Did These Events Happen in 1920 or 2020?

By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 9, 2024

Traveling through time isn't just for the movies—sometimes history repeats its trends, triumphs, and tribulations so closely that we have to do a double-take. Take 1920 and 2020, for instance—we saw the world dramatically reshaped in both years. Nineteen-twenty dropped us into the Jazz Age right after the somber final notes of World War I, and with it, the Prohibition era began its dance across American society. Meanwhile, a century later in 2020, we were navigating the uncharted waters of the Covid-19 pandemic, which, let's face it, made us all experts in banana bread recipes and Zoom etiquette.

But wait, there's more to these years than flappers and face masks. The 1920s also roared with important cultural shifts, such as the Harlem Renaissance, which pushed civil rights and the arts to the forefront of conversation. Fast-forward to 2020, where voices for social justice again amplified across the globe and tick-tocked their way through the digital expanse; this time, our screens instead of streets were alive with the sound of change.

So, dear time-travelers, are you ready to sleuth through history with us and figure out if these events popped up in the Roaring Twenties or the Year of the Mask? Let's set our time machines to fun and put our history hats on—or should we say, our mystery-solving goggles? Because it's about to get intriguing, and a little bit wacky, as we compare the iconic eras of 1920 and 2020.

Epochal Echoes: A Century Apart

Time travel isn't necessary when history loves a good repeat performance. Strap in as we compare the roaring '20s with the roller coaster of 2020.

Public Health Crises: Spanish Flu vs. COVID-19

Two pandemics walk into a century, one decked out in 1920 flapper style, the other donning a 2020 mask. Yep, we're talking about the Spanish Flu and COVID-19. Back then, Woodrow Wilson couldn't tweet about the flu even if he wanted to, while Donald Trump had the whole world following his every thought on the crisis. Despite a century apart, both pandemics led to waves of public health innovations and debates on how to protect society.

Social and Political Upheaval: From Suffrage to Social Media

1920 gave us the 19th Amendment, where women's suffrage finally won the day. Fast forward to 2020, and social media became the battleground for activists fighting against inequality and systemic racism. Don't forget the Tulsa Race Massacre's long shadow or the Supreme Court decisions that still stir the pot. Times may have changed, but the fight for equality and recognition in politics makes history's heart go tweet, tweet, tweet.

Economic Roller Coasters: Market Mayhem Then and Now

What's an epoch without a little market mayhem? The 1920s saw the build-up to an infamous stock market crash. In 2020, we watched the market take a nosedive and then do a loop-the-loop, thanks in part to a certain pandemic. Both periods featured eye-popping unemployment levels, but at least this time around, we could soothe the sting with memes and virtual hangouts. Who needs a time machine when you've got the Dow Jones for a roller coaster ride?

Cultural Time Capsules: Flappers to Face Masks

We're diving into a time-traveling adventure, peeping through the keyhole of history, where flappers used to kick up their heels, and now, we raise our hand sanitizers in a toast to the new norms.

Prohibition and Pandemic Parties: Roaring Twenties vs. Quarantine Quietens

Back in the Roaring Twenties, prohibition had party-goers sipping secret spirits in speakeasies. Fast forward a century to 2020, and we've traded the Charleston for COVID-conscious Zoom shindigs. Our ancestors dodged the law; we dodge the virus. Both eras shared a hankering for entertainment and social connection, no matter what the world threw at them.

Entertainment Evolution: Radio Raves to Streaming Sprees

In the 1920s, families huddled around the radio, devouring the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald and tapping their toes to the latest jazz. Now we've got devices galore and streaming escapades, where the binge-watching never ends. While Babe Ruth was the household sports idol, now it's YouTube sensations and e-sport athletes scoring home runs in our digital domain.

Revolutionary Movements: Shaping Society Through Shuffles and Strikes

A century ago, women raised their voices, and their votes, thanks to the 19th Amendment. Social movements shook the foundations of society as flappers and fearless leaders like Earhart and Lindbergh soared through skies and glass ceilings alike. In our present, voices for equality echo stronger than ever with movements like Black Lives Matter. From women's suffrage to the fight against social inequality, we've turned every shuffle into a step toward progress.