It wasn't until the 1920s and '30s that their blue-collar counterparts began to get paid vacations as well. Americans in the late 20th century "worked more days per year than workers in other prosperous nations, such as those in Europe, yet on average, had less vacation time (Sabga, 2001)." Americans averaged two to three weeks off a year, in sharp contrast to many European nations which guaranteed up to six weeks a year. This is due to the fact "unlike in other countries, particularly Europe, vacations in the United States are not guaranteed by the government (Sabga, 2001)."

Roles of Women

Women have played important roles in science and technology, however many times they have faced "social, economic, and intellectual obstacles (Kohlstedt, 2004)." In the early 20th century, the United States benefited from the efforts of "women of distinction like Anna

Botsford Comstock and Ellen Swallow Richards, while in Europe physicist Marie Curie was helping to establish not only possibilities but also standards of exceptionalism (Kohlstedt, 2004)."

In the early 1900s women in the United States fought for the right to vote, and in 1920, women won this right with the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment. After "gaining political rights in the United States and much of Europe in the first part of the century, women became more independent throughout the century (www.eurofreehost.com/20/20th_century_2.html)." While the roles of women grew over the century, they never completely overcame the gender gap in terms of "opportunities, salaries, and career advancement (Kohlstedt, 2004)."

Music, Art, Literature and Fashion

The Arts saw a number of changes during the 20th century as new genres came about. During this century, music saw the "development of blues, soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, ragtime,...

Film became the art of the 20th century, combining drama, music, and high technology to entertain and inspire large audiences (Cowen, 2000)." Fashion was influenced by "music, movies and the media in all aspects of life. Modern art developed new styles such as expressionism, cubism, and surrealism (www.eurofreehost.com/20/20th_century_2.html)."
The modernism experienced in Europe and the United States contributed to societies that were "relatively wealthy and commercial for their time. Today, most of the important works in film, music, literature, painting, and sculpture are sold as commodities (Cowen, 2000)."

Conclusion

The 20th century can be considered a time of Renaissance in the United States. During this time, there were numerous changes in several venues in both the United States and Europe, some which were similar and others entirely different.