There have been many important events that have occurred throughout the history of our country. Some have been filled with turmoil, while others have shown prosperity. Examples of unrest are World War I and World War II. The Jazz Age didn't let the bad times affect it. There are many ways in which this time period is considered exceptional. The Jazz Age was the greatest era in American history because of the characteristics and economic prosperity that defined the 1920s, as well as the styles and behaviors of the people who lived during that time, as seen through F.'s characters. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. While there were many aspects that made up the culture of the 1920s, one of the most important was music. Jazz was the main form of music that was starting to make its way. This style of music has been around for many years, starting in New Orleans. According to the book Popular Culture: 1929-1929, Jane Bingham states that a group of talented African Americans began this type of music and their inspiration came from the songs their ancestors played while working on the cotton plantations (Bingham 8). Jazz was originally played in underground speakeasies and nightclubs. However, it was none other than F. Scott Fitzgerald who kicked off this musical journey through his novel, The Great Gatsby. In the Encyclopedia of Jazz, James Ciment writes that Jazz was the musical anthem of the carefree and modern spirit of these times (Ciment 307). Jazz so upbeat, frenetic and rhythmic led to the rebellion of many young men and women. For example, in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald describes Gatsby's parties as packed with people dancing to jazz music and enjoying themselves to... middle of paper... characteristics he displayed. People were moving away from the norm. Men turned to alcohol and bootlegging while women became carefree and loved life. However, not all moments were funny and scandalous. The Great Depression affected many families and left them in debt. Yet, people didn't let that stop them from roaring through those 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald created his characters in The Great Gatsby from the styles and behaviors of people in the 1920s. Works Cited Bingham, Jane. Popular culture: 1920-1939. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library, 2012. Print.Ciment, James. Encyclopedia of the Jazz Age: From the End of World War I to the Great Crash. vol. 2. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2008. Print. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Macmillan, 1991. Print.Miller, Bettina. From Flappers to Flivvers: we helped make the '20s roar! Greendale, WI: Reminisce, 1995. Print.