1. part a: which of the following statements best describes a central idea of the text? [ri.2] a. capitalism is to blame for the great depression and the end of the roaring twenties because this economic system only benefits wealthy people. b. americans were more consumed with entertainment and reckless behavior in the 1920s, allowing the government to make bad decisions. c. americans were indulging in excess and deregulation during the 1920s, unaware this would contribute to an economic crisis. d. hoover’s progressive policies were not enough to undo much of the damage that was done during the harding and coolidge administrations.

The correct answer is C) Americans were indulging in excess and deregulation during the 1920s, unaware this would contribute to an economic crisis.

The statement that best describes a central idea of the text is "Americans were indulging in excess and deregulation during the 1920s, unaware this would contribute to an economic crisis."

What happened in the 1920s was that people, including the middle class- had money to spend in necessary and unnecessary things; most of them using credit. The name for this period in the United States was "the Roaring 1920s," were consumerism and overspending marked these years until the US stock market crash of October 29, 1929, that generated the Great Depression.