Standards of Living 1917-41

Question 1

What did the American Dream mean to someone in 1917?

Answer 1

Somewhere to live, a house and a family and a wage that would cover more than the basic necessities of living.

Question 2

How did the American Dream change as the years progressed?

Answer 2

The number of necessities increased, including the ownership of cars and a significant number of consumer goods such as radios, fridges, washing machines and televisions.

Question 3

How did home ownership change from 1920 to 1940?

Answer 3

In 1920 6’700’000 people owned their own homes whilst 12’900’000 were renting. In 1940 15’200’000 peopled owned their own home whilst 19’600’000 were renting.

Question 4

What did the 1940 census reveal about Running water, bathrooms and toilets?

Answer 4

Only 2.6% of homes had no toilet of any kind whilst 59.7% had an indoor flushing toilet. 69.9% of homes had some kind of running water and 56.2% had a bath or a shower.

Question 5

What did the 1940 census reveal about the conditions of running water, bathrooms and toilets for non white people?

Answer 5

They often had rented housing in cities and they most likely had shared bathroom facilities and were in need of plumbing repair often.

Question 6

What did the 1940 census reveal about lighting?

Answer 6

78.7% of homes and electric light while 20.2% still relied upon oil lamps. The rest used gas, candles and nothing at all.

Question 7

What did the 1940 census reveal about cooking?

Answer 7

48.8% of homes cooked with gas and only 5.4% used electricity, 0.4% of homes still had no way of cooking at all.

Question 8

What did the 1940 census reveal about heating?

Answer 8

42% of homes had central heating for those homes without central heating the must usual method was a stove although 11.3% of homes had no heating at all.

Question 9

What did the 1940 census reveal about refrigation?

Answer 9

44.1% of homes had an electric fridge whilst 27.4% did not have a not even have an icebox to keep the fridge cool.

Question 10

What did the 1940 Census reveal about radios?

Answer 10

82.8% of people had a radio in 1940.

Question 11

How did spending habits shift in the 1920s?

Answer 11

More and more people began to buy products at retail stores rather than small local stores as the decade progressed. By 1929 Retail stores were selling 21.9% of all goods in the USA. A key example is J.C. Penney which spread across the US. Smaller family run businesses could not offer the same discounts.

Question 12

What did the 1930 show about food?

Answer 12

They spent 23.9% of household income went to food, 13.4% of it went towards eating out.

Question 13

How did the 1933 cause change regarding food?

Answer 13

The average household was spending 25.9% of their income on food but only 12.9% went to eating out.

Question 14

What did the 1940 census reveal about food?

Answer 14

The standard of living had risen as households were now spending 21.1% of their income on food and 15.1% of that was spent on eating out.

Question 15

What market boomed during the 1920s?

Answer 15

The Household appliance market boomed which included toasters, fridges, radios, toasters, washing machines, irons and vacuum cleaners.

Question 16

How did Roosevelt deal with the issue of electricity in 1935?

Answer 16

He established the Rural Electrification Administration which aimed to get electricity into the rural areas. In 1939 alone the REA ran out 100’000 miles of New Power Lines.

Question 17

What did electrification lead to in regards to Household appliances?

Answer 17

By 1940 newly electrified houses were buying almost as many appliances as homes that had been electrified for years. In 1940 80% of homes with electricity had an iron and a radio and over 50% had a washing machine, fridge and a toaster.

Question 18

How did health standards change from 1917 to 1941?

Answer 18

It generally improved with far fewer people dying of diphtheria and small pox although there was a slight rise in the 1930s when people couldn’t afford medical treatment.

Question 19

How did Government spending on healthcare change in the years 1917-1941?

Answer 19

They invested more into the healthcare of those who could not afford it, in 1917 they spent $3’100’000 on healthcare, in 1930 it reached $11’000’000 and by 1940 it was $32’700’000.

Question 20

How did the number of children going to school change?

Answer 20

In 1917 only 27.1% of children aged 14-17 were going to school, by 1929 it was at 51.5% and by 1940 it was at 73%. This shows an increase in standards of living as less children need to work.

Question 21

How did the number of children going to work change?

Answer 21

In 1920 8.5% of al children under 15 were working. Legislation was passed in 1938 which included stopping children under 14 working in non agricultural roles.

Question 22

What was the wage of a farm worker per year on average?

Answer 22

Although it varied widely it tended to average out at $298.32 per year which was half lower than the average wage of a coloured person and a quarter of that of a white worker.

Question 23

How much did the average farmer make per month in 1928 and 1941?

Answer 23

In 1928 the average monthly wage was $35.75 whilst in 1941 it was $26.88.

Question 24

What was the influence of instalment payments and why were they so popular?

Answer 24

People began to believe heavily in the buy now pay later way of thinking meaning that many would spend more than their means. For example 60% of all furniture and and 75% of all radios were bought in instalment plans.

Question 25

How did car ownership change during the 1920s?

Answer 25

In 1919 there were 6.7 million cars on the road and by 1929 there were 27 million as people were encouraged to buy them on credit.

Question 26

How did Fordism and Taylorism affect the lives of workers?

Answer 26

Ford introduced the 40 hour work week which FDR later implemented, Taylorism increased the conditions for workers on the basis that they would work harder.

Question 27

How much did the income of upper class people decrease by during the Depression?

Answer 27

Many people working in fields such as lawyers and doctors found their income dropping by up to 40%.

Question 28

How much did employment change by from 1929 to 1933?

Answer 28

Unemployment was at 3.2% in 1929 whilst in 1933 it was at 25% and was at 15% by 1940.

Question 29

What was the Dust Bowl?

Answer 29

The Dust Bowl was a major crisis that developed in the Midwest when mass desertification led to the destruction of farmland and in turn pushed up unemployment.

Question 30

How did the role of women change during the Great Depression?

Answer 30

Many women ended up doing pink collar jobs such as being telephone operators, social workers and secretaries whilst some became maids and cleaners.

Question 31

How did the Second World War drag America out of the depression and how?

Answer 31

Industries were in quick demand for labor in order to keep up with the increasing demands for arms, they reached a meagre 1.2% by 1944.