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Introduction D efining any time period can be difficult. When the term Jazz Age is brought to mind, so are countless images, mostly of the 1920s: the music, fashion, Prohibition, movies, radio, and the rise of automo- biles. More importantly, the words Jazz Age conjure up an atmosphere never previously before seen. For purposes of this book, the period of the Jazz Age will encompass the years 1918–1930. This range has been chosen for several reasons. First, obviously, this is the period in which jazz music gained a wide audience. Second, it is also a period in which so many changes in the country’s culture accompanied the rise of jazz music, whether or not the music had a direct influence. Third, in terms of Ameri- can social history, it is a distinct period in which so much was not only happening but was also interconnected in some way. What is meant exactly by the term Jazz Age? Is it defined solely by the musical form that gained strong popularity during the 1920s? First, we can address some conceptions and misconceptions. Typical conceptions of the Jazz Age relate to the music, fashion, social behavior, and great develop- ments in art, literature, economics, and political battles. As far as miscon- ceptions go, many would suggest that the Jazz Age was a time when social norms were thwarted and so-called proper behavior was suddenly thrown out the window, all because of this new form of music that many believed was corrupting long-cherished values. The era of World War I is often considered to be an era of lost inno- cence, the end of the Victorian era. The common perception of Victorian society was this was a time when the Western world supposedly behaved according to a strict moral code. With the end of World War I the world entered a new age, one in which the beliefs of the past no longer seemed valid. Some people wished to hold on to the norms of the past, and some desired to move forward and embrace the sweeping changes the new era presented. The Jazz Age is the period of time in which society was emerg- ing from a devastating period and allowing a new generation to define its own social code.