1920s America Flashcards
What is an ‘Economic Boom’?
A short-lived period of time of rapid growth of GDP, resulting in higher employment and higher prices.
Why is an economic boom short-lived?
An economic boom is short-lived because once consumers purchase a product once they won’t buy it repeatedly. This causes companies to lose money, therefore the GDP decreases.
What are consumer goods?
Goods both bought and used by consumers.
What are examples of consumer goods?
Cars, telephones, televisions and radios
What are factors of the boom?
New ideas and industries, confidence, higher purchase and credit, advertising, first world war, electricity and industrial strength.
How did new ideas and industries contribute to the economic boom?
New industries meant Americans increased their purchases of consumer goods. A new idea, the assembly line, was a way of mass-production that decreased prices and increased production. By 1920 they produced 6 cars a minute.
How did the first world war contribute to the economic boom?
WWI aided the American economy as they were a neutral party and thrived of exports as it increased GDP because exports brought revenue from foreign nations through goods.
How did electricity contribute to the economic boom?
Electricity supplied power needed in the homes of consumers for new mass produced products, such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines and refrigerators. Electricity was vital in the development of popular entertainment. It was also affordable for companies helping them produce products.
How did industrial strength contribute to the economic boom?
The USA was a leading producer of many raw materials, the increase of productivity allowed for a greater output from the economy.
How did republican policies contribute to the economic boom?
Republican presidents had policies that involved the fact the governments should not interfere with the economy, they adopted a “laissez-faire” or free market policy. They strongly believed that larger business should have the freedom of expansion. They also had great support for high tariffs, which shield a domestic industry’s products against foreign competition, because the high tariff leads to higher price for the customers of that product.
What are tariffs?
A tax placed on imported or exported goods.
How did advertising contribute to the economic boom?
Companies spent large amount of money on advertising. Advertising in newspapers and magazines increased demand of goods.
How did confidence contribute to the economic boom?
Higher confidence results in more investment and higher economic growth, the American were extremely confident in their country after WWI, causing them to invest in their economy.
Who didn’t prosper from the boom?
Farmers, African Americans, immigrants, coal miners, ship builders and textile workers.
Why didn’t farmers prosper from the boom?
Farmers overproduced crops and weren’t able to sell them. So, prices decreased in order to appeal to consumers. Farmers had to borrow money from banks to survive. Farmers went into debt forcing them to sell their farms and leave. Majority left to go wandering around America looking for any kind of work. 1928 half of all USA farmers were living in poverty.
Why didn’t African Americans prosper from the boom?
African Americans suffered economically, especially in the southern states were the majority worked on small farms owned by white landlords and often lived in immense poverty. Segregation, due to Jim Crow laws, and the KKK in the southern states, made life even harder and many black people migrated to northern cities to find work in new industries. Conditions remained hard for the majority of those who migrated as they lived in the ghettos and were often “the last hired and first to be fired.”
Why didn’t immigrants prosper from the boom?
The unemployment rate amongst new immigrants remained high throughout the 1920s. Many immigrants had not been educated and were willing to work in any kind of job for very low wages. Because of this, greedy factory owners took advantage of them and they faced more and more prejudice.
Why didn’t coal miners prosper from the boom?
Newer more efficient ways of creating electricity, such as oil were used. So, coal prices fell and thousands had to be dismissed from their jobs because the industry was producing too much coal and not enough people and countries wanted to buy it.
Why didn’t ship builders prosper from the boom?
Another major industry that had to make thousands lose their jobs due to a reduction in the demand for new ships.
Why didn’t textile workers prosper from the boom?
Textile Workers that worked with cotton faced competition from newer materials like Rayon. They were producing too much which meant that prices were low and business did not make much profit so wages stayed low as well and many in the industry lost jobs.
What were the changes in dance in 1920s America?
Young people rejected the formal dances of their parents, such as the waltz. They preferred more daring and energetic dances, which often had improvised steps. The Swing, the Charleston and the Lindy Hop became fashionable. Older generations were shocked by many of these new dances which they thought were linked to immoral activities.
What was the radio’s impact on 1920s America?
Before the cinema became popular during the 1920s, the radio was the main medium of entertainment in America. By the end of the 1920s, 50 million people had a radio set. It spread new ideas to people in small towns and remote areas, for example jazz music, people were able to hear up-to-date news, not everyone could read, so the radio became a very important way of communicating information to people, it helped increase the consumer boom, which led to more employment, live radio coverage of boxing and baseball matches helped to make listening to sports a national pastime, now that people could support their favourite team even if it were not possible for them to travel or afford tickets to the game.
What was the cinema’s impact on 1920s America?
Cinema was an influential part of popular culture, films were a way of escaping from the world’s problems. Lifestyles shown in films were widely copied, for example fashions in hairstyles, clothes, make-up, dance and music became popular. Actors like Charlie Chaplin, Charles Lindbergh and Clara Bow became household names.
What was the Hays Code?
Not everyone approved of cinemas. Some people believed they were spreading immoral behaviour and corrupting the young, to overcome some of these concerns, the ‘Hays Code’ was created. It laid down strict guildlines on what was allowed in terms of male-female relations on screen. A kiss could last for no more than seven metres of film, adultery was not to be portrayed in a good light and films should disapprove of killings.
What was Hollywood’s impact on 1920s America?
Hollywood hosted create power of it’s audience. By marketing their movies extensively, they succeeded in generating immense interest in the movie stars and huge incomes. Often times when stars past many fans would commit suicide.
Who was Clara Bow?
Clara Bow, the “It” Girl, played the part of a flapper in a number of films, and influenced many young women to behave in the same way. She was the most popular actress in 1928 and 1929.
