Chapter 2 1896-1945: Nationalisms and the Autonomy of Canada Section 9: The Roaring 20s
Pages that correspond to this presentation The Roaring 20s : Pages 164 167
When was the Roaring 20 s? 1919 to 1929 The post WW1 period was one of prosperity for Canada Canada, along with many other Western countries wanted to forget the losses of the first World War The hike in prosperity meant the increase/development of leisure in cities like Montreal: Mass culture Consumerism and mass consumption of goods Alcohol consumption Travel Nightlife & Cabarets (Night clubs) Professional sports Other forms of leisure activities
Why call this time period the Roaring 20 s? Definition from the Miriam Webster Dictionary Online Source: Miriam Webster Online.<https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roaring>
Mass culture Radio New form of media gaining popularity radio 1919 Montreal is the first city in the world with a radio station XWA English radio station 1922 CKAC First Francophone broadcaster Radio stations provided music, news, weather reports, specialized shows (both educational and entertainment) and eventually Montreal Canadiens hockey games By 1936 Canadian government establishes CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Marconi building in Montreal- 1920s Source: City of Montreal Archives. <https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/memoiresdesmontrealais/des-ondes-et-des-hommes-une-premiere-radio-montreal>
American heavyweight Boxer, Jack Dempsey, speaks into the microphone at the CFCF radio station in Montreal - 1922 Source: City of Montreal Archives. <https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/memoiresdesmontrealais/des-ondes-et-deshommes-une-premiere-radio-montreal>
Mass culture Movie theatres and films First movie theatre opens in Montreal in 1906 performance theatres were open long before 1906 Ticket prices could have ranged from $0.10 to $0.25 Most films viewed in movie theatres in Montreal during the 1920s were American produced Canada opened the Office of Exhibits and Publicity Canada used film to promote Canada as a destination to travel and immigration Movie theatres also served as venues for people to see newscasts theatres served as both entertainment and for information
Source: La Presse. <https://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/marc-cassivi/201207/17/01-4550114-le-cinema-comme-lieu-de-culte.php? Outside the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal
The main lobby of the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal Source: Archives de Montreal. <http://archivesdemontreal.com/2015/02/26/sortir-a-montreal-au-debut-du-20e-siecle/?
The viewing area of the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal Source: Archives de Montreal. <http://archivesdemontreal.com/2015/02/26/sortir-a-montreal-au-debut-du-20e-siecle/?
One of the first advertisements for the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal Source: Archives de Montreal. <http://archivesdemontreal.com/2015/02/26/sortir-amontreal-au-debut-du-20e-siecle/?
Outside the Rialto movie theatre, Montreal- 1924 Source: The Rialto.<http://theatrerialto.ca/en/a-propos-du-rialto/>
Left: The viewing area of the Rialto Movie Theatre, Montreal- 1930 Right: The main entryway of the Rialto Movie Theatre, Montreal- 1930 Source: The Rialto.<http://theatrerialto.ca/en/a-propos-du-rialto/> Source: The Rialto.<http://theatrerialto.ca/en/a-propos-du-rialto/>
Left: Outside the Capitol movies Theatre on Ste-Cathrine s Street Right: Movie advertisement for the Capitol movie theatre Source: The Montreal Gazette.<https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/loss-of-montreals-capitol-theatrewas-a-bitter-pill-for-many>
Mass culture Cabarets (or night clubs) During the 1920s Montreal saw an increase in night clubs jazz music was very popular The United States also had a prohibition law from 1920-1933 Prohibition = not allowed to sell alcohol Prohibition in Canada varied from province to province It was very short lived in Canada in general Quebec rejected prohibition altogether which made it a place where tourists would visit regularly Nightclubs in Quebec became very popular during the American prohibition years many American jazz musicians came to Montreal to perform
Mass culture Cabarets (or night clubs) Jazz night clubs became an unlikely place for women in the 1920s to express their want for freedom from traditional roles Women danced in night clubs the Charleston and the Shimmy were some of the more popular dance moves Women wore shorter dresses to perform these dance moves something that was not seen in previous decades expression of freedom
Lyrics from the song Hello Montreal which can be heard HERE Source: Canada s History Magazine Online.<https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culturesociety/toot-sweet-when-jazz-ruled-montreal> Source: Canada s History Magazine Online.<https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culturesociety/toot-sweet-when-jazz-ruled-montreal>
Satirical cartoon of Quebec s stance on prohibition Source: Quebec National library and Archives.<http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2432878?docsearchtext=Commission%20des%20liqueurs%20de%20Qu%C3%A9bec>
Cabarets (or night clubs) Rockhead s Paradise, the Terminal two famous Montreal nightclubs in the 1920s-1930s Rufus Rockhead was an immigrant from Jamaica who managed to start his own nightclub despite resistance towards black Canadians owning nightclubs Many American jazz musicians played at Rockhead s Paradise Montreal s Little Burgundy neighborhood was an area with many poplar jazz nightclubs
Artistic Depiction of Rockhead s Paradise Night Club- 1940s Source: Paul DB Watkins.<https://pauldbwatkins.com/2014/11/21/new-wikipedia-page-on-rockheads-paradise/>
Postcard from Rockhead s Paradise Night Club- 1930s Source: The Identity of English Speaking Quebec in 100 Objects. <http://100objects.qahn.org/content/swizzle-sticksrockheads-paradise-1928>
Source: The Identity of English Speaking Quebec in 100 Objects. <http://100objects.qahn.org/content/swizzle-sticks-rockheads-paradise-1928> Souvenir stir sticks and martini glass from Rockhead s Paradise Night Club- 1940s
Advertisement for tourism in Montrealgeared towards American tourists- 1925. The whole pamphlet can be seen HERE Source: Archives de Montreal. <https://archivesdemontreal.ica-atom.org/uploads/r/ville-de-montreal-section-desarchives/2/4/246110/p98-01_067op.pdf>
Source: Archives de Montreal. <https://archivesdemontreal.ica-atom.org/cabaret-paradise-dans-le-chinatown-193> Chinese Paradise Nightclub in Montreal- Early 1930s
Alcohol consumption in Quebec Instead of prohibition Quebec established the Alcoholic Beverages act in 1921 creating the Commission des Liqueurs de Quebec (Now the SAQ) Focus on temperance responsible alcohol consumption The goal of this organization oversee the sale and quality of alcohol in Quebec (wine and hard alcohol ) Give permits to restaurants, hotels, events to sell alcohol
Source: City of Montreal Archives.<https://ville.montreal.qc.ca/memoiresdesmontrealais/un-toast-lhistoire> Information In a newspaper ( Le Canada ) regarding liquor laws August 8 th, 1921
Customers waiting in line to buy alcohol, Montreal- 1945 Source: Quebec National library and Archives.<http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2831182?docsearchtext=Commission%20des%20liqueurs%20de%20Qu%C3%A9bec>
Customer paying for alcohol, Montreal- 1945 Source: Quebec National library and Archives.<http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2833110?docsearchtext=Commission%20des%20liqueurs%20de%20Qu%C3%A9bec>
Consumerism in the 1920s the consumption of goods Because the 1920s was a time where Canadians saw prosperity increase purchasing power Purchasing power = ability to buy goods and services Family bought more consumers goods Many families lived in cities that had electricity the emergence of the home appliance market (refrigerators, etc.) Cars became a popular consumer good as well
Left: Car parked on the streets of Montreal- Early 1930s Right: Studebaker car advertisement in Montreal- 1919 Source: Archives de Montreal. <http://archivesdemontreal.com/2015/11/02/chronique-montrealite-no-48-les-debuts-de-lautomobile-a-montreal/>
Traffic Jam at Place D Armes in Montreal- 1925 Source: Archives de Montreal. <http://archivesdemontreal.com/2015/11/02/chronique-montrealite-no-48-les-debuts-de-lautomobile-a-montreal/>
Travel People were not just spending money on consumer goods in the 1920s and 1930s The availability of the car and the expansion of Quebec s road networks allowed Quebecers to visit regions that had not seen before Laurentians, Lac-St.-Jean, Charlevoix, Gaspésie are all regions people may have explored in their vehicles Using cars to travel allowed people more freedom they id not have to rely of train schedules
Vacationing on Ile- D Orleans around 1930 Source: McCord Museum Online. <http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/view-8017>
Harbour and some summer cottages in the Gaspésie region around 1930 Source: McCord Museum Online. <http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/fr/collection/artefacts/mp-0000.25.341>
Professional sports Into the 1920s, we see more professionalization of sports this is evident with the establishment and rise of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1917 Hockey was (and probably still is) the most popular team sport in Quebec Average professional hockey players in the NHL were making $900 per year exceptional players made up to $10,000 per year In Quebec The Montreal Canadiens were king founded in 1909 The Montreal Canadiens were a symbol of French Canadien culture Many French Canadien players suited up for the Canadiens in their early years
Montreal Canadiens roster 1909-1910
Montreal Canadiens roster 1923-1924
Construction of the Montreal Forum Arena - 1924 Source: McCord Museum Online.<http://collections.musee-mccord.qc.ca/scripts/large.php?Lang=1&accessnumber=MP-1977.140.18.2&idImage=153842>
Why call this time period the Roaring 20 s? Source: Miriam Webster Online.<https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roaring> After view this PowerPoint: Can you now connect this this definition to the Roaring 20 s? How?