1920’s Newspaper Project-

Due Date: Tues. Sept. 26, 2006

You will be working cooperatively with other students to create a newspaper from the era of the 1920’s using the
internet, books, etc. You may divide up the project in any method you wish but all must participate equally.
Although this is a group project, it is not necessarily a group grade. You will be graded on your input into the
newspaper. Your grade will be based on my observation of how much you contribute. The group will hand
in a list with each person’s name and what they contributed to the paper (articles, pictures, ads, etc.) You may
choose any format (type of paper, colors, etc.) that you wish, but it must resemble an actual newspaper. All parts
of the newspaper must be in your own words!
Basic Minimum Requirements:
Each newspaper must have the following:
 Original name for the newspaper
 News stories- about people, events, and happenings- .
 Editorial-(opinionated writings) about any issue in the 1920’s.
 Political cartoon- (your own or one from the 20’s).
 Entertainment piece- (fashion, dance, music, movie stars, etc.).
 Sports piece- (popular individuals, heroes of the day).
 Writers or Artists-
 Numerous pictures or drawings, advertisements throughout (your own or copies).
Each person is responsible for five articles: two must be a news story and the other three of
the other topic choices. When dividing up the work, make sure you have all the features above (editorial,
political cartoon, entertainment, sports, writers or artists). ALL members should collect pictures for their articles,
drawings and advertisements of 1920’s products, and decide on the name of the paper.
Basic Layout:
Page 1: Title of newspaper, date, price, news stories.
Page 2: Editorial and Political cartoon (left hand column), more news stories, ads.
Page 3: Entertainment/writers or artists/ads/ drawings.
Page 4: Sports/ads /drawings.
You will have some days at home to research and type your articles. Pretend you are witnessing these
events. Write your articles in the present tense, using column format. (Go to FORMAT, then click three column
style). Each article must have a headline and your name as the reporter. You will have one or two days in class
to put the newspaper together. Decide beforehand what types of materials you will need and bring them to class.
You may do extra research outside the class, however do NOT come to the classroom with nothing to do! All
projects must be completed by the middle of the second term. The group will submit a listing of what each
member contributed to the newspaper. Points are earned based on your contribution.
Point value:
Name of newspaper: 10 Pts.
Individual topics- 100 Pts. (20 pts. for each story)
Pictures/Advertisement: 20 Pts.
Neatness/Creativity: 20 Pts.
You may research any of the people or events listed below. Please, write about the stock market crash of
Oct. 29, 1929. Here are some suggestions as to stories you can research (as well as other stories):
News: Artists
Sacco and Vanzetti trial John Martin
Scopes trial Edward Hopper
Prohibition Charles Scheeler
Al Capone Writers
Eliot Ness and the Untouchables Carl Sandburg
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Edna St. Vincent Millay
Bonnie and Clyde Eugene O’Neill
Billy Sunday and Aimee Semple McPherson T.S. Eliot
Charles Lindbergh Ernest Hemingway
Amelia Earhart F. Scott Fitzgerald
Bessie Coleman Langston Hughes
Harlem Renaissance Sports
Teapot Dome scandal Babe Ruth
Model T Red Grange
Marcus Garvey Bill Tilden/Helen Wills
Music Jack Dempsey
Duke Ellington Bobby Jones
Louie Armstrong Editorial
Bessie Smith Sacco Vanzetti trial
Entertainment Scopes trial
Mary Pickford Prohibition
Charlie Chaplin Immigration laws
Rudolph Valentino New Morality
Tom Mix
Douglas Fairbanks
Paul Robeson
Clara Bow
Gloria Swanson

Websites that may prove helpful: (these are just a few)

THE ROARING 20s: Online Sources Websites

 McCord Museum: Our Stories Our People - quiz/life in the roaring 20s-- http:// www.mccord-
museum.qc.ca/en/keys/games/game_0_1920s/
 Teaching the American 20s: Exploring the Decade through Literature and Art (Harry Ransom
Center, University of Texas at Austin)-- http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/educator/
modules/teachingthetwenties/
 The Roaring Twenties: A Historical Snapshot of Life in the 1920s -- http://www.1920-30.com
 Roaring Twenties -- http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1564.html
 The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression -- http://www.historesearch.com/ 20sdep.htm
 Digital History/The Jazz Age: the 1920s --http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?
eraID=13&smtID=6
 The 1920s: Prohibition -- http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/
  Speakeasies of the Prohibition Era --
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ahprohibitionspeakeasy.html
 FBI: Al Capone -- https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/al-capone

Search any of the keywords relating to the Roaring ‘20s on Google and note you can find reference
articles, primary sources, images, journal articles. You can also search for information from both the U.
S. and the World during this time period.