Test 1- 1920s and the impact of the boom, racism and Roaring 20s on ordinary Americans. Flashcards
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society?(A)
In 1915 just over 15% of American homes had electricity. By 1929, over 70% did. This revolutionised daily life, and boosted spending - people could buy white goods.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (B)
Advertising was growing hugely in presence and demand - the period of 1920 - 1922 saw a 200% increase in advertisements placed in papers and on billboards.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (C)
Car making used just over 20% of american steel, just under 70% of American leather, and around 80% of American rubber and glass. This was a huge boost to the primary (producing) industries, especially to the states in the middle of the US. Ford dominated, selling half of all american cars.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (D)
During the boom, to be successful, factories had to adopt mass production methods. This involved producing the same product as quickly and as cheaply as possible. ‘Workmanship’ and personalisation were no longer worthwhile - factories had to be cheap and fast, or else shut down.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (E)
‘Mail order’ became widespread for the first time, often linked with the growth of department store catalogues. For the first time, the average shopper could afford to sit at home and order something from the catalogue, and have it delivered. This extended the reach of the shops’ consumer pull, and employed drivers and so on.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (F)
For the first time people began to value ‘newness’ and ‘modernity’, over saving money and buying products that would last for years. This was the growth of ‘consumer society’ where things were cheap and tempting enough to buy quickly.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (G)
Leading companies in the advertising industry were Coca Cola (who popularised the first red Santa image), Victoria (a company that produced ‘music machines’), and Ford. Each of these had dedicated budgets for advertising and became luxury brands as a result of their publicised image.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (H)
Demand for new ‘lifestyle goods’, especially electrical goods such as radios, laundry machines and kitchen appliances soared. This gave the American people something to spend their money on, factories a market to produce for and created many jobs in these expanding industries.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (I)
The world’s first radio station opened in Pittsburgh in November 1920, to broadcast the winner of the presidential election. By the next year there was a daily radio show ushering in a new age of communication media. As with everything else, it didn’t take long for radio to contribute to 2 growing trends; radio was full of advertisements, and ‘celebrities’ emerged with their own shows.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (J)
Catalogues were launched, combing advertising and the epitome of consumer culture. These were printed en masse and given away free with any purchase - inside was everything you could possibly buy, with mail order free for most purchases. These were particularly popular with families who were distant from emerging shopping centres, as they could peruse the brands at leisure and order them to their homes.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (K)
There were many new ways to buy and sell, as capitalism drove demand and the Republicans deregulated the economy. The ‘hire purchase plan’ was launched - this was a way of paying for an expensive product (such as a car or fridge) over an agreed period of time. This would spread out the cost, so more and more families could afford these items; however, they also included interest payments, making banks and companies even richer.
How far did the boom revolutionise American economy and society? (L)
New manufacturing techniques were becoming popular, including the revolutionary electrical assembly line. Popularised by Henr
