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1920s

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Centuries:
19th century - 20th century - 21st century
Decades:

1890s 1900s 1910s - 1920s - 1930s 1940s 1950s

Years:

1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929

Sometimes referred to as the "Jazz Age" or primarily in North America and in Australia as the "Roaring Twenties" . In Europe it is sometimes refered to as the Golden Twenties. See 1920s Berlin.

Since the closing of the 20th Century, the 1920s has drawn close associations with the 1990s,especially in the United States. This due to the fact both decades were considered very economically prosperous times, and a prosperity which lasted throughout almost the entire decade following a tremendous event at the closing of the previous decade (World War I and Spanish flu in the late 1910s, and the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s). In the United States, this decade was known as the Roaring Twenties.

Despite the comparisons, however, there were a number of differences. First of all, Weimar Republic Germany, like many other European countries, had to face a severe economic downturn in the opening years of the decade, due to the enormous debt caused by the war as well as the one-sided Treaty of Versailles. Such a crisis would culminate with a devaluation of the Mark in 1923, eventually leading to economic prosperity during the remainder of the period.

Second, the decade was characterized by the rise of radical political movements, especially in regions that were once part of empires. Communism began attracting large numbers of followers following the success of the October Revolution and the Bolsheviks' determination to win the subsequent Russian Civil War. The Bolsheviks would eventually adopt semi-capitalist policies-- New Economic Policy-- from 1921 to 1928. The 1920s also experienced the rise of the far-right in Europe and elsewhere, starting with Fascism in Italy, and were perceived by some in the Western world as an antidote to Communism.

The Stock Market collapsed during October 1929 (see Black Tuesday) and drew a line under prosperous 1920s.

Technology

File:Maschinenpistolen Thompson A1.jpg
Replica U.S. M1928 Thompson with 20-round stick magazine

Science

According to the Big Bang theory explaining the birth of an expanding universe, the Universe originated in an extremely dense ball of pure energy. Since then, space itself has expanded with the passage of time, carrying the galaxies with it.

War, peace and politics

Vladimir Lenin in 1920. He was leading figure of the Communist movement until his death in 1924

Economics

File:Hooverville.jpg
"Community Camp", a depression era shantytown in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Among the most obvious effects of the Great Depression

Culture, religion

Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol.

People

World leaders

Entertainers

Sports figures

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