occupation, gaining formal independence in 1902.

In addition, Puerto Rico (an island that voted in 2012 for joining the states), the Philippines (gained independence in 1946), the Panama Canal Zone, the Corn and Virgin Islands can be safely attributed to the country's colonies.

This is just a brief digression into the history of the United States. The second half of the 20th century, the beginning of the 21st century, which followed, can be characterized in different ways. The world does not stand still, something is constantly happening in it. The Second World War left a deep mark on the history of the entire planet, the subsequent economic crises and the Cold War gave way to a thaw. A new threat has hung over the entire civilized world - terrorism, which has no territorial or national boundaries.

Americans don't take off their shoes in the house. The maximum is when the rain and the boots are damp or you were in the swamp. In other cases, you can safely walk around the house in shoes, throw your feet in shoes on the sofa. Because it's clean!
Americans like to put their feet on a table or on a nearby chair. This is not considered bad manners or disrespectful to others. This is a sign that a person is comfortable :)
Men don't take off their baseball caps in restaurants. Nobody will tell them anything.
In any restaurant you can take the leftovers of your dish with you. In any!
Almost all men wear white T-shirts as underwear. They wear them under other T-shirts and any shirts. And they bathe only in special swimming trunks-shorts to the knee. American men will never appear on the beach in swimming trunks or tight boxers. It's a shame!
Many homes do not have irons and ironing boards. Why? Because everyone has a tumble dryer that they throw clothes into after they've been washed. 40 minutes and clean, wrinkled, dry and warm clothes will be waiting for a trip to the closet :) And if something very wrinkled is lying around in the closet, then they throw it in dry form and after 10 minutes the thing will be smoothed out.
A lot of people don't use cooking oil. If there is one, then soybean oil is sold here, which is similar to our sunflower oil. Spray is used for cooking. Like olive, like regular. An aerosol can, zilch-zilch in a frying pan and you're ready to cook!
On Christmas and other holidays, it is perfectly normal to give each other clothes as gifts. If you don’t like something or don’t fit in size, then in the store, when you buy it, you will be given a gift check for this case. Such a check does not indicate the amount, but it can be used to exchange or return things. Conveniently!
Any store accepts products back without any problems. If the bread is moldy the next day after purchase, even if it is open, then you can take it back. In return, they will give the same or a different product. Sometimes they even offer a discount. Exactly the same situation with medicines, cosmetics and other things. Must have a receipt(!). They will return it without any problems, the main thing is that the client is satisfied :)
In stores, almost all bread is sold toasted, that is, for frying in a toaster. If eaten raw, it is not very tasty, but fried is very even! The only thing is that such bread spoils incredibly quickly, so it is stored in the freezer. After defrosting, it does not lose its taste and texture properties.
Any milk or cream must not be left outside the refrigerator. Will go bad in minutes.
All have cable TV. Therefore, you can record your favorite movies and shows in advance, rewind the show forward and backward in real time within certain limits, and also pause it, as it is loaded, like on YouTube. Missing something is impossible!
Each Christmas present is boxed and wrapped in wrapping paper. Convenient boxes can be taken in almost any store for free. they consist of two parts: a bottom and a lid. In the end, everything looks very nice!
It is not possible to get 1 gift for Christmas. Several gifts are always bought according to a pre-compiled list. For example, you make a list of any 20 "wish lists" and your family buys from this list. But what exactly they will buy for you is a surprise! As a result, there is no headache for the family, no "unpleasant" surprises for you. Everyone is happy :)
At Christmas, many families take a group photo or a collage of previous photos and print postcards for friends and family members. The postcards are then sent out or handed over in person. A convenient way to collect photos of your friends: every year a new photo of your grandchildren, cousins and distant friends. For memory!
Americans love to use all sorts of devices. Almost every specific task has its own device: for certain cupcakes - a certain baking dish, for a certain type of cleaning - a device and a mop, for a certain type of food - a special pan or device that does this. That is, a blender is only for smoothies and a blender is only for sauces :) And they will not make smoothies in a blender for sauces and vice versa. And there are many such examples!
Americans love to decorate their homes. Holidays and seasons. Decorate both inside and out. It can be seasonal napkins with a spring pattern, or garlands around the whole house and luminous statues :)
It is rare in the United States to live in the same house for the rest of their lives. There is even such a thing as "the first house". It is usually inexpensive and small in size, but this is just a start. A person can change five or six houses in a lifetime, depending on family circumstances. Houses are usually upgraded upwards, but interestingly, as people age, people move from their big, expensive houses to small, comfortable ones.
At 90, it's perfectly normal to drive a car. Both men and women. At 97, it's not a problem to fly from New York to Los Angeles, and then to Florida to visit family. Medicine works wonders
Very often, families gather together for holidays or for an annual family gathering. Well, that is, in general, the whole family comes from all over the country .. All uncles, aunts, brothers, nephews. Some families have up to 100 relatives. They live in hotels or rent houses.
Americans take student loans and then pay for them for many years after graduation. Many parents open a special savings account for their children immediately after birth. You can use it only when you reach the age of 18 when entering the College.
Americans love to save money. There are special accounts for Christmas gifts, for retirement, for any other needs. Regularly replenish every month.
Millionaires live in small modest houses and walk around in the most simple clothes, drive inexpensive and far from new cars. And that's okay! What you often don't realize is that the t-shirt-holed gentleman owns millions in bank accounts and owns several homes across America.

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This decade was characterized not only as the era of jazz, the era of the industrial revolution and unprecedented prosperity, it was the time of an unprecedented rise in crime generated by Prohibition. In those years, probably, every tramp dreamed of becoming a millionaire - and some really became them.
Along with this, this is the heyday of gang wars in America. This is the time of Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, it was then that many clans known to this day were created and the foundations of the modern American mafia were laid.

Atlantic City, New York or Chicago are huge cities where millionaires, members of noble families from Europe, eminent industrialists from all over the world come to relax. Young boys and girls, hungry for wealth and fame, flock here like moths to a light, emigrants settle here in poor neighborhoods, waiting in the wings when they can move to the main streets, to the brilliance and luxury of prestigious quarters, or to make a fortune without missing out. your luck. Young people filled nightclubs and dance halls. As a result of the fact that during the war many girls and women had to be replaced in the workplace by men, a large number of working independent and emancipated ladies appeared. The Age of Women has begun. Perhaps it is difficult to find another such historical period in which such changes in the appearance of ladies and in the style of their behavior took place in such a short time period. The process of change was aggravated by the First World War, after which there were fewer men, which means that women had to attract attention to themselves in more frank ways.

After the First World War, a kind of hangover set in: people who survived the horrors of tank shelling and gas attacks, who lost their relatives, willingly forgot about the hardships of the war and plunged into a beautiful fairy tale. The sparkling and glamorous Jazz Age was a time of American rebirth in everything from the economy to fashion.

The most influential fashion designers at this time were kicks off.

A great influence on the men's fashion of this time was made by such personalities as the Duke of Windsor and actors Ronald Colman, Rudolf Valentino.

Luxurious and elegant Art Deco style reigned in fashion. In Europe and the States, this edgy style has managed to become truly total, embracing everything from architecture to accessories. At the same time, the new fashion was not sugary. On the contrary: geometric lines marked the end of feminine modernity. Outwardly homogeneous, Art Deco absorbed many trends: elements of Oriental and African cultures, antique and Renaissance motifs, French court style of the 18th century.

Flowing dresses embroidered with beads entered women's fashion. Some dresses were emphatically feminine: marshmallow and airy, like Madeleine Vionnet's outfits - flying translucent silk muslin robes. Or the toilets designed by Jeanne Lanvin, whose trademark was the bell skirt. However, the era already demanded something else - functionality. This mood was subtly captured by Coco Chanel. The exposition has several dresses - black, decorated modestly, but tastefully.

The changed rhythm of life, the further penetration of the car, telephone, gramophone into everyday life, new socio-economic conditions blurred the line not only between classes, but also between sexes. The “unisex” style is coming into fashion, however, at that time it was called “la garconne” (after the novel by V. Marguerite, extremely popular in the 20s). Now the modern girl drove a car, smoked, played tennis and golf, painted her lips and eyes brightly, wore a short haircut, and danced all night in trendy clubs. Fashionable women wore loose clothes and short skirts (and the most desperate people wore men's suits), which should emphasize the angularity of a boyish figure.

In the 1920s, as part of emancipation, women learned to smoke in public and fix their makeup. It is no wonder that lighters and minaudières have turned into luxurious trinkets that are not ashamed to get out of your purse.

After the end of the First World War, people realized that the heavy outfits of the Victorian era were too uncomfortable. Then short skirts came into fashion, which caused a real sexual revolution - women were finally allowed to appear half-naked in a decent society. The changes that began in 2020 by 1923 moved the waist to the place of the hips, replaced the puffy hairstyles with short ones, shortened the length of the dresses and introduced the fashion for bright makeup, which until then was familiar to prostitutes and music hall artists, which was often the same. This fashion touched even respectable elderly ladies, only in a more relaxed version.
During these years, the woman not only showed her legs, she opened her heel! Previously, ladies, going out into the world, did not even think about this.

The Roaring Twenties created a new type of women - playgirls. They began to be called flappers, or "crackers". She is beautiful, full of "aplomb and independence", passionate about sports, loves cars and crowded parties, where, like true flappers, they enjoy dancing to the rhythms of jazz with a glass of expensive champagne. Many of these ladies belong to high society, but opt for a more daring progressive lifestyle and clothes - bright dramatic makeup and burgundy manicure, seductively tight-fitting outfits that slide along a flexible, stately figure, and unabashedly deep necklines.

The ideal of female beauty has undergone strong changes compared to previous eras. Now, a boyish figure is in fashion, with a flat chest, narrow hips and long legs. The clothes of this period were supposed to hide curvaceous forms.

Those ladies who did not have a fragile physique had to wear corrective corsets and graces that flattened the bust and hips. Girls with a slender figure were limited to a bra and a garter belt. Under short skirts they wore pantaloons "directory" with an elastic band at the knee or "French" loose cut. Under the dresses, they wore a knee-length undershirt with straps or a short, vest-like shirt.

In the early 1920s, skirts remained rather short, as they had been during the war. But later, the couturiers lengthened the skirts. The longest hems of skirts and dresses reached the ankles. Baggy calf-length dresses were in fashion, which were tied at the hips with a belt or scarf. The upper part of the dress fell to a low waist in the form of a blouson or jumper. The bodice of the dress was free, the skirt of the dress was sewn straight or with pleats, it could be pleated, the neckline could be round, square or V-shaped. The flat collar lay on the stretches and imitated a scarf. The sleeves of the dress were usually sewn long or ¾, with cuffs. Thanks to Coco Chanel, business and practical dresses and knitted suits appear.

Evening gowns were sleeveless or strappy, with a deep neckline front and back. By the end of the 20s, evening dresses began to have a long train, side inserts or uneven edges. Sheer chiffon draperies were worn over dresses.

The cut of jackets in the early 1920s was slightly tight, later straight, single-breasted or double-breasted, with narrow set-in sleeves. By the end of the decade, three-piece suits with coats began to appear. Pants are in fashion.

The "woman-boy" style was also emphasized by the hairstyle. Long curls were out of fashion. Short hair, curls that slightly cover the ears, sidelocks - such hairstyles required small headdresses. Hats resembled a pot or bucket in appearance and were tightly pulled over the head. They were decorated with flowers and ribbons. The universal hat of this decade was the cloche cap, which covered the entire head and ears.

The ladies put on pointed shoes with a deep cutout made of thin leather and webbed, with stable heels, with straps and clasps so that they do not fly off during the performance of the Charleston or Foxtrot, lace-up shoes, boots. In the 1920s, flesh-colored stockings appeared, evening stockings intertwined with gold and silver sequins.

Jewelry begins to play a big role in the composition of the costume. Jewelry ceases to be jewels: brooches, necklaces made of artificial materials; artificial flowers on headdresses and dresses. Long strands of pearls and rock crystal, brooches and hairpins, wide bracelets, large earrings in geometric style, Art Nouveau and Art Deco became the favorite jewelry of the 20s. Squeak of evening fashion decoration - diadem.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the passion for sports has led to the fact that there is a need for special sportswear and many couturiers begin to create sports collections.

Men's costume was divided into official and unofficial. The men's costume consisted of a shirt, vest, trousers, jacket, tie, hat, shoes. Informal costumes were worn on vacation, while playing sports or hunting. For formal events, the tuxedo was still chosen, now it was double-breasted, had four buttons and patch pockets with an overturned upper cut at the hips. The most common fabric for men's suits was tweed. Flannel was another popular fabric of the era.

Jackets in the 20s were single and double-breasted. Sports jackets were more often sewn single-breasted, and jackets for business suits were double-breasted. The jacket had a fitted silhouette and narrow shoulders, it was loose in the chest and tight-fitting in the hips.

The shirts had detachable stiffly starched collars. Such collars were always white, even if the shirt was colored. The collar of the shirt was fastened with a tie pin, which kept the tie from shifting. Ties could come in a variety of colors, but the diagonal stripe was a popular pattern.

The back of the waistcoat was of silk or lining fabric, and the front of the same fabric as the entire suit. A strap with a buckle was sewn on the back to fit the figure. During sports, it was much more convenient to wear knitted vests. At this time, jumpers are gaining popularity, which have become part of sportswear for men.

Trousers in the 1920s began to be sewn much more widely than in the previous decade. Trousers had an ironed arrow and tucks in the belt. For playing golf, they began to wear wide breeches, and then golf trousers, which had a wide lap on the lower legs.

The tracksuit was complemented by caps, business suits were complemented by felt and tweed hats.

After the First World War, shoes became the main type of men's shoes. And the most popular model of men's shoes were Oxfords, Derby, Bifroll, Barcroft were no less popular. Patent leather shoes were worn with a tuxedo.

Bright patterned socks were worn with breeches and golf trousers, with business suits they wore dark-colored socks, they could be silk or cotton.

The fashion of the "roaring 20s" allowed people to feel always young and carefree. But this decade of unbridled fun flew by very quickly, it was replaced by the Great Depression, which equalized everyone.
Toilets embroidered with gold were supplanted by more strict outfits. The brilliance of diamonds has faded, Art Deco is gone forever.

20s 20th century received the name in the USA era of prosperity". The years of "prosperity" (prosperity) were characterized by a continuous increase in industrial production (from 1921 to 1929, industrial production increased by a third). The Americans were convinced that soon each of them would have their own house, refrigerator, washing machine and car.

By 1929, the US accounted for 48% of the industrial production of the entire capitalist world. The US national income in 1929 was equal to the national income of the 23 largest states. During this period, the impression was created that American goods filled the whole world. Residents of the United States began to travel a lot, and the most popular form of transport after the car was the plane.

Thousands of salesmen delivered American goods. Americans in general earned more than they could spend, so they began to massively invest in stocks of enterprises. For a US resident of those years, the normal question was “how much do you cost?”, that is, “how much money do you have?”, And in order to strengthen their own prestige, everyone wanted to become even richer. American banks already in the mid-1920s. turned out to be oversaturated with deposits, the export of capital begins; the purchase of enterprises, companies, land, as well as the issuance of loans was practiced.

Since 1921, Republicans have been in power in the United States, who did not interfere in the economic development of the country. President Coolidge was often quoted at the time as saying, "We should have less government in business and more business in government."

US Prosperity Issues

But there were also dark spots in the bright picture of “prosperity”: prosperity almost did not touch the agrarian West, farmers hard hit by the fall in prices for agricultural products.

Another big problem was corruption: five out of ten members of the government of President Harding took bribes, the situation on the ground would not be better. Corruption was largely associated with the adopted in October 1919 "dry law", which prohibited the production and sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition in the 1920s constantly violated, along with tax evasion, it has become the "national sport" in the United States. The illegal production and smuggling of alcohol is the formation of organized crime in the United States, including the most famous gang of gangsters in Chicago led by Al Capone. material from the site

Throughout the 1920s. the mass buying up of the shares that were constantly growing in price continued. The one who bought the securities over time could sell them several times more expensive; banks did not provide such high incomes. scammers quickly realized that it was possible to organize "inflated" firms and issue shares that were not backed by anything.

The balance between production and consumption was also upset: the supply on the market of industrial goods exceeded the effective demand, shops willingly sold goods in credit. As a result, the average American lived surrounded by things for which he had yet to pay. All this threatened to turn around