Roaring Twenties For Kids – Fun Way To Learn US History With These 8 Amazing Worksheets

The decade of excitement and change that preceded the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression, the Roaring Twenties are legendary.

Now officially a century ago, America in the Twenties was packed with fascinating historical characters and events. In this article, we’ll share some 1920s US history highlights — stories that kids of all ages will be eager to learn about.

Why the “Roaring” Twenties?

For the majority of the 1920s, the American economy was flourishing — hence the name “Roaring Twenties”. Women were empowered after gaining the right to vote in 1919 and the US victory in World War I was still fresh in everyone’s minds. 

Mass production was growing rapidly and many households were able to buy things like cars and radios for the first time. Jazz music had a real heyday in the ‘20s, another reason it was “roaring”.

What are some key historical events from the 1920s?

While there was a lot of good during the Roaring Twenties, you can’t properly teach this historical period without also addressing the bad. From jazz and new cars to crime and prohibition, here’s an overview of the key movements, events, and developments that shaped the decade.

Birth of mass media

There were many technological advancements in the 1920s, but none are as important as the radio. Radio connected the country in ways that had never had before been achieved, providing entertainment, news, and a platform for opinions — and this all impacted the nation’s culture.

By 1923, there were over 500 radio stations in the United States.

Women’s rights

Women were given the right to vote just before the decade began, and the 1920s saw women being much more liberated than ever before. Many had taken up jobs during the war and didn’t want to give up their new freedoms. They had jobs and incomes and began participating in the economy as consumers. Check out our worksheet packs on women’s suffrage icons Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott!

Prohibition

From 1919 to 1932, the US government banned the consumption of alcohol nationwide, claiming it had an overall negative effect on society. Prohibition resulted in lower arrest rates and alcohol-related deaths, but not everyone wanted to give it up. Secret bars and alcohol shops — “speakeasies” — sprung up all over the country.

Organized crime

Gangsters made a lot of money illegally making and selling alcohol, among a variety of other nefarious activities. Crime syndicates competed with one another and the rate of violence and murder increased. Notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone is one of the best-known crime figures from this period.

Mass production

American industry grew at a rapid pace in the 1920s. Henry Ford revolutionized factory production with assembly line workers and the price of luxury items plummeted. Working-class families could afford cars for the first time and the US population became much more mobile.

Nativism and anti-immigration

The 1920s saw anti-immigration sentiment swell among Americans. Many people whose families had lived in the US for generations did not welcome the influx of immigrants who came after the war. After lying dormant for decades, the Ku Klux Klan reemerged to terrorize non-white Americans.

Aviation

The aviation industry had many successes during the 1920s, with planes being used for the first time outside war. Airmail made it much easier to stay in contact and Charles A. Lindbergh made the first solo trans-Atlantic flight.

Stock market crash

All good things must come to an end. When the stock market crashed on Black Friday in 1929, many people lost their incomes and savings, propelling the US into the Great Depression.

8 amazing worksheet bundles about 1920s US history

Roaring Twenties 

This worksheet bundle is a great introduction to the decade as a whole — with all of its highs and lows. It covers inventions, the prohibition, women’s suffrage, and more. Begin the unit by giving your kids these activities and see if they show an interest in a certain topic or event.

Harlem Renaissance

The 1920s were the Golden Age of African American culture in the US, when African Americans moved into urban centers, like New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. It coincided with the 1920s Jazz Age, which had a huge influence on African American music. Our worksheet bundle details the cultural impact of the Harlem Renaissance, with a lesson plan and activities.

Wall Street

How does an entire economy crash overnight? This bundle explores the causes and effects of the Wall Street crash when over $10 billion was lost after widespread panic-selling of stocks and shares.

Economic lessons are often dense and confusing, but our worksheets set it out clearly for young brains — with plenty of fun activities to complete. From there, you can move onto our lesson and worksheets on the Great Depression.

Prohibition  

For over 10 years, the sale and production of alcohol were completely banned in the US. It worked in some regards, but also led to a huge surge in organized crime and gang violence across the country. This bundle has some great background information about why the prohibition was implemented, as well as its long-lasting effects that no one predicted.

Charlie Chaplin

It’s hard to imagine films without talking or music, but for a good 30 years, silent films were the epitome of cinema! During the 1920s, many movie cinemas opened across the US, making moviegoing an accessible pastime for the whole population. This lesson plan and worksheet pack introduces silent cinema and lays out the amazing career of one of its brightest stars: Charlie Chaplin.

19th Amendment

Ratified in 1920, this amendment gave women across the country the right to vote. States had begun granting women voting rights as early as 1910, but it didn’t make it into the Constitution until a decade later. The journey to women’s suffrage lasted 70 years, and our worksheet bundle and fact file details all the steps taken by the women’s rights movement to get there.

Al Capone

Sometimes called “Scarface”, Al Capone was the notorious gangster who stood at the center of organized crime during the 1920s. This worksheet pack focuses on the man himself, as well as the rise of gang violence during the Prohibition.