Why were the 1890's considered a decade of crisis in the US?

Answer 1

Two thinkers developed radical new ideas that challenged old ways of thinking. Albert

Einstein revolutionized physics with his ideas about space, time, matter, and energy. He

said that as moving objects neared the speed of light, space and time become relative.

That means they change. His idea is the theory of relativity. Sigmund Freud's work

changed the way people thought about the human mind. He said that much of human

behavior was irrational-due to urges and desires buried in the unconscious mind of each

person. Though resisted at first, Freud's ideas gained wide influence.

Looking at the destruction of World War I, many philosophers lost faith in reason and

progress. One group of them was called existentialists. They argued that there is no

universal meaning to the world. Each person must give it his or her own meaning through

actions taken. They were influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher of the

late 1800s. He said that reason, democracy, and progress were empty ideas. He urged

people to adopt the values of pride and strength.

Some writers, like Franz Kafka, showed the horrors of modern life. His novels put people

in threatening situations that they could not understand or escape.

Artists rebelled against traditional painting. They did not merely recreate realistic objects.

Paul Klee used bold colors and distorted lines. Pablo Picasso founded a style called

Cubism that broke objects into geometric shapes. Dadaism was an art movement that

created meaningless, absurd works. Painters called surrealists showed a dreamlike

existence outside of reality.

2

Architects created new ways of designing buildings. This new approach emphasized the

function of the building. The new designs were simple and had clean lines with little

decoration.

Composers created a new style of music. Some, like Igor Stravinsky, used unusual

rhythms or harsh, rather than pleasing, sounds. African American musicians in the United

States developed a lively, loose form of popular music called jazz.

Society changed after World War I as well. Young people rebelled against their parents'

teachings. Women set aside earlier forms of dress, wearing new styles that were looser

and shorter. Many women also began to work in new careers.

Technology brought about changes to society as well. Improvements to the automobile

helped make cars more desirable and affordable. As a result, more and more people

bought cars. They began to move to suburbs outside cities, using their cars to travel to

work. The auto boom also gave a boost to some industries. Another change was the

growth in air travel. American pilot Charles Lindbergh caught the world's attention when

he flew alone across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first

woman to make the flight alone.

A new invention was radio. In the 1920s, large radio networks were built. They offered

programs such as news, plays, comedies, and sports. Soon millions of people were

entertained by radios in their homes. Millions more went to movie theaters to watch

motion pictures. Movies were produced all over the world, especially in southern

California.

Answer 2

Only in the effect that it was the FIRST year of peace since the Great War ended (WWI).