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Researching the 1920's Era

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Searching by Subject Headings

To identify materials about a particular type of literature, consider the following subject headings: These might be good for historical research on the era.

Reference Sources (Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

American decades / edited by Richard Layman Detroit : Gale Research, c1994-2001 LOCATION: Reference Collection E169.12 .A419 1920-29

American decades primary sources / edited by Cynthia Rose Detroit : Gale, c2004 LOCATION: Reference Collection E169.1 .A471977 2004 v.3 

Bowling, beatniks, and bell-bottoms : pop culture of 20th-century America / Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, editors  Detroit : U X L, c2002 LOCATION: Reference Collection E169.1 .B7825 2002

Books about the 1920's: Literary, Social and Cultural Histories

American Heritage History of the 1920's & 1930's / Ralph K. Andrist (Editor) New York: Crown Publishers, 1987 LOCATION: General Collection E784.A67 1987

Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1939: Decades of Promise and Pain / David E. Kyvig Westport, CT : Greenwood Press, c2002 LOCATION: General Collection E169.K985 2002

Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and the Twenties / Ronald Berman Tuscaloosa : University of Alabama Press, c2001 LOCATION: General Collection PS3511.I9 Z55774 2001

The great trials of the twenties: the watershed decade in America's courtrooms / by Robert Grant and Joseph Katz Rockville Centre, NY: Sarpedon, 1998 LOCATION: General Collection KF220.G73 1998

The jazz age: the 20s / by the editors of Time-Life Books Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1998 LOCATION: General Collection E784.J39 1998

The Lawless Decade / Paul Sann New York: Crown Publishers, 1961 LOCATION: General Collection E784.S3

New world coming : the 1920s and the making of modern America / Nathan Miller  New York : Scribner, c2003 LOCATION: General Collection E784.M555 2003

The Roaring Twenties Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2004 LOCATION: General Collection E784.R63 2004

Sacco & Vanzetti: [Italian immigrants and anarchists, framed by the State and executed for murder in Boston during the Red Scare of the 1920s] / edited by John Davis New York: Ocean Press, 2004 LOCATION: General Collection HX843.7.S23 A97 2004

Saying it's so: a cultural history of the Black Sox scandal / Daniel A. Nathan Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2003 LOCATION: General Collection GV875.C58 N38 2003

VideoResources

The Great Gatsby [videorecording] / produced by David Merrick ; directed by Jack Clayton ; screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola 1 videocassette (146 min.) Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story concerns a mysterious American millionaire whose efforts to recapture the sweetheart of his youth results in tragedy. LOCATION: Popular Collection ZZT 2345

The Twenties [videorecording] / produced by Richard Petrow ; written by Bill Moyers, Richard Petrow. 1 videocassette (58 min.) Journalist Bill Moyers looks at the 1920's, usually seen as the age of speakeasies, flappers and high living. The age also saw millions of workers struggling for better wages. He explores the decade when old America was vanishing and a new urban nation was being formed. Includes reminiscences of Americans who lived during the period. LOCATION: Circulation Desk E784 .T9 1988 (In Library Use)

Click here to go to databases.

Academic Search Complete

Academic Search Complete contains indexing and some full text for 1,837 journals. This scholarly collection provides journal coverage for nearly all academic areas of study - including social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences and ethnic studies. 

Chicago Tribune Historical

Digital image of every issue of the Chicago Tribune from 1890-1956, cover-to-cover. Use this database to find not only news, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements but also historical photos, stock photos, and advertisements. By utilizing software enhancements, the original microfilm image can frequently be improved for a cleaner, more readable image. And the date range searching tool lets users search on, before, or between two dates. On completion, the Chicago Tribune Historical database will cover the years 1849-1984. It currently holds the years 1890-1946.

History Study Center

History Study Center provides access to primary and secondary American history sources, full text articles, video, research guides, and reference materials.

New York Times Historical

Digital image of every issue of the New York Times from 1851-1999, cover-to-cover. Use this database to find not only news, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements but also historical photos, stock photos, and advertisements. By utilizing software enhancements, the original microfilm image can frequently be improved for a cleaner, more readable image. And the date range searching tool lets users search on, before, or between two dates. 

JSTOR is an archive of digitized journal articles ranging in date from the 1700's to the early 2000's. These collections span a variety of subjects in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Physical Sciences.

Project Muse

"Project MUSE is a leading provider of digital humanities and social sciences content; since 1995, its electronic journal collections have supported a wide array of research needs at academic, public, special, and school libraries worldwide. MUSE books and journals, from leading university presses and scholarly societies, are fully integrated for search and discovery." (From the website)

American Experience: Monkey Trial Hosted by PBS, the American Experience series chronicles major events in US history. This site provides good background information about the Scopes trial, including: timelines, speeches, and links to further reading. An excellent background source to assist in developing a thesis topic.

The 1920's This is a remarkably well constructed website about the 1920's era. This Digital History site comes from the University of Houston.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary Website This website, published by the University of South Carolina, provides a wealth of biographical and critical information regarding F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby," and many of Fitzgerald other works as well.

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US History: Resources by Decade: 1920s

1920s: resources from database u.s. history in context (gale).

• U.S. History in Context (Gale): 1920s This link contains a variety of content (e.g. an overview, academic journals, primary sources, images, references) on the 1920s.

Barnett, Thomas P. (American architect, 1870-1929), Role: painter. (Work: 1922, Era: CE, Image Date: 1989). Riches of the Mines, detail view. [mural paintings (visual works)].  https://library.artstor.org/public/SS7732236_7732236_12897144

Ebooks and Print Books: USA in 1920s

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• Last Updated: Jan 19, 2024 11:50 AM
• URL: https://libguides.polk.edu/usabydecade

Polk State College is committed to equal access/equal opportunity in its programs, activities, and employment. For additional information, visit polk.edu/compliance .

Primary Source Guides

Becoming Modern: America in the 1920s

• Examines the 1920s in comparison to the preceding and succeeding decades, highlighting four characteristics that distinguish it.
• Discusses the benefits and limitations of taking a snapshot view of a historical period.
• Suggests research methods to test hypotheses about the decade.
• Delves into how modernity was defined in the 1920s, both on a national and personal level.
• Explores the aspects of modernity that were embraced, resisted, or overlooked during the decade
• Examines how social and political divisions of the time were reflected in debates about modernity.
• Explores how innovations of the “machine age” transformed American life in the 1920s.
• Examines the perspectives of both proponents and critics of these changes, including artists.
• Considers the long-term effects predicted from these innovations.
• Draws parallels between the 1920s discussions on technological innovation and social change and similar discussions in the 21st century.
• Explores the factors that contributed to or hindered the unprecedented prosperity of the 1920s.
• Discusses how “prosperity” became a source of national pride and was adapted to suit various political and psychological aspirations.
• Examines the role of workingmen and labor unions in the economic landscape and compares the economic cycles of the 1920s to those before and after the decade.
• Investigates the social divisions of the 1920s, examining the factors that led to these divisions and how they were influenced by postwar adjustments and the concept of the “modern age.”
• Identifies common issues that overlapped multiple social divisions and traces the evolution of these issues into the 1930s as the nation faced the Great Depression.

This educational resource provides a comprehensive exploration of the 1920s in America, highlighting key themes, questions, and historical contexts to better understand this pivotal decade in American history.

• John F. Kasson (NHC Fellow, 1980–81; 2009–10)
• Sean McCann (NHC Fellow, 2001–02)
• Karen Lucic (Professor of Art, Vassar College)

History / American History / The Twenties / Modernism / United States of America /

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The Roaring Twenties

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 28, 2023 | Original: April 14, 2010

The Roaring Twenties was a period in American history of dramatic social, economic and political change. For the first time, more Americans lived in cities than on farms. The nation’s total wealth more than doubled between 1920 and 1929, and gross national product (GNP) expanded by 40 percent from 1922 to 1929. This economic engine swept many Americans into an affluent “consumer culture” in which people nationwide saw the same advertisements, bought the same goods, listened to the same music and did the same dances. Many Americans, however, were uncomfortable with this racy urban lifestyle, and the decade of Prohibition brought more conflict than celebration. But for some, the Jazz Age of the 1920s roared loud and long, until the excesses of the Roaring Twenties came crashing down as the economy tanked at the decade’s end.

Flappers: The 'New Woman'

Perhaps the most familiar symbol of the “Roaring Twenties” is probably the flapper : a young woman with bobbed hair and short skirts who drank, smoked and said “unladylike” things, in addition to being more sexually “free” than previous generations. In reality, most young women in the 1920s did none of these things (though many did adopt a fashionable flapper wardrobe ), but even those women who were not flappers gained some unprecedented freedoms.

They could vote at last: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution had guaranteed that right in 1920, though it would be decades before Black women in the South could fully exercise their right to vote without Jim Crow segregation laws.

Millions of women worked in blue-collar jobs, as well as white-collar jobs (as stenographers, for example) and could afford to participate in the burgeoning consumer economy. The increased availability of birth-control devices such as the diaphragm made it possible for women to have fewer children.

In 1912, an estimated 16 percent of American households had electricity; by the mid-1920s, more than 60 percent did. And with this electrification came new machines and technologies like the washing machine, the freezer and the vacuum cleaner eliminated some of the drudgeries of household work.

Did you know? Because the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act did not make it illegal to drink alcohol, only to manufacture and sell it, many people stockpiled liquor before the ban went into effect. Rumor had it that the Yale Club in New York City had a 14-year supply of booze in its basement.

Fashion, Fads and Film Stars

During the 1920s, many Americans had extra money to spend—and spend it they did, on movies, fashion and consumer goods such as ready-to-wear clothing and home appliances like electric refrigerators. In particular, they bought radios.

The first commercial radio station in the United States, Pittsburgh’s KDKA , hit the airwaves in 1920. Two years later Warren G. Harding became the first president to address the nation by radio —and three years later there were more than 500 stations in the nation. By the end of the 1920s, there were radios in more than 12 million households.

People also swarmed to see Hollywood movies: Historians estimate that, by the end of the decades, three-quarters of the American population visited a movie theater every week, and actors like Charlie Chaplin , Gloria Swanson, Rudolph Valentino and Tallulah Bankhead became household names.

But the most important consumer product of the 1920s was the automobile . Low prices (the Ford Model T cost just $260 in 1924) and generous credit made cars affordable luxuries at the beginning of the decade; by the end, they were practically necessities.

By 1929 there was one car on the road for every five Americans. Meanwhile, an economy of automobiles was born: Businesses like service stations and motels sprang up to meet drivers’ needs—as did the burgeoning oil industry .

The Jazz Age

Cars also gave young people the freedom to go where they pleased and do what they wanted. (Some pundits called them “bedrooms on wheels.”) What many young people wanted to do was dance: the Charleston, the cake walk, the black bottom and the flea hop were popular dances of the era.

Jazz bands played at venues like the Savoy and the Cotton Club in New York City and the Aragon in Chicago ; radio stations and phonograph records (100 million of which were sold in 1927 alone) carried their tunes to listeners across the nation. Some older people objected to jazz music’s “vulgarity” and “depravity” (and the “moral disasters” it supposedly inspired), but many in the younger generation loved the freedom they felt on the dance floor.

The novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald chronicled the hedonism and excitement of the Jazz Age—Fitzgerald once claimed that the 1920s were “the most expensive orgy in history”—while other writers, artists, musicians and designers ushered in a new era of experimental Art Deco and modernist creativity.

Prohibition Era

During the 1920s, some freedoms were expanded while others were curtailed. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1919, had banned the manufacture and sale of “intoxicating liquors,” and at 12 a.m. on January 16, 1920, the federal Volstead Act closed every tavern, bar and saloon in the United States. From then on, it was illegal to sell any “intoxication beverages” with more than 0.5 percent alcohol.

This drove the liquor trade underground—now, instead of ordinary bars, people simply went to nominally illegal speakeasies, where liquor was controlled by bootleggers, racketeers and other organized crime figures such as Chicago gangster Al Capone . (Capone reportedly had 1,000 gunmen and half of Chicago’s police force on his payroll.)

To many middle-class white Americans, Prohibition was a way to assert some control over the unruly immigrant masses who crowded the nation’s cities. For instance, to the so-called “Drys,” beer was known as “Kaiser brew.” Drinking was a symbol of all they disliked about the modern city, and eliminating alcohol would, they believed, turn back the clock to an earlier and more comfortable time

Immigration and Racism in the 1920s

Prohibition was not the only source of social tension during the 1920s. An anti- Communist “Red Scare” in 1919 and 1920 encouraged a widespread nativist and anti-immigrant hysteria. This led to the passage of an extremely restrictive immigration law, the National Origins Act of 1924 , which set immigration quotas that excluded some people (Eastern Europeans and Asians) in favor of others (Northern Europeans and people from Great Britain, for example).

Immigrants were hardly the only targets in this decade. The Great Migration of Black Americans from the rural South to Northern cities and the increasing visibility of Black culture—jazz and blues music, for example, and the literary movement known as the Harlem Renaissance —discomfited some white Americans. Millions of people, not just in the South but across the country, joined the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.

By the middle of the decade, the KKK had two million members, many of whom believed the Klan represented a return to all the “values” that the fast-paced, city-slicker Roaring Twenties were trampling. More specifically, the 1920s represented economic and political uplift for Black Americans that threatened the social hierarchy of Jim Crow oppression. 

Early Civil Rights Activism

During this decade, Black Americans sought stable employment, better living conditions and political participation. Many who migrated to the North found jobs in the automobile, steel, shipbuilding and meatpacking industries. But with more work came more exploitation.

In 1925, civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph founded the first predominantly Black labor union , the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters , to draw attention to the discriminatory hiring practices and working conditions for Blacks. And as housing demands increased for Black people in the North, so did discriminatory housing practices that led to a rise of urban ghettos, where Black Americans—excluded from white neighborhoods—were relegated to inadequate, overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions.

Black Americans battled for political and civil rights throughout the Roaring Twenties and beyond. The NAACP launched investigations into Black disenfranchisement in the 1920 presidential election, as well as surges of white mob violence, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.

The NAACP also pushed for the passage of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, a law to make lynching a federal crime, but it was defeated by a Senate filibuster in 1922. A political milestone for Black Americans finally occurred when Oscar De Priest , a Chicago Republican , became the first Black congressman since Reconstruction to be elected to the House of Representatives in 1928.

The Roaring Twenties ushered in several demographic shifts, or what one historian called a “cultural Civil War” between city-dwellers and small-town residents, Protestants and Catholics, Blacks and whites, “New Women” and advocates of old-fashioned family values.

But coming immediately after the hardships of World War I and the Spanish flu epidemic , the Roaring Twenties also gave many middle-class Americans an unprecedented taste of freedom, unbridled fun and upward economic mobility unsurpassed in U.S. history.

What Caused the Roaring Twenties? Not the End of a Pandemic (Probably). Smithsonian Magazine . The Roaring Twenties. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History . The Roaring 20s. PBS: American Experience .

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The Roaring 20s

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Course: US history   >   Unit 7

• The Nineteenth Amendment
• 1920s urbanization and immigration
• The reemergence of the KKK
• Prohibition
• Republican ascendancy: politics in the 1920s
• The presidency of Calvin Coolidge
• 1920s consumption
• Movies, radio, and sports in the 1920s

American culture in the 1920s

• Nativism and fundamentalism in the 1920s
• America in the 1920s

• The Lost Generation refers to the generation of artists, writers, and intellectuals that came of age during the First World War (1914-1918) and the “Roaring Twenties.”
• The utter carnage and uncertain outcome of the war was disillusioning, and many began to question the values and assumptions of Western civilization.
• Economic, political, and technological developments heightened the popularity of jazz music in the 1920s, a decade of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity in the United States.
• African Americans were highly influential in the music and literature of the 1920s.

The First World War

The lost generation, jazz and the “roaring twenties”, the harlem renaissance, what do you think.

• For more, see David M. Kennedy, Over Here: The First World War and American Society (New York: Oxford University Press, 1980).
• For more, see Noel Riley Fitch, Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation: A History of Literary Paris in the Twenties and Thirties (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1985).
• See Lynn Dumenil, The Modern Temper: American Culture and Society in the 1920s (New York: Hill and Wang, 1995).
• See Kathy J. Ogren, The Jazz Revolution: Twenties America and the Meaning of Jazz (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992).
• For more on the Harlem Renaissance, see Jeffrey B. Ferguson, The Harlem Renaissance: A Brief History with Documents (New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007).

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Flappers: Topics in Chronicling America

Search strategies & selected articles.

• Introduction

The links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in Chronicling America . You can further explore the topic of "Flappers" using the following search strategies:

• Use the following terms in combination, proximity, or as a phrase: british flapper , modern girl , flapper style , jazz , bob haircut

Selected Articles from Chronicling America

• "Graceful Fashions for the Flapper" The Tomahawk (White Earth, Becker County, MN), January 2, 1919, Image 3, col. 3-4.
• "Everyday Flapper Clothes for Spring" Chicago Eagle (Chicago, IL), January 25, 1919, Page 11, Image 12, , col. 3-4.
• "British Flappers Like Morning 'Nip" The Washington Times (Washington, DC), June 8, 1919, NATIONAL EDITION, Image 1, col. 6.
• "British Flappers Can't Land Jobs" The Washington Times (Washington, DC), October 14, 1919, FINAL EDITION, Page 20, Image 20. col. 1.
• "Those Fluttering Flappers " The Evening World (New York, NY), April 20, 1920, Final Edition, Image 21, col. 7-8.
• "Flapper Philosophy..." The Evening World (New York, NY), May 8, 1920, Final Edition, Image 10, col. 7.
• "Modern Girls Face Certain Disaster; "Flappers" Called Saddest Type of All" El Paso Herald (El Paso, TX), May 8, 1920, HOME EDITION, Cable News, Sport and Classified Section, Image 15, col. 1-2.
• "Mother Not to Blame for Flapper's Flapping" The Evening World (New York, NY), February 3, 1922, Final Edition, Page 29, Image 29, col. 1-2.
• "Flapper Suits" The Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT), March 26, 1922, MAGAZINE SECTION, Image 31, col. 1-3.
• "Flappers" Tombstone Epitaph (Tombstone, AZ), April 30, 1922, Page 4, Image 4, col. 2.
• "Old-time Jargon "Kicks in" as Flapper Evolves New Jargon" The Morning Tulsa Daily World (Tulsa, OK), May 7, 1922, FINAL EDITION, FEATURE SECTION, Image 29, col. 6-7.
• "Big Business Banishes the Flapper" The Morning Tulsa Daily World (Tulsa, OK), July 16, 1922, FINAL EDTION, COMIC AND MAGAZINE SECTION, Image 26, col. 1-5.
• "Even Turkey Bars the Flapper" The Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT), October 1, 1922, The Standard-Examiner Sunday Feature Section, Page 2, Image 18, col. 1-6.
• "Woman Always Pays, Says Girl of 14 in First Flapper Tragedy" The Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT), May 1, 1922, LAST EDITION-4 P.M., Image 1, col. 4-5.
• "The Origin and Rise of the Flapper" New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 23, 1922, Page 3, Image 53, col. 2-5.
• "Typical Flappers" Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, AZ), August 2, 1922, Image 1, col. 3.
• << Previous: Introduction
• Last Updated: Dec 28, 2023 10:35 AM
• URL: https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-flappers

U.S. History: 1920s Research Assignment - Mrs. Thomson

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Mrs. Thomsons U.S. History

1920s Research Assignment

Description

For this project, you will be researching a topic within the decade of the 1920s and will be completing an annotated bibliography.  You will also be participating in an online discussion to share and discuss your research and ideas.

• 1920s Research Topics

Assignment: Part 1 - Annotated Bibliography

You will be using Student Resources in Context (Gale) and  World History: Modern Era  (ABC-Clio) databases, print resources and authoritative websites to conduct your research.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. For this assignment our annotations will do the following:

• Summarize : Includes the title and author of the book/article. What topics are covered? What are the main arguments? What is the author’s purpose in writing this piece (what do they want the reader to think or understand)?
• Reflect : Once you've summarized a source, discuss how it fits into your topic of study on the 1920’s. How does the information you found relate? How was the source you found useful to your topic?

          9 Required Sources for the annotated bibliography:

• 2 reference articles from the databases
• 1 newspaper or magazine article from the databases
• 2 web based sources (authoritative) - use a web evaluation checklist if needed
• 1 print reference article from the media center
• 1 other book source from the media center
• 1 primary source image
• 1 primary source

Assignment: Part 2 - Online Discussion

After you complete your research you will be completing an online discussion of the themes found in your research.

You will post your response on the following blog:

          Mrs. Thomson's Blog  Block 2

Your response should reflect analysis of the sources read and a clear explanation of the following question:  How was the 1920s a decade of change? 

Response Guidelines

• Provide an answer to the question with evidence from research and the textbook
• Offer insights on the significance of the sources used and their usefulness and what clues it gives about the 1920s as a decade.
• Your response should be a minimum of two paragraphs
• Make connections between their research and your own
• Respond to their posts and pose your own questions
• Provide additional information/insight on their topic

Competencies & Rubric

Using multiple historical contexts, students will analyze the connection between ideologies and human behavior due to changing demographic patterns, civic ideals, and the role of government.

Power & Wealth

Using multiple historical contexts, students will analyze the recurring social tension caused by differences in power, wealth, and influence, as well as critique successful and unsuccessful attempts to resolve these issues. #1

• 1920s Competencies & Rubric

Assignment Sheet - Block 2 (printable)

• 1920s Research Assignment. Thomson

Annotated Bibliography Step-by-Step

• Log into NoodleBib.
• Open another tab and go to the Media Center home page.
• Click on the Research Guides tab at the top of the page.
• In the Databases box, click on Student Resources in Context .
• Remember to search by keyword, then limit your results by Document Type and Subject .
• Choose Database from drop-down menu-> select Reference Source -> Quick Cite (to copy & paste citation)
• Scroll to the bottom of the citation page and summarize the article (4-6 sentences) in the annotation box.
• Next, reflect upon why this article is relevant to your topic and add your reflection (4-6 sentences) to the annotation box.
• Repeat steps 3-7 for a print reference article . (Refer to the 3 lists of reference books on the 1920 Resources page.)
• Repeat steps 3-7 for a magazine or newspaper article . (You may use EBSCO's Explora or Academic Search Premier if you prefer.)
• Go to Google and find a RELIABLE and VALID source relating to your topic. Repeat steps 4-7 for a web based source
• Continue with the same procedure for the remaining required sources.
• Once you’ve completed your annotation and cited your source, click “submit.”
• Export your NoodleBib works cited page to Microsoft Word.
• Lastly, make sure your name, the date, and the class are typed into your works cited page and print.

Block 1 Assignment

Essential Question:  How was the 1920s a decade of political, technological, economic and cultural change?

Description:  For this project, you will be researching a topic within the decade of the 1920’s and will be completing an annotated bibliography.  You will also be participating in an online discussion using a blog format.

4 Required Sources for the annotated bibliography:

• 2 reference articles from Student Resources in Context and/ or World History: Modern Era databases
• 1 web based source other than a database (authoritative)

        Due: At the end of class on Friday, 11/20

Online Discussion:

         After you complete your research you will be completing an online discussion of the themes found in your research. Your  response should answer the essential question:  How was the 1920s a decade of change? (political, technological, economic, and cultural change)

          You will post your response on the following blog:      http://ushistoryfound.blogspot.com/

          Initial Posting Due: Monday 11/23 & follow up postings due 11/24

• Block 1 1920s Annotated Bibliography Assignment Sheet (printable)
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Interesting American History Research Paper Topics

In this page, we present a comprehensive guide to finding and selecting interesting American history research paper topics . Whether you are a history student or an academic researcher, this resource aims to provide you with a wealth of options and insights to uncover the captivating stories and significant events that have shaped the American experience. With a focus on engaging and thought-provoking subject matter, our list of interesting American history research paper topics covers a wide range of categories and subtopics. By delving into these captivating areas, you can delve into the rich tapestry of American history and develop a research paper that offers fresh perspectives and compelling narratives.

100 Interesting American History Research Paper Topics

Exploring the fascinating realms of American history offers students and researchers a multitude of opportunities to delve into captivating topics. In this section, we present a comprehensive list of interesting American history research paper topics, carefully organized into 10 categories. From political milestones to social movements, cultural shifts, and economic transformations, these topics provide a broad spectrum of ideas for conducting in-depth research and analysis. Let’s dive into the rich tapestry of interesting American history research paper topics and discover the intriguing topics that await exploration.

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• The impact of the Mayflower Compact on the development of self-governance in early America
• The Salem Witch Trials: Causes, consequences, and the cultural context of witchcraft accusations
• The role of religious freedom in the establishment of the thirteen colonies
• Slavery in Colonial America: Origins, expansion, and resistance
• The influence of the Great Awakening on the religious landscape of Colonial America
• The founding of Jamestown: Challenges, triumphs, and the establishment of the first permanent English settlement
• The interaction between Native American tribes and European colonizers in early America
• The impact of the French and Indian War on the relationship between the American colonies and the British Empire
• The evolution of the Puritan society in New England: Ideals, conflicts, and legacy
• The Boston Tea Party: Causes, significance, and its role in igniting the American Revolution

Revolutionary Era and the Founding of the Nation

• The ideological roots of the American Revolution: Enlightenment philosophy and its influence on the Founding Fathers
• The role of women in the American Revolution: Activism, contributions, and challenges
• The drafting and impact of the Declaration of Independence: Ideas, influences, and its enduring legacy
• The Constitutional Convention: Debates, compromises, and the creation of the U.S. Constitution
• Alexander Hamilton and the economic policies that shaped early America
• The Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist debates: Perspectives on government and the formation of political parties
• The impact of the American Revolution on slavery and the abolitionist movement
• The Battle of Yorktown: Turning point of the Revolutionary War and its consequences
• The emergence of political cartoons during the Revolutionary Era and their role in shaping public opinion
• The Whiskey Rebellion: Causes, consequences, and its significance in early American history

Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny

• The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Goals, challenges, and their impact on westward expansion
• The Louisiana Purchase: Motivations, negotiations, and the consequences for American expansion
• The Oregon Trail: Challenges, hardships, and the experiences of pioneers
• The Mexican-American War: Causes, outcomes, and its impact on territorial expansion
• The Gold Rush of 1849: Socioeconomic effects and its influence on westward migration
• Native American displacement and resistance during westward expansion
• The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad: Technological advancements, economic implications, and cultural transformations
• The Homestead Act of 1862: Promises, challenges, and its effects on settlement in the West
• The Battle of Little Bighorn: Perspectives, myths, and the clash of cultures
• The closing of the American frontier: Consequences and the legacy of westward expansion

Civil War and Reconstruction

• The causes and consequences of the Civil War: Political, economic, and social factors
• The Emancipation Proclamation: Impact, limitations, and its significance for African Americans
• The role of women during the Civil War: Nurses, spies, and activists
• Abraham Lincoln: Leadership, speeches, and the legacy of his presidency
• Reconstruction policies: Successes, failures, and their long-term effects on the nation
• The impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments on the rights of African Americans
• The Freedmen’s Bureau: Mission, challenges, and its efforts to assist newly emancipated slaves
• The Ku Klux Klan: Origins, activities, and its influence on racial tensions during Reconstruction
• The assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Conspiracies, aftermath, and its impact on national healing
• The Compromise of 1877: Resolving the disputed presidential election and its implications for Reconstruction

Progressive Era and the Gilded Age

• The rise of industrialization in America: Technological advancements, urbanization, and social transformations
• The Progressive Movement: Goals, reforms, and its impact on American society and politics
• The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire: Tragedy, labor activism, and the fight for workplace safety regulations
• The Populist Party: Origins, demands, and its influence on political discourse
• The role of women in the suffrage movement: Leaders, strategies, and the fight for voting rights
• Theodore Roosevelt and the conservation movement: Policies, national parks, and environmental advocacy
• The Haymarket Affair: Labor unrest, anarchist influences, and the impact on labor movements
• The Spanish-American War: Motivations, outcomes, and its impact on American imperialism
• The Great Railroad Strike of 1877: Causes, consequences, and its significance in labor history
• The Panama Canal: Construction, geopolitical implications, and its role in international trade

World War I and the Roaring Twenties

• America’s entry into World War I: Motivations, consequences, and the impact on American society
• The Treaty of Versailles: Negotiations, implications, and the U.S. decision not to ratify
• The Harlem Renaissance: Cultural movements, artistic achievements, and the African American experience
• Prohibition and the rise of organized crime: Causes, enforcement, and social consequences
• The Scopes Trial: Evolution vs. creationism, the clash of science and religion, and its legal ramifications
• The Red Scare: Anti-communist hysteria, political repression, and its effects on civil liberties
• The Jazz Age: Music, fashion, and the changing social dynamics of the 1920s
• Women’s suffrage and the 19th Amendment: Struggles, victories, and the changing role of women in society
• The Great Migration: Causes, experiences, and the impact of African Americans moving from the South to urban centers
• The Wall Street Crash of 1929: Causes, consequences, and its role in the onset of the Great Depression

The Great Depression and New Deal Era

• The causes and impact of the Great Depression on American society and the global economy
• The Dust Bowl: Environmental disaster, migration, and government responses
• The New Deal: Programs, policies, and their effectiveness in addressing the economic crisis
• The role of Eleanor Roosevelt: Activism, advocacy, and her influence on social reform
• The Bonus Army: Protests, the military response, and its impact on public opinion
• The Federal Writers’ Project: Literary contributions, folklore collection, and the preservation of American culture
• The art of the Great Depression: Visual expressions of hardship, resilience, and social commentary
• The Wagner Act: Labor rights, unionization, and its impact on workers’ rights
• The Social Security Act: Origins, provisions, and its legacy in social welfare programs
• The Dust Bowl migration and its influence on the demographic and cultural landscape of the West Coast

World War II and Post-War America

• America’s entry into World War II: Pearl Harbor, the home front, and the war effort
• The Manhattan Project: Development of the atomic bomb, ethical implications, and its role in ending the war
• Japanese internment during World War II: Causes, consequences, and the violation of civil liberties
• The GI Bill: Educational opportunities, housing benefits, and its impact on returning veterans
• The Marshall Plan: Reconstruction of Europe, containment policy, and America’s role in post-war recovery
• The Cold War: Origins, conflicts, and the impact on American society and foreign policy
• The Civil Rights Movement: Leaders, strategies, and the fight for racial equality
• McCarthyism and the Red Scare: Communist witch hunts, political repression, and the Hollywood blacklist
• The Korean War: Causes, outcomes, and its impact on the balance of power in Asia
• The Baby Boom: Population growth, suburbanization, and the changing dynamics of American family life

Civil Rights Movement and Social Change

• Brown v. Board of Education: Segregation, desegregation, and the landmark Supreme Court decision
• The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and the power of nonviolent resistance
• The March on Washington: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and its impact on civil rights legislation
• The Black Panther Party: Activism, community organizing, and the struggle for racial justice
• The Feminist Movement: Women’s liberation, reproductive rights, and the fight for gender equality
• The Stonewall Riots: LGBTQ+ activism, the birth of the gay rights movement, and the fight for equal rights
• The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968: Native American sovereignty, activism, and the pursuit of self-determination
• The Chicano Movement: Immigration, labor rights, and the fight for social and political equality
• The Counterculture of the 1960s: Anti-war protests, hippie culture, and the quest for social change
• The Environmental Movement: Rachel Carson, Earth Day, and the fight for environmental awareness and conservation

Modern America and Contemporary Issues

• The Watergate Scandal: Political corruption, investigative journalism, and its impact on American politics
• The Reagan Era: Conservative politics, economic policies, and the redefinition of American conservatism
• The 9/11 Attacks: Causes, consequences, and the impact on national security and foreign policy
• The rise of social media: Transformations in communication, privacy concerns, and the influence on society
• The Black Lives Matter movement: Racial justice, police brutality, and the fight against systemic racism
• The #MeToo movement: Sexual harassment, gender equality, and the call for social change
• The opioid crisis: Causes, consequences, and the efforts to address the epidemic
• The presidency of Barack Obama: Historical significance, policies, and the impact on American society
• Immigration policy in the 21st century: Debates, challenges, and the changing demographics of America
• Climate change and environmental activism: The scientific consensus, policy debates, and the quest for sustainable solutions

This comprehensive list of interesting American history research paper topics provides a wide array of options for students and researchers to explore the captivating stories and pivotal moments in American history. From the early colonial period to modern-day issues, these topics offer abundant opportunities for in-depth research, critical analysis, and engaging writing. By selecting a topic aligned with personal interests and academic goals, students can embark on a rewarding journey of discovery and contribute to the rich tapestry of American historical scholarship.

American History: Exploring the Range of Interesting Research Paper Topics

American history is a captivating and diverse subject that encompasses a vast array of fascinating topics. From the early colonization of the continent to the modern era, the history of the United States is filled with remarkable events, influential figures, and transformative social movements. In this article, we will explore the breadth and depth of interesting American history research paper topics, providing students with a rich tapestry of subjects to investigate and analyze. By delving into these topics, students can gain a deeper understanding of the nation’s past, its complexities, and its enduring impact on the present.

• Colonial America : Colonial America serves as the foundation of American history, and exploring its various aspects can offer valuable insights. Topics in this category may include the establishment and development of the Jamestown settlement, the religious beliefs and social structure of Puritanism in early New England, the causes and consequences of the Salem Witch Trials, the impact of Native American-European encounters, and the role of women in colonial society.
• Revolutionary Period and the Founding Fathers : The Revolutionary Period marked a significant turning point in American history. Research paper topics in this category can focus on the causes and significance of the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and its impact on American identity, the role of key Founding Fathers such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, the Revolutionary War’s military strategies and key battles, and the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution.
• Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny : The concept of Manifest Destiny and westward expansion played a pivotal role in shaping America. Research topics may include the motivations and impact of the Louisiana Purchase, the experiences and challenges of pioneers on the Oregon Trail, the social and economic transformations brought about by the California Gold Rush, the impact of the Mexican-American War on territorial expansion, and the resistance and struggles of Native American tribes.
• Civil War and Reconstruction : The Civil War and Reconstruction era remain critical periods in American history. Students can explore topics such as the causes and consequences of the Civil War, key battles and military strategies, the leadership and speeches of Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation and its significance in ending slavery, and the policies and impact of the Reconstruction period on the nation.
• Industrialization and the Gilded Age : The Gilded Age witnessed rapid industrialization and significant social changes. Research paper topics in this category may include the rise of industrialization and its technological advancements, the labor movement and the fight for workers’ rights, the Progressive Era’s social reforms and political changes, the women’s suffrage movement and the struggle for gender equality, and the challenges and contributions of immigration and urbanization.
• World Wars and the Interwar Period : The World Wars and the interwar period shaped America’s position on the global stage. Students can explore topics such as America’s involvement in World War I, the cultural developments and societal changes of the Roaring Twenties, the causes and impact of the Great Depression, America’s role in World War II and the home front experience, and the post-war era marked by the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a global superpower.
• Civil Rights Movement and Social Change : The Civil Rights Movement and other social movements brought about significant change in American society. Research paper topics may include key events and figures of the Civil Rights Movement, the struggle for equality and justice, the impact of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., the fight for women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights, and the broader social changes of the 1960s and beyond.
• Cultural and Intellectual Movements : Exploring cultural and intellectual movements provides insights into American society. Research topics can cover areas such as the Harlem Renaissance, the Beat Generation and counterculture movements, the feminist movement and women’s liberation, the impact of popular culture, and the influence of art, literature, and music on American society.
• Economic and Industrial Development : America’s economic and industrial development has had a profound impact on its history. Research paper topics in this category can include the rise of big business and monopolies, the impact of technological advancements such as the automobile and electricity, the evolution of labor and consumerism, the Great Depression and its consequences, and the challenges and transformations of the modern economy.
• Foreign Policy and International Relations : American foreign policy and international relations have shaped the nation’s role on the global stage. Topics in this category may include America’s involvement in wars and conflicts, diplomatic relations with other nations, the Cold War and its impact on American society, the evolution of globalization, and contemporary foreign policy challenges.

Exploring the diverse and intriguing aspects of American history through research paper topics allows students to deepen their understanding of the nation’s past. From the early colonization to modern-day challenges, the range of interesting American history research paper topics is vast and captivating. By selecting an interesting research paper topic and delving into the associated historical context, students can develop critical thinking skills, expand their knowledge, and contribute to the ongoing exploration of America’s rich and complex history.

How to Choose an Interesting Topic in American History

Selecting an engaging and thought-provoking research paper topic is essential for a successful study in American history. With such a vast and rich historical landscape, it can be challenging to narrow down your focus and choose a topic that piques your interest while offering ample opportunities for exploration. In this section, we will provide you with valuable tips on how to choose interesting American history research paper topics that align with your academic goals and captivate your audience.

• Identify Your Interests and Passions : Start by reflecting on your personal interests and passions within American history. Are you fascinated by a particular period, such as the Revolutionary War or the Civil Rights Movement? Do you have a keen interest in social, political, or cultural aspects of American history? By selecting a topic that genuinely interests you, you will be more motivated to delve into the research and produce a compelling paper.
• Consider Unexplored or Understudied Areas : While popular topics in American history are widely discussed, consider exploring lesser-known or understudied areas. Look for hidden narratives, forgotten voices, or overlooked events that offer new perspectives on American history. This approach not only allows you to contribute to the field but also adds novelty and intrigue to your research paper.
• Focus on Specific Regions or Communities : American history is diverse and encompasses a wide range of regions, communities, and cultures. Narrowing down your topic to a specific geographic area or community can provide a more focused and nuanced analysis. For example, you may choose to explore the experiences of Native American tribes in a particular region, the contributions of a specific immigrant group, or the impact of a social movement in a particular city.
• Examine Social and Cultural Aspects : American history is not just about politics and wars; it encompasses social and cultural aspects that have shaped the nation. Consider topics that delve into art, literature, music, popular culture, and social movements. Analyze the impact of cultural icons, explore the evolution of American identity, or study the connections between art and politics during a particular era.
• Analyze Controversial Issues and Debates : Controversial issues and debates in American history offer ample opportunities for in-depth analysis and critical thinking. Select a topic that sparks debate or challenges traditional narratives. For example, you may examine the controversies surrounding the American Revolution, the complexities of Reconstruction, or the ongoing debates about immigration policies throughout history.
• Utilize Primary Sources : Incorporating primary sources into your research can add depth and authenticity to your paper. Primary sources include documents, diaries, letters, speeches, photographs, and other materials created during the period you are studying. By analyzing firsthand accounts, you can gain unique insights and provide a fresh perspective on your chosen topic.
• Consult Secondary Sources : Secondary sources, such as scholarly books, articles, and research papers, provide a foundation of knowledge and offer different interpretations of historical events. Consult reputable secondary sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of your topic and to situate your research within the broader historical context.
• Consider Interdisciplinary Approaches : American history intersects with various disciplines, such as sociology, literature, political science, and economics. Consider adopting an interdisciplinary approach to your research paper by integrating insights from multiple fields. This can add depth and complexity to your analysis and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the chosen topic.
• Evaluate Feasibility and Availability of Sources : Before finalizing your topic, assess the feasibility of conducting research and the availability of relevant sources. Ensure that there are sufficient primary and secondary sources accessible to you. If necessary, consult librarians, databases, and archival collections to determine the availability and accessibility of materials related to your chosen topic.
• Refine and Narrow Your Topic : Once you have identified a potential research topic, refine and narrow it down to ensure it is manageable within the scope of your research paper. Consider the time frame, geographical boundaries, and specific research questions you wish to explore. This process will help you maintain focus and produce a well-structured and coherent paper.

Choosing an interesting American history research paper topic is an exciting yet challenging task. By identifying your interests, exploring understudied areas, considering specific regions or communities, examining social and cultural aspects, analyzing controversies, utilizing primary and secondary sources, adopting interdisciplinary approaches, evaluating feasibility, and refining your topic, you can select a captivating subject that engages both you and your audience. Remember, a well-chosen topic sets the stage for a compelling research paper that contributes to the ongoing exploration of American history.

How to Write an American History Research Paper

Writing an interesting and captivating research paper on American history requires careful planning, thorough research, and effective writing strategies. Whether you are exploring a significant event, analyzing social movements, or examining the lives of influential figures, the following tips will guide you in crafting a compelling and well-structured research paper that engages your readers and showcases your understanding of American history.

• Develop a Clear and Concise Thesis Statement : A strong thesis statement is the foundation of your research paper. It should clearly state your argument or main idea and provide a roadmap for your paper. Ensure that your thesis statement is focused, specific, and supported by evidence from your research.
• Conduct In-Depth Research : Thorough research is crucial for an interesting American history research paper. Explore primary and secondary sources to gather relevant information, facts, and perspectives on your chosen topic. Utilize libraries, archives, databases, and reputable online sources to access a wide range of materials.
• Analyze Primary and Secondary Sources : Examine primary sources, such as documents, letters, diaries, speeches, and photographs, to gain firsthand insights into the historical context you are studying. Analyze secondary sources, including scholarly books and articles, to understand different interpretations and scholarly debates surrounding your topic. By critically evaluating sources, you can present a well-informed and balanced argument.
• Organize Your Research and Create an Outline : Organize your research findings and create a well-structured outline for your research paper. An outline helps you establish a logical flow and ensure that your arguments are presented coherently. Divide your paper into sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of your topic, and use subheadings to further organize your ideas.
• Craft Engaging Introductions and Conclusions : Capture your readers’ attention with an engaging introduction that presents the significance of your research topic and provides context for your study. Introduce your thesis statement and outline the key points you will address in your paper. In your conclusion, summarize your main arguments, restate your thesis, and offer some final thoughts or insights.
• Use Clear and Concise Language : Write in a clear and concise manner to effectively communicate your ideas. Avoid excessive jargon and complex language that may confuse your readers. Use active voice, straightforward sentences, and transition words to ensure a smooth and coherent flow of information.
• Present Strong Evidence and Support Your Claims : Support your arguments and claims with strong evidence from your research. Cite your sources accurately using the appropriate citation style (such as APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian) to give credit to the original authors and to demonstrate the credibility of your work. Use a mix of direct quotes, paraphrases, and summaries to incorporate evidence into your paper.
• Provide Historical Context : Place your research within the broader historical context to help readers understand the significance of your topic. Discuss relevant events, social conditions, cultural influences, and political factors that shaped the period you are studying. Providing historical context enhances the depth and understanding of your research paper.
• Analyze and Interpret Data : An interesting American history research paper goes beyond presenting facts and data. Analyze and interpret the information you have gathered to provide insightful perspectives and draw meaningful conclusions. Consider different viewpoints, historical interpretations, and the implications of your findings.
• Revise and Edit : Revision and editing are essential to polish your research paper and ensure its clarity and coherence. Review your paper for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors. Check the flow of your arguments and make sure your ideas are presented logically. Seek feedback from peers, instructors, or writing centers to gain valuable insights and improve your paper.

Writing an interesting American history research paper requires a combination of diligent research, critical thinking, and effective writing skills. By developing a clear thesis statement, conducting in-depth research, analyzing primary and secondary sources, organizing your ideas, using clear language, providing strong evidence, offering historical context, analyzing data, and revising and editing your work, you can create a research paper that engages your readers and contributes to the exploration of American history. Remember, the journey of writing a research paper is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the subject matter and share your knowledge with others.

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• Expert Degree-Holding Writers : At iResearchNet, we have a team of expert writers with advanced degrees in history. They have a deep understanding of American history, its diverse periods, and significant events. Our writers possess the knowledge and expertise to undertake research papers on various topics, ensuring accurate and well-informed content.
• Custom Written Works : We believe in delivering original and custom-written research papers tailored to your specific requirements. Our writers follow your instructions and guidelines to create unique and plagiarism-free papers. They conduct thorough research, analyze relevant sources, and present well-structured and coherent arguments.
• In-Depth Research : Our writers are skilled in conducting in-depth research on American history topics. They have access to extensive databases, scholarly journals, and reputable sources, allowing them to gather reliable and up-to-date information. They delve into primary and secondary sources, ensuring the incorporation of diverse perspectives and scholarly debates.
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• Top Quality : Quality is our utmost priority. We are committed to delivering research papers that meet the highest academic standards. Our writers pay attention to detail, conduct thorough proofreading and editing, and ensure the coherence, clarity, and logical flow of your paper. We strive for excellence in every aspect of our work.
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1920s Research Project (Ms. Gerry): Home

• Works Cited
• Sample MLA 8 Paper

Directions :

1. Choose one topic from the upper tab.

2. Search in the databases for your topic. (Note: you need to use two articles)

3. Take notes in the Note-Taking Sheet .  Look for helpful quotations and facts. Copy and paste the citations into the Note-Taking Sheet (in Schoology) AND MyBib.com .

4. Develop a strong  thesis   statement  about your topic. How did (your topic) reflect or change the 1920s? Or why was (your topic) important in the 1920s? See examples to the right.  Support your claim with  factual information  from your research. You should have three subtopics .

5. Draft a minimum five paragraph essay about your topic. (You may want make an outline first).  Include an introduction , at least  three body paragraphs (three subtopics) , and a conclusion .

6. Use MyBib for citations and attach your Works Cited to the last page.

Video Tutorials!

Did you miss something?  View the video of today's class:

Overview MyBib.com

Gale Virtual Reference Library  is a collection of 336 reference encyclopedias. Type in  your topic  and  1920s .  Home login:   montytech1     

Short Analysis Template

For a copy of the short analysis template,  click here.

How to Write the Short Analysis Essay

• React personally, however, do no use personal pronouns. Never write: “In my opinion…” Or “I think…”
• Put order to your argument, starting with the least compelling evidence and building to the most impressive point. 
• Use evidence from all articles to support your opinion. 

Short analysis format:

Introduction Paragraph:

• Write an interesting “hook” sentence that makes the reader want to read on.
• Briefly state the main points of your essay. Provide some background for your thesis.
• Strong statement of thesis. What you argue in your essay?

Examples of the beginnings of thesis statements:

• The Great Depression transformed American society in fundamental ways such...
• The 1930s witnessed a complete change in the way women worked due to ....
• Harper Lee was instrumental in breaking barriers in ... and .... with her classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Supporting Paragraphs:

• For each supporting paragraph bring down a briefly stated main point & then elaborate.
• Use your voice to discuss the prompt and the main point.
• Use evidence from the article to support your ideas.
• Discuss one point per supporting paragraph.
• Use both articles in your essay.  Choose one that you feel more strongly about.  Use the other article to dismiss 
• Incorporate in-text citations from the article.  Use  lead-in words  such as "According to," "As stated by," etc.  
• Use transition words to make the supporting paragraphs flow such as furthermore, in addition, moreover, first, second, third, finally, again, also, and, besides, further, in the first place, last, likewise, next, then.

Conclusion Paragraph:

• Restate your thesis / main idea.
• Summarize your main points. (Tie up any loose ends.)
• Create an strongly worded “clincher” sentence to end your conclusion.
• Never introduce new information in the conclusion.

Works Cited:

• A Works Cited is mandatory. (2 references required).  Use  MyBib.com
• Include citation information from both articles.
• Next: Topic List >>
• Last Updated: Feb 6, 2024 9:35 AM
• URL: https://montytech.libguides.com/1920sGerry

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Articles on 1920s

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A century ago, the women of Wales made an audacious appeal for world peace – this is their story

Jennifer Mathers , Aberystwyth University and Mererid Hopwood , Aberystwyth University

Why have you read ‘The Great Gatsby’ but not Ursula Parrott’s ‘ Ex-Wife ’?

Marsha Gordon , North Carolina State University

Marguerite Duras called The Lover ‘a load of shit’, but her novel about her affair as a 15-year -old stuns with its emotional force

Anthony Macris , University of Technology Sydney

Will the end of the COVID-19 pandemic usher in a second Roaring ’20s?

Agnes Arnold-Forster , McGill University

The last time the UK had a December election – in 1923 – it resulted in a hung parliament

Philip Williamson , Durham University

Québec’s fashion police: A century of telling women what not to wear

Donica Belisle , University of Regina

Related Topics

• 1918 flu pandemic
• F. Scott Fitzgerald
• White House
• World War I

Top contributors

Professor of Creative Writing, University of Technology Sydney

Professor of History, University of Regina

Emeritus Professor of Modern British History, Durham University

Chancellor's Fellow, History of Medicine, Emotions and Modern British History, The University of Edinburgh

Professor of Film Studies, North Carolina State University

Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Aberystwyth University

Professor of Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth University

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Research: Why We Choose the Hard Way to Do Tedious Tasks

• Alicea Lieberman

And how to stop getting stuck in ruts.

In life and at work, we often get stuck persisting in unpleasant activities even when more enjoyable and equally effective alternatives exist. Research shows this happens due to “entrenchment,” where repeating an activity blocks consideration of better options and makes you more likely to keep doing it. The author’s research focuses on enhancing well-being by limiting over-persistence in these tasks and suggests solutions that include reducing repetition, dividing attention, and alternating tasks to break the cycle of entrenchment. By adopting strategies to prevent entrenchment, individuals and organizations can increase employee satisfaction and efficiency.

We often find ourselves mired in unpleasant tasks. And the longer we do an unpleasant task, the more stuck we become — persisting even if there are opportunities to switch to more enjoyable alternatives that would achieve the same goal. For instance, think about the last time you struggled to type a long email on your phone rather than switch to your nearby computer, where you could complete the task more comfortably. Or consider the last time you painstakingly formatted a document by hand rather than using a readily available software that could automate the process. Or even reflect on the last time you had an hour to pass and spent it watching an unenjoyable TV show rather than going outside for a pleasant stroll.

• AL Alicea Lieberman , PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in Marketing and Behavioral Decision Making at The UCLA Anderson School of Management. Her primary research focuses on judgment and decision making with an emphasis on self-control, motivation, and behavior change. She uses lab and field experiments and is committed to harnessing social and behavioral research to impact policy and improve societal health and well-being.

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• How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram

1. TikTok users’ experiences with news

Table of contents.

• How people get news on TikTok
• Views about news on TikTok
• How people get news on X
• Views about news on X
• How people get news on Facebook
• Views about news on Facebook
• How people get news on Instagram
• Views about news on Instagram
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

TikTok is an increasingly popular source of news for Americans – particularly young adults. A 2023 Pew Research Center study found that 14% of all U.S. adults say they regularly get news on the video-based platform . Among TikTok users, the share regularly getting news there is growing. And the vast majority of adult TikTok news consumers are under age 50, including 44% who are 18 to 29.

But TikTok’s future in the United States is uncertain. ByteDance, the platform’s China-based owner, is facing an order from the U.S. government to either divest from TikTok or be banned in the country.

Our survey looks at U.S. TikTok users’ experiences with getting news. Among the key findings:

• Regardless of whether they turn to TikTok for news, most users see news-related content. TikTok users report seeing funny posts (84%) and people’s opinions (80%) related to current events at higher rates than news articles (57%) or breaking news information (55%).
• TikTok news consumers are equally likely to get news from influencers or celebrities as they are from news outlets or journalists. About two-thirds of those who regularly get news on TikTok (68%) say they ever get news from influencers or celebrities, and 67% get news from news outlets or journalists. An even higher share (84%) say they get news from other people they don’t know personally (beyond influencers, journalists, advocacy groups, and friends, family and acquaintances).
• TikTok news consumers are more likely than Americans who get news on Facebook and Instagram to view the news they get there as unique . Among those who regularly get news on TikTok, 35% say the news they get there is mostly news they would not have gotten elsewhere. By comparison, 14% of Facebook news consumers say the same about news they see on Facebook.

Four-in-ten TikTok users say they regularly get news on the site. And when it comes to the reasons Americans use TikTok, relatively few cite news.

Read more: Reasons for using TikTok

Among TikTok users, 15% say getting news is a major reason they use the platform, with an additional 26% citing it as a minor reason. The majority of users, however, say getting news is not a reason they use TikTok (58%).

Regardless of whether they turn to TikTok for news, a majority of TikTok users report seeing news-related content on the platform.

Most users say they ever see funny posts that reference current events (84%) or people expressing opinions about current events (80%) on TikTok. Smaller majorities say they ever see news articles (57%) – whether from posts, reposts, links or screenshots – or information about a breaking news event as it’s happening (55%) on the platform.

What sources people get news from on TikTok

TikTok news consumers are equally likely to get news from influencers or celebrities as they are from news outlets or journalists.

Among U.S. adults who say they regularly get news on TikTok, around two-thirds say they ever get news on the platform from influencers or celebrities (68%) or from news outlets or journalists (67%). Other sources of information, such as advocacy or nonprofit organizations (55%) and friends, family and acquaintances (48%), are less common.

Beyond these four types of sources, the vast majority of TikTok news consumers (84%) say they get news from other people they don’t know personally . In fact, accounts in this category are the most commonly cited source of news for TikTok news consumers, who are more likely than news consumers on other major social media sites to get news from other people they don’t know personally.

Inaccurate information

About a quarter of U.S. adults who regularly get news on TikTok (23%) say they extremely or fairly often see news on the platform that seems inaccurate. Roughly half (49%) say they sometimes see information that seems inaccurate, while 28% say they rarely or never see inaccurate news.

Views by party

Among TikTok news consumers, similar shares of Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party (22%) and Democrats and Democratic leaners (23%) say they often see news that seems inaccurate on the platform.

TikTok’s influence on the news users see

As lawmakers express concerns about the potential for the Chinese government to influence content on TikTok, most U.S. TikTok news consumers say they think the platform influences which news stories they see there at least to some extent. This includes roughly one-in-five (18%) who say TikTok influences the news content they see there a lot and an additional 44% who say TikTok does this some.

About a quarter of TikTok news consumers (27%) say the site does not influence which news stories they see there much, while 11% say TikTok exerts no influence at all.

Similar shares of Republicans (59%) and Democrats (63%) say they think TikTok influences which news stories they see on the platform at least somewhat.

TikTok as a source of unique news

There is no consensus among U.S. adults who regularly get news on TikTok whether the news they get there is mostly unique or not. About a third (35%) say it’s mostly news they would not have gotten elsewhere, while 27% say it is mostly news they would have gotten elsewhere if they did not use TikTok. And 37% say the news they get on TikTok consists of both kinds of information about equally.

Democrats (33%) are more likely than Republicans (18%) to say the news they get on TikTok is mostly news they would have gotten elsewhere if they didn’t use the platform.

Feeling worn out by news on TikTok

Americans who regularly get news on TikTok are less likely to say they feel worn out by the news they see there compared with news consumers on the other sites studied.

About one-in-ten TikTok news consumers (11%) say they extremely or fairly often feel worn out by the news they see on the platform, while 36% say they sometimes do.

News consumers who see at least some political content (i.e., posts about politics or political issues) on TikTok are more likely than those who see less politics-related content to feel worn out by the news they see on the platform at least sometimes (56% vs. 33%).

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How Americans Navigate Politics on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram

Many americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen, social media and news fact sheet, social media seen as mostly good for democracy across many nations, but u.s. is a major outlier, the role of alternative social media in the news and information environment, most popular, report materials.

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