Chapter 2 1896-1945: Nationalisms and the Autonomy of Canada Section 8: The Roaring 20s
Pages that correspond to this presentation found in your textbook The Roaring 20s : Pages 164 167
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: Mass culture Consumerism Alcohol consumption Travel Nightlife Professional sports
Mass culture Radio New form of media gaining popularity radio 1919 Montreal is the first city n 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-des-hommes-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
Outside the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal
The main lobby of the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal
The viewing area of the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal
One of the first advertisements for the Ouimetescope Movie theatre in 1906- Montreal
Outside the Rialto movie theatre, Montreal- 1924
Left: The viewing area of the Rialto Movie Theatre, Montreal- 1930 Right: The main entryway of the Rialto Movie Theatre, Montreal- 1930
Left: Outside the Capitol movies Theatre on Ste-Cathrine s Street Right: Movie advertisement for the Capitol movie theatre
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 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 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
Mass culture Night clubs The Roaring 20s 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
Postcard from Rockhead s Paradise Night Club- 1930s
Souvenir stir sticks and martini glass from Rockhead s Paradise Night Club- 1940s
Advertisement for tourism in Montrealgeared towards American tourists- 1925
Chinese Paradise Nightclub in Montreal- Early 1930s
Mass culture The Roaring 20s 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) 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
Customers waiting in line to buy alcohol, Montreal- 1945
Customer paying for alcohol, Montreal- 1945
Mass culture Consumerism in the 1920s 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
Mass culture 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
Harbour and cottages in the Gaspésie region around 1930
Mass culture 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
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