4.1 The changing quality of life 1917-41

Question 1

how and why did living standards change between 1917-33

Answer 1

american dream meant a good and ever-improving standard of living and quality of life. This was affected by the boom bust cycle characterised from capatalism

Question 2

facts about what happened in economic boom 1921-1929 (5)

Answer 2

-inflation was always below 1%
-working hours decreased from 47 hours in 1924 to 44 hrs in 1929
-real wages rose by nearly 25% in 1920’s
-GNP rose from $73 billion to $104 billion
-production of industrial goods rose by 50%

Question 3

living standards for economic boom 1921-1929 good

Answer 3

-little unemployment
-pension plans
-new media forms eg radio
-viewing of sport
-women were more independent birth control

Question 4

living standards for economic boom 1921-1929 bad

Answer 4

-black people were still poorest
-fall in farmers prices
-texitle and miners wages didn’t rise

Question 5

explanations for economic boom 1921-1929

Answer 5

-federal government eg high tariffs protected domestic industries and decreased federal tax rich got richer only top 2% payed
-technology advancements mass production techniques Henry ford car cost only $295
-easy to obtain credit in 1929 $7 million good were sold on credit 75% on household items 50% on cars

Question 6

reasons for economic bust 1929

Answer 6

-unwise speculation of stocks
-30,000 small banks with no effective system or security
-overproduction and tariffs limited market demand
-small businesses failing at a rate of 50%

Question 7

events of the Wall Street crash

Answer 7

-October 1929
-New York exchange handled 2/3 of stock
-speculation of collapse in price of shares led to fear that Americans wouldn’t be able to take out loans of which they profited from shares
-in 1930 only 600 banks collapsed
-12 million unemployed
-wages of full time employed fell by 1/3

Question 8

impact of the Great Depression

Answer 8

-shacks called ‘Hoovervilles’ 1-2 million lived in directly blamed presidency for economic bust
- shrinking of domestic market Ford fired 75% of its workforce
-in September 1932 the ‘fortune’ magazine estimated that 1/3 of population were without any income excluding farmers
-overrelaince on charities
-52% black population were unemployed
-100 cities were unable to help poor

Question 9

leisure and travel in 1917-33

Answer 9

-in 1929 $4 billion was spend on leisure
-people had sufficient time and money
-dramatic social impact = socialise and had more fun
-movies had standardised american culture

Question 10

growth of spectator sports 1917-33

Answer 10

-“golden era of sports”
-baseball had 20 million attendance in 1927 alone
-Yankees stadium went from 35,000 to 53,000 seating capacity
-sporting celebrity Babe Ruth earned $1 million and reaffirmed the American dream
-sports was a growing powerful economic force

Question 11

car owning culture

Answer 11

-ability to drive to work accelerated growth of suburbs
-car life made life faster, freer, easier and more fun
-decreased rural isolation
-travel to go sightsee and relax
-springed hotels and motels and gas stations
-employed millions cause for american prosperity

Question 12

development and influence of air travel

Answer 12

-devloped during world war 1
-pilots did stunts
-used for mail
-1928 boeing plane made a passenger service and meant that federal government could travel

Question 13

Charles Lindbergh

Answer 13

-in 1927 was first solo transatlantic flight
-epitomised rugged individualism
-american dream was alive
-media loved him
-recieved $100 mill in aviation investment