The 1920s brought changes in American society.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] They were young women.
2. [1] They were from the wealthier classes.
3. [1] Mostly they came from urban areas.
4. [1] They cut their hair short.
5. [1] They wore shorter, more revealing clothes.
6. [1] They defied traditional ideas about female behaviour and took up smoking and going out without a chaperone.
7. [6] Level 4 Explains TWO reasons
8. [5] Level 3 Explains ONE reason (e.g. The 1920s became known as the Jazz Age because jazz music became very popular, especially with young, white Americans. They found it exciting and a way of rebelling against traditional entertainment. They went to nightclubs such as the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York.)
9. [1] Jazz music became very popular.
10. [1] Nightclubs such as the Cotton Club of Harlem were opened.
11. [1] There was a craze for new dances such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom.
12. [1] Radios helped to produce the age of the great dance bands, such as the band led by Joe Candullo.
13. [1] Young people liked this music as it was daring and different.
14. [10] Level 5 Explains with evaluation of 'how far' (As Level 4 plus evaluation.)
15. [9] Level 4 Explanation of both sides
16. [6] Level 3 One-sided explanation OR one explanation of both sides (More detailed explanation of one issue to be given two marks.)
17. [3] One reason prohibition failed was that it encouraged violence. Gang wars broke out between rival groups who were supplying illegal liquor in cities such as Chicago. Murder, corruption and bribery became common and there were over 100 gangland murders in Chicago between 1926 and 1927.
18. [3] Prohibition failed because it was impossible to enforce. Americans continued to drink behind closed doors in illegal bars called 'speakeasies'. Rum was smuggled into the US from the West Indies and some made their own illegal alcohol at home. It was too difficult to stop this as there were too few agents and they were poorly paid.
19. [3] Level 2 Identifies AND/OR describes (One mark for each point)
20. [1] There was violence between rival gangs.
21. [1] Al Capone was a famous gangster and was responsible for the St Valentine's Day massacre in Chicago.
22. [1] Many officials were bribed.
23. [1] Whisky and rum were smuggled into the United States.
24. [1] Prohibition caused unemployment in the brewing trade.
25. [1] There were illegal bars called speakeasies.