The 1910s was a decade of great change that permeated every sector of society. The progressive spirit was evident in the daily lives of American families who didn't settle for the status quo but were open to new products, recreational pursuits, and changing fashions.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Americans adjusted to the change and rolled up their sleeves to support the war. In this new learning activity from SIRS Decades, read about how American families adapted to societal change in the early part of the 20th century and compare that to how families are adapting to change in our own time.


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A rising national income and affordable automobiles in the 1910s created a more mobile society. In a trend continued from the previous decade, many moved from the farm to the city. Urban areas like New York City experienced great growth from those who yearned for the opportunities and advantages of the big city.

Women welcomed new technological advances for an easier life in the home. Electrical appliances like vacuum cleaners helped the task of cleaning. Grocery stores offered an increased array of canned and packaged items to make cooking quicker and easier. One of the major manufacturers of canned goods, Campbell's, created 21 different flavors of condensed soup that housewives could transform into quick, tasty meals for their families or unexpected guests. The majority of women did not work outside the home and found it their job to manage the budget and take care of the children.

An increased income allowed more room in the budget for recreational pursuits. Parents took children to the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, visited the local soda fountain for a glass of Coca Cola, and enrolled boys in the newly formed Boy Scouts to shape character. Parents also purchased the latest toys advertised in periodicals.

Erector sets and tinker toys were popular with boys who chose to use their mechanical skills, while girls preferred to practice their mothering skills with Raggedy Ann dolls and lifelike baby dolls. On the weekends, families enjoyed spending time together in the great outdoors instead of watching sports as spectators. Outdoor sports such as golf, tennis, and bicycling surged in popularity.

A more active lifestyle influenced a new fashion trend in which comfort and durability were valued. Women purchased the newly-invented brassiere to replace the tight and cumbersome corset. Hairstyles transformed from the wavy updo with feathered hat in the beginning of the decade to the later flat and short cut of the flapper.

The tone of the decade changed in 1917 when America joined the Allies in World War I. Two million American soldiers joined the effort while millions of others at home supported the war through the purchase of war bonds. Women exchanged their skirts for trousers to help ease the labor shortage by working outside the home in positions previously held only by men. The U.S. government encouraged the American public to conserve food and other materials for the war effort. As a result, women's fashions changed as they were required to use less material. As the war ended and the tumultuous decade came to a close, Americans were ready to continue on the path of modernism and technological innovation that dominated the beginning of the twentieth century.

Learning Activity

1. Assign students to read the introductory essay The 1910s: Everyday Life (excerpted above). They should click on the hyperlinks in the essay that will take them to a variety of contemporary advertisements and newspaper articles. Students should also browse through some of the search results that follow the essay.

2. You may want to lead a brief discussion with your students on how family life was transformed by some of the cultural and societal forces of the early 20th century. How were families affected by increasing prosperity, the growing popularity of the automobile, urbanization, technological development, changing fashion, and popular trends?

3. Have students write a short personal essay in which they describe how they and/or their families are coping with the societal change that is a part of the early 21st century. They may choose to focus on technological change, economic trends, globalization, leisure time, professional development, fashion, or any other aspect of modern life that is applicable to their lives. Their essays should both identify what changes are most dramatically affecting their lives and describe how they and/or their families are adapting to or struggling to adapt to those changes. The essays could be serious in tone or humorous.

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