The 1930’s, also known as the “Golden Age”, was a time of transformation for American society. During this time, new technological advancements and enhancements were developed. These developments were changes that transformed society and reshaped culture. Such improvements included the new developments in the entertainment industry, new dances and styles, radio programs and major events. Many of these factors influenced the everyday lives of people until the impacts of the Great Depression hit.
New developments in the entertainment industry served as an influential and dramatic change leading to cultural transformation. In the beginning of the 1930’s, the period of silent and black and white film ended, thus creating the term “Golden Age”. Although this was major change for America, a number of famous silent film actors/actresses did not transition into sound film. Fortunately, this caused more actors/actresses to appear, such as Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard and Claudette Colbert. Famous movies of this time were Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, The Rules of Game and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. With the advancements of film, more box tickets were sold. Sound films were one of the many attractions to people until the period of the Great Depression. When the effects of the Great Depression started to impact lives, number of audiences in theatres appeared less frequently.
With new music genres in the 1930’s, new dance forms and styles were created. This was also a big change in American culture because it broke the traditional forms of dances and music. New music genres included jazz, which also incorporated the popular type of dance form called the swing dance. Influentially, it became a part of our culture and has stayed with us to this day. Changing the traditional type of music and dance was an important point in the the transformation of culture because it opened society to new values. The creation of new music and dance influenced attitude, style and values.
In times of the economic downfall, the importance of radios became more prominent as the people of America listened to broadcasts of many popular radio programs. Radio programs often advertised and broadcasted little segments that enlightened or informed people of news. With the importance of radios, many subjects were brought to attention such as The Cotton Club. The Cotton Club was a nightclub that had frequent performances from famous jazz musicians. The club was also known as one of the many attractions during the period of the 1920’s-1930’s. It was closed during the late 1930’s, but re-opened during the 1940’s. The radio has proven to be an important part of the change in culture because it affected the everyday lives of people and broadcasted important news.
Major events such as the 21st Amendment and criminal cases also reshaped American culture. The 21st Amendment was an important change in American culture because it challenged traditional views on the prohibition of alcohol. The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, which allowed the consumption of alcohol. As times were changing in the 1930’s, traditional morals and values began to change as well. During this time, many activist movements were formed such as The Ku Klux Klan(KKK). The KKK was a strict religious movement that formed during post-Civil War and was later re-formed. The KKK used violence (such as lynching) against people who challenged the traditional values of America.
Many factors such as technological advances, new dance styles, forms of music, radio programs and major events all contributed to the change of American culture during the 1930’s. These particular changes influenced the everyday lives of many Americans and also introduced new values that challenged traditional ways. As the period of the Great Depression took it’s toll, society dramatically changed. Upon the entrance of World War II, the economy sprung into action almost instantaneously as Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president. It wasn’t until the entrance of World War II that society managed to pull itself together economically.
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