1920s1950s

1920s–1950s were marked by major political, economic, and cultural change that reshaped the modern world. The period included the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, and the early Cold War, with rapid industrialization and expanding mass media.

The 1920s saw urban growth, cultural experimentation, and technological advances such as radio, cinema with sound, and aviation. The Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance highlighted shifts in music and literature. In the United States, Prohibition (1920–1933) influenced social life and crime.

The 1930s were dominated by economic hardship, with widespread unemployment and relief programs under the New Deal in the United States. Global tensions rose, contributing to extremist movements in some countries and shifting trade policies and alliances.

World War II (1939–1945) realigned borders, spurred scientific and industrial mobilization, and led to the founding of the United Nations. The postwar era established new economic arrangements and accelerated social change, including greater participation of women in labor and politics.

The 1950s witnessed early Cold War confrontations, economic growth in the West, suburbanization, and consumer culture. Decolonization reshaped many regions, while technology advanced with early computing and space-related research, and television emerged as a dominant mass medium.

Together, the 1920s–1950s laid the groundwork for contemporary politics, culture, and technology, setting patterns in global governance, economics, and social life that persisted into later decades.