Historical Timeline: 1920s-1960s

1920s: Movies were able to have both sound and color, which increased the amount of movies made and how many people were going to the theater. This could affect dating because there were more people being influenced by popular culture and the stereotypes portrayed by the media. This era was characterized by the "roaring 20s" and it experienced a sudden increase in available technology. The first mass-produced car, the Ford Model-T, was sold in this decade which changed dating forever (afterall, who really wants to date a man without a car?) The flapper era style was embodied by women who dressed in clothing that was comfortable, not to show off for men. This was the lost generation, so to speak, so they were about individualism and finding themselves.


1930s: The crash in the stock market during the year 1929 caused the Great Depression to affect the 30s very heavily. The 30s were a tough era and was the only decade in which murderers and bank robbers were considered celebrities by the American people. Big band music became all the rage, and men and women often listened to music like this on dates. However, because of the economy, this decade is not seen as a huge era for dating and romantic relationships because people were more concerned with surviving and making ends meet.


1940s: Politically, a lot was going on during the 1940s. This was the time of World War II. Men were overseas fighting the war, and women were forced to stay home to watch their kids and work. The idea of women working in factories was a huge change because men typically held these jobs. The 1940s were highly influential because it gave women the first nudge toward working outside of the home. Women also had more power in their households because their significant others were gone. Although dating probably changed a lot because of the amount of young men fighting in the war, there seem to be many relationships from this era that lasted through generations. Americans wanted a hero, and I think this is why so many women applauded their mens bravery in the armed forces instead of dwelling on their problems at home.


1950s: Ohhh yay! The first oral contraceptive was introduced in the 1950s. This meant that women could have sex with more people without living in fear of getting pregnant. Perhaps this is where being more promiscuous happened. The 50s were also the era that people began recognizing teenagers as young adults and did not associate them so closely with children. This era is also classified by the baby boom. More people were having babies than ever because women wanted to have kids once their husbands came back from war. Sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe, and crooners like Frank Sinatra made huge impacts on the generation.


1960s: Although the 1960s had events like the Vietnam war, the demonstrations were peaceful. This era was classified by the "happy face." The 60s meant free love and hippies. Sex became more of a casual thing than romantic. Drugs were being sold and taken like crazy during this time, which is why it is so important to dating because drugs were a part of so many relationships.

-A. Merchant