1. Histogram: An exploration of 1920s Australia through social media

Ethel and Mary Page, wife and daughter of Earle Page, National Library of Australia, Public Domain

Activity

As history students, it is your responsibility to explore the different perspectives of those who experienced significant historical change. This will help to build a coherent and inclusive understanding of history. You will be completing a “Histogram” or historical Instagram post (VCAA, 2023), from the perspective of a person living in 1920s Australia. This will develop your critical thinking and inquiry skills as well as getting you to be creative with ICT.

You will utilise a Zeoob to create a fake Instagram post. Please note, this is an educational tool and should not be used to create false information about people in the present.

To begin, think about the voice you would like to give power to. In the decade post-World War 1, what kind of people were living in Australia’s Roaring Twenties? Technology was advancing, optimism was accompanied with economic prosperity and Australia’s sense of identity was developing greatly. Your Histogram post should reflect this.

In pairs, brainstorm the different perspectives you could give voice to in your post. You can utilise online resources such as the Royal Australian Historical Society to assist your discussion.

Some points to consider:

1. The role of women

–       The flapper

2.  Arts and culture

–       The rise of jazz music

–       Fashion

–       Film

–       Modernist movement

3. Technology

–       Suburban expansion

–       Motor car and aeroplane developments

–       Radio

4. Economy

–       Motor car sales

–       Developments in energy sources

–       Employment rates

You may wish to select one of the above to incorporate into your Histogram post. To develop your inquiry skills, it is suggested you question the content. For example: Was the optimism of the Roaring Twenties felt collectively amongst the Australian population?

Begin to think about the forgotten voices. Australian soldiers returning from war may not have felt the same level of optimism as other Australians. Witnessing the horrors of war, their Roaring Twenties may have been experienced differently. Remember as history students, it is your role to develop a coherent understanding of history. A coherent understanding includes a diverse range of voices.

Using these points, construct your Histogram post. Think about perspective, voice and context.

Teachers Note: Your students can send you their post in PDF form. You could collate these and create a booklet displaying the collection of voices from 1920s Australia.

2. 1930s Australia: An exploration into change, society and the Susso

StateLibQld 1 111680 Crowd gathered for free food outside the McWhirthers’ building, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, on Christmas Day 1933, Daily Standard, Public Domain

Activity

As history students, it is important you can examine historical artefacts/sources for how they represent context and political, economic and social change. This is an active process, whereby you will interrogate the source material using historical questioning and inquiry skills.

You will be analysing a children’s nursery rhyme that was popularised in 1930s Australia during the Great Depression. To combat the impacts of decreased employment levels and economic decline, the government implemented the sustenance relief rations, or “the Susso”. Your task is to construct an extended response that reacts to the poem:

We’re on the susso now

We can’t afford a cow

We live in a tent

We pay no rent

We’re on the susso now

(Victorian Collections, 2019)

Extended Response: How does the poem depict the economic and social environment experienced by 1930s Australians? How does this position us to think about the change experienced from 1920s Australia> Focus on the perspective of ONE historical actor; either women, men or children.

Remember to develop your historical inquiry and questioning skills. This means you must interrogate the source material. what is it saying about Australia’s economic climate? Why was it a popular children’s nursery rhyme? Did the susso help?