THE ROARING 20’SCanadian Society from 1920-1929

CANADA AND THE WORLD IN THE 20’S Canada’s great contribution

to the war gave them an independent seat at the Treaty of Versailles

Canada also became an independent member of the League of Nations

During the 1920’s, Canada asserted its independence from Britain several times

In 1931, Britain formally recognizes Canada as a completely independent nation with the Statute of Westminster

THE RADIO First Transmission was 1901 By 1929, there were 300,000

Radios in Canada (only 10,000 in ‘23)

Most popular form of entertainment in the 20’s

Hockey Night in Canada was the most popular show – Foster Hewitt was the most popular radio personality

However, the Radio allowed Canadians to have access to big budget American entertainment.

Many worried that Canada would become “Americanized”

“HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!”

FOSTER HEWITT

FILM Motion Pictures

became very popular as Silent Movies evolved into “Talkies” (movies with sound) in the late 1920’s

One of the most famous Actors in Hollywood was Mary Pickford from Toronto

She was know as America’s sweetheart

Charlie Chaplin was the most popular film star of the time

SPORTS The Radio allowed people to follow

their favorite sports teams – making sport more popular than ever

The sports superstar was invented in the 20’s – before the 20’s most athletes had to work full time jobs (e.g. Green Bay Packers)

Athletes became as rich and famous as actors and politicians

BABE RUTH

LOU GEHRIG

KNUTE ROCKNE

LIONEL CONACHER

IN GENERAL More leisure time and higher pay for workers Advances in Art, Literature and Technology Jazz Music was popular Parties and Wild Dances like the Charleston and

the Fox Trot.

PROHIBITION Most Canadian provinces

created prohibition laws in WWI

These laws carried over after the war

By 1927, all these laws were repealed except for Prince Edward Island (1948)

However, the United States had prohibition laws from 1920 to 1933

PROHIBITION PART 2

Prohibition gave rise to organized crime because people still wanted to drink (e.g. the Italian Mafia)

Prohibition did reduce some small crimes but overall, crime rates skyrocketed as rival gangs competed for territory

Many Canadian got rich by illegally smuggling alcohol to the USA (Bootlegging or Rum Running)

ROCCO PERRI (HAMILTON, ON)

AL CAPONE (CHICAGO, IL)

MOONSHINE