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Chapter 5
Activity One:
Despite the economic crises and dislocation of the interwar years, in many respects, it
was a period of great transition and dynamism. This era, particularly in the United States,
witnessed a new stage in the rise of mass society–—the growth of a massive
entertainment industry that incorporated new technology and appealed to a broad
audience. The general public fell in love with two new mediums of entertainment–—
movies and the radio. For a history of the early era of motion pictures, go to Film
History by Decade, and read the sections “Pre-1920’s Film History” “1920’s Film
History,” and “1930s Film History.” Explain the evolution of motion pictures during this
time period. What kinds of motion pictures appealed to broad audiences? How did the
industry that produced motion pictures evolve? Did producers of motion pictures view
their craft as artistic expression or entertainment?
Go to Selected Film Clips of Rudolph Valentino, Buster Keaton: The Man who fell to
Earth, and Time 100: Charlie Chaplin. Read the texts, study the images, and watch the
film clips where appropriate when visiting these sites. All three of these movie stars were
incredibly popular box office draws during the 1920s. Describe the kinds of films they
made. Why do you believe these genres had such a broad appeal? Were they realistic or
fantastic? How did they allow people to escape the problems they faced in life?
Radio provided a similar release. For a history of radio, go to Old Time Radio: The
Golden Years and read the text in this detailed timeline. Click on the hyperlinks that will
allow you to listen to songs, speeches, and excerpts from radio programming from 1918
to 1939. Be sure to visit all links to Donna Halper’s site and listen to the excerpts there.
Analyze to what extent the growth of the radio industry paralleled the growth of the
motion picture industry. For example, how did the industry that produced radio programs
evolve in this time? Why did people tune in to the radio? Did it provide a release from
everyday strains much as movies did? What other purposes did radio have besides
entertainment?
How would the radio and motion picture industry go on to shape politics and popular
culture for the rest of the century?
Activity Two:
The Great Depression of the 1930s forced economic philosophers and politicians to
reevaluate nineteenth-century notions of economic thought and the role of government in
a nation’s economy. During the 1930s, many academics and philosophers encouraged
governments to assume broader responsibilities, and most governments did. No scholar
had more influence on this trend during this period and afterward than British economist
John Maynard Keynes. To learn more about his impact, go to The Keynesian
Revolution. Analyze the ways in which Keynes challenged traditional assumptions about
economic growth and the role of government in the economy. Why, according to Keynes,
did the Great Depression last so long? What role did he believe government should play
in restoring economic growth? Overall, what role did he urge governments to adopt in the
economy? What older assumptions did he challenge? For example, how did he view
balanced budgets, government spending, and interest rates? Explain how Keynes was in
many ways the “father of the guarantor state.”