World Events in 1920
Prohibition Begins in the United States
The 18th Amendment took effect on 17 January 1920, banning the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. It spawned a massive bootlegging industry and the rise of organised crime.
19th Amendment Ratified
On 18 August 1920, American women won the right to vote after decades of suffragist campaigning. The amendment was ratified by Tennessee, the final state needed.
League of Nations Established
The League of Nations held its first meeting in Geneva on 16 January, though the United States controversially refused to join the organisation it had helped create.
Bloody Sunday in Ireland
On 21 November, British forces opened fire on spectators at a Gaelic football match in Croke Park, Dublin, killing 14 civilians. It was a pivotal moment in the Irish War of Independence.
Russian Civil War Continues
The Bolsheviks gained the upper hand against the White Army. The conflict caused widespread famine and displacement across the former Russian Empire.
Treaty of Trianon
Hungary signed the Treaty of Trianon on 4 June, losing two-thirds of its pre-war territory. The treaty reshaped the map of Central Europe and left lasting resentment.
Music in 1920
"Swanee"
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was the biggest entertainer of the era. 'Swanee', written by a young George Gershwin, was a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic in the early days of recorded music.
"Swanee"
Al Jolson
Originally a flop when debuted by others, Al Jolson's recording of Gershwin's 'Swanee' sold over a million copies, making it one of the first truly massive record hits.
#1 Film of 1920
The Kid
Box Office: $5.4 million
Though released in January 1921, Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid' was the sensation bridging both years. The biggest film of 1920 was 'Way Down East' starring Lillian Gish, directed by D.W. Griffith, with a famous ice-floe rescue scene.
Born in 1920
Isaac Asimov
Science fiction author (Foundation, I Robot)
Ray Bradbury
Author (Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles)
Federico Fellini
Italian film director (La Dolce Vita, 8½)
Mickey Rooney
Actor, one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1930s-40s
Pope John Paul II
Head of the Catholic Church 1978-2005, born Karol Wojtyla
Lost in 1920
Max Weber
German sociologist, father of modern sociology
Age 56
Amedeo Modigliani
Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated portraits
Age 35
Robert Peary
American explorer credited with reaching the North Pole
Age 63
Technology in 1920
Radio was the transformative technology of the moment. KDKA in Pittsburgh became the first licensed commercial radio station. Automobiles were becoming more affordable thanks to Ford's assembly line methods. Telephones were spreading but still a luxury in most homes. Silent cinema was the dominant entertainment medium.
- ● KDKA Pittsburgh begins regular commercial radio broadcasting
- ● Tommy gun patented by John T. Thompson
- ● Band-Aid adhesive bandages invented by Johnson & Johnson
- ● First domestic refrigerators become commercially available
Cost of Living in 1920
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £300 | $4,000 |
| Average salary | £100 | $1,200 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | $0.07 |
| Loaf of bread | 4d | $0.12 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 6d | $0.68 |
| Pint of beer | 4d | Prohibited |
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The Zeitgeist of 1920
The world was still recovering from the Great War and the Spanish Flu pandemic. A new restlessness was in the air — young people wanted to forget the horrors and live. Jazz was migrating north from New Orleans, hemlines were creeping upward, and the first radio broadcasts crackled into homes.
In the News in 1920
The 18th Amendment ushered in Prohibition across America on 17 January. The 19th Amendment granted American women the right to vote. The first commercial radio station, KDKA in Pittsburgh, began broadcasting. The Black Sox scandal rocked baseball as eight Chicago White Sox players were indicted for fixing the 1919 World Series.