Roaring Twenties Word Search

AL CAPONE – Notorious Chicago gangster who controlled illegal alcohol trade during Prohibition. His criminal empire made him infamous as America’s most wanted man during the 1920s.

ART DECO – Elegant decorative style featuring geometric shapes, bold colors, and luxurious materials. It dominated architecture, fashion, and design throughout the decade, symbolizing modernism and glamour.

BABE RUTH – Legendary baseball player whose powerful home runs transformed the sport. The “Sultan of Swat” became America’s first modern sports celebrity during this golden age.

BATHTUB – Associated with homemade “bathtub gin,” illegally produced alcohol mixed in bathtubs during Prohibition. This dangerous practice resulted in many toxic drinks that sometimes caused blindness or death.

BOBBED – Short, chin-length haircut worn by rebellious young women. This daring style rejected traditional long hair, symbolizing women’s newfound independence and modern attitudes in society.

BOOTLEG – Illegally manufactured or smuggled alcohol sold during Prohibition. Bootleggers risked arrest to supply speakeasies and private customers with banned liquor, creating massive criminal enterprises and widespread corruption.

CLARA BOW – Silent film star known as the “It Girl,” embodying 1920s youth and vivacity. Her magnetic screen presence and modern persona made her Hollywood’s biggest box office draw.

CROSSWORD – Word puzzle that became a national craze after the first crossword book published in 1924. Millions of Americans obsessed over these brain-teasers in newspapers daily.

FLAPPERS – Young women who defied convention by wearing short skirts, cutting hair, smoking, drinking, and dancing wildly. They symbolized the decade’s liberated, rebellious spirit and changing social norms.

FLIVVER – Slang term for an inexpensive automobile, especially the Model T Ford. This affordable car revolutionized American transportation, making vehicles accessible to middle-class families nationwide.

FORD – Henry Ford’s automobile company that mass-produced affordable Model T cars using assembly line techniques. His innovations revolutionized manufacturing and made car ownership possible for average Americans.

GANGSTER – Organized criminals who profited enormously from bootlegging during Prohibition. Violent turf wars between rival gangs, like Capone’s outfit, dominated cities with tommy guns and corruption throughout.

GATSBY – Title character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel “The Great Gatsby,” published in 1925. The book captured the era’s excess, materialism, and disillusionment perfectly.

GIN – Popular alcoholic spirit often illegally produced in bathtubs during Prohibition. “Gin joints” and speakeasies served this drink despite federal bans, fueling widespread criminal activity and disrespect.

HOOCH – Slang term for illegally made or poor-quality alcohol during Prohibition. Often dangerously distilled, hooch could contain toxic methanol that caused serious illness, blindness, or death to consumers.

JAZZ – Revolutionary American music genre born in New Orleans, featuring improvisation and syncopated rhythms. It defined the decade’s soundtrack, inspiring new dances and shocking traditional society with energetic sounds.

LINDBERGH – Charles Lindbergh became an international hero after completing the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927. His daring achievement captured imaginations worldwide and advanced aviation dramatically.

MODEL T – Ford’s affordable, mass-produced automobile that revolutionized American life. Nicknamed the “Tin Lizzie,” over fifteen million were sold, transforming transportation, commerce, and social mobility completely.

MOONSHINE – Illegally distilled corn whiskey produced in secret, often in rural areas during Prohibition. Moonshiners operated hidden stills at night, evading federal agents while supplying thirsty customers nationwide.

NIGHTCLUB – Entertainment venues featuring jazz music, dancing, and illegal alcohol. These glamorous establishments flourished despite Prohibition laws, offering sophisticated urban entertainment and attracting fashionable crowds nightly.

RADIO – Revolutionary communication technology that brought entertainment, news, and music into millions of homes. Commercial broadcasting exploded during the twenties, creating shared national culture and transforming leisure time.

ROADSTER – Sporty, open-top automobile popular among wealthy youth seeking excitement and freedom. These sleek cars symbolized the decade’s emphasis on speed, style, and breaking away from tradition.

STOCK – Shares in companies traded on Wall Street. Rampant speculation and easy credit fueled a soaring stock market bubble that eventually crashed catastrophically in October 1929.

SUFFRAGE – Women’s right to vote, finally achieved nationwide with the Nineteenth Amendment’s ratification in 1920. This monumental victory followed decades of activism and fundamentally transformed American democracy forever.