Charles Lindbergh's flight simultaneously demonstrated his individual bravery and the growing power of technology. Why would this mixture of human effort and technological achievement make him an almost ideal hero for the 1920s?

Along with the beginning of a consumer economy and the growth of the movie industry, the 1920s were often considered the "golden age of sport." Sports heroes, such as New York Yankee Babe Ruth and boxer Jack Dempsey, became famous, thanks to the publicity they received in the nation's newspapers and radio.

But perhaps the decade's greatest hero was Charles Lindbergh, who piloted an airplane, The Spirit of St. Louis, from the U.S. to Paris in May 1927. Lindbergh became the first person to fly alone nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. His daring thirty-three hour flight made him a hero on both sides of the Atlantic. Lindbergh's trip was both an act of extraordinary individual courage and a testament to the growing importance of technology. Upon his return the U.S., Lindbergh was greeted by parades and other celebrations in many American cities.