Grade 8 | Lesson 7

Fine Arts

Lesson Overview

The History of Home Entertainment

• The Great Depression

Making Art!

The History of Home Entertainment

The Great Depression
They called them the Roaring Twenties. It was the 1920s and women began to wear their hair short and to exert themselves as people, not just housekeepers. Dances other than the waltz and other old and imported steps were created by Americans and became household words. On Saturday evenings, the living room rugs were rolled back and young people gave try to the Charleston and Fox Trot. And the music came from the piano (at homes that still had one), the phonograph (now a sleek-looking affair), or the radio. In Detroit, industrialist Henry Ford was saying he could build automobiles that every workingman could afford.

Research It!
Here is a great photo essay on the Great Depression

Dance bands once only popular in their own neighborhoods, gained national reputations by playing over the radio. Radio stations began broadcasting each others signals, and the national networks were born: NBC, ABC, MBC, and Columbia jumped into existence almost overnight. But in the early 1930's the stock market crashed and millionaires became instant paupers. Money was scarce and able men stood on street corners trying to sell apples. Railroad box cars became the traveling mode for many others hoping to find work in distant towns. The top songs of the day were "Yes, We have no Bananas," and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime."

Times were tough. But the United States always found a way to smile through tough times, and entertainment flourished even though pennies and dimes were hard to come by. In the evenings, perhaps to take their minds off tough times, chairs were set up in empty stores, and while someone played the piano, the silent movies flickered on bare walls.

Research It!
Here is a great link with plenty of information on silent movies. What makes silent films so appealing?

In the late 1920's, sound was added to the movies and the results were called Talkies. The first "talking movie" ever produced was "The Jazz Singer," and it starred Al Jolson, a popular singer of the day -- popular because of his records and radio performances.

Church attendance was down, and it was getting harder and harder to keep the kids at home in the evenings. Something had to be done!

Making Art!

What do you think it was like to be creative during the Great Depression? You'd probably have little light and not many supplies. Try to do something creative in these conditions, as best as you can re-create them. For example, try to do a drawing or painting with only a candle for light. Make a clay pot from clay you find? Sculpt something from trash or items around your home.