What Were the Roaring Twenties [Paperback]

Flappers, flag-pole sitting, and the Ford Model T--these are just a few of the things that instantly conjure up a unique era--the Roaring Twenties.

It was the bees' knees, the cat's meow. If you're not familiar with 1920s slang, all the more reason to read this fascinating look at that wild, exciting decade. It began on the heels of one tragedy--the flu pandemic of 1918--and ended with another: the start of the Great Depression. But in between there were plenty of good times--the Model T cars that Henry Ford made were cheap enough for the masses, the new sound of jazz heated up speakeasies and nightclubs during the time of Prohibition. Women, recently given the right to vote, cut their long hair into bobs, wore short skirts and makeup, and danced the Charleston (sometimes in marathons that lasted days). Michele Mortlock hits all the highlights of this heady age that still feels modern even a hundred years later.Michele Mortlock is a lifelong history buff who is thrilled to be sharing her passion for learning about the past with others. This is her first children's book. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with a fellow history lover and three indifferent cats.What Were the Roaring Twenties?
 
 
Not every period in United States history is special enough to have a nickname. But the 1920s has more than one. These years are called the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age, and even the New Era. Why? What made this time so special? What made the twenties roar?
 
It’s because these years were exciting . . . fun . . . dangerous . . . and even silly. There were crazy fads such as flagpole sitting, which started in 1924 when stuntman Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly took a dare from a friend. He sat on top of a flagpole for thirteen hours and thirteen minutes. Soon Kelly was hired all across the United States to repeat the stunt. Other daredevils imitated him, competing for monelc"