Unit 16 Lesson 2: A Bomming Economy

Question 1

In the early 1900s, transportation options for the average American began to expand. Who was Henry Ford

Answer 1

Henry Ford—an industry early car manufacturer who started the Ford Motor Company and introduced the moving assembly line—revolutionized the transportation industry.

Question 2

Model T,

Answer 2

the first car made with an assembly line by the Ford Motor Company.

Question 3

. By the 1920s, there was a high demand from consumers who wanted to purchase vehicles such as Henry Ford’s popular Model. What problem did Henry Ford run into?

Answer 3

Ford had a problem, however. His Model Ts were very popular, but they were also time-consuming to build and expensive for the average American: about $850 (approximately $18,000 today). Since the average yearly income was about $3,270 in 1920, this meant that people would spend around 26 percent of their yearly income on an automobile.

Question 4

Prior to the 1920s, cars were built using an assembly line. What happened in the assembly line

Answer 4

In an assembly line, each team of workers would assemble the same part of a larger product. These parts were interchangeable, meaning they could fit into any assembly of the same type. For example, one team would assemble steering wheels, another team assembled bumpers, and yet another team assembled wheels

Question 5

How did Hnery Ford inporve to assembly line

Answer 5

Henry Ford improved upon this process by introducing a conveyor system to move individual parts from team to team.

Question 6

Ford’s innovative process was called the

Answer 6

moving assembly line, and it revolutionized manufacturing. This process is still used today!

Question 7

How did the moving conveyor belts improve production?

Answer 7

The conveyor belts allowed work to be completed at a faster and more consistent speed.

Question 8

How quickly were cars completed?

Answer 8

The rate of completion was one car every 40 seconds.

Question 9

How did Ford’s moving assembly line impact the price of the Model T?

Answer 9

The price of the Model T decreased from $850 to $300, making it more affordable for average American families. The lower price meant that the average family would spend only 10 percent of its yearly income on an automobile, rather than 26 percent.

Question 10

Why was Ford’s moving assembly line effective in his automobile manufacturing plants

Answer 10

Ford’s moving assembly line was effective in his automobile manufacturing plants because it reduced costs and increased efficiency, or the amount of time and effort needed for production

Question 11

Ford was now saving money on production costs, what impact did this have

Answer 11

Ford lowered the price of the Model T and increased consumer demand. By 1924, the price of a Model T had dropped from $850 to $265. By 1929, America had more than 23 million automobiles.

Question 12

What did the moving assembly line help fuel

Answer 12

The moving assembly line helped fuel record economic growth in the United States during the 1920s. This boom economy, or period of economic expansion, lasted nearly the entire decade.

Question 13

What defined the Roaring Twenties

Answer 13

The time period is known as the Roaring Twenties in part due to this rapid economic growth, as well as innovations in manufacturing.

Question 14

Work life during the roaring twenties

Answer 14

Many other industries began adopting Ford’s idea of using a moving assembly line and interchangeable parts. Unemployment remained low as businesses hired more workers to meet the demand for new products. Workers migrated toward big, northern cities such as Detroit to find better paying jobs with consistent hours.

Question 15

How did the moving assembly line impact work

Answer 15

Many workers were needed for Ford’s moving assembly line. Some people disliked the repetitive nature of the work, but Ford paid them well: $5 per 8-hour workday. He also paid all workers equally. This attracted many African Americans from the South to move to Detroit, which was nicknamed “Motor City.”

Question 16

How did the automobile industry impact other industires

Answer 16

As the automobile industry grew, there was an increased demand for the manufacturing materials. . This helped spur the American economy during the 1920s. Industries such as glass, steel, and rubber processing expanded to meet the need for auto parts such as windshields, doors, and wheels. The oil industries in California, Oklahoma, and Texas also grew to meet the need for fuel.

Question 17

Howdid the growth of the automoblie industry create change

Answer 17

Local and state governments worked on building public roads to accommodate the rising number of automobiles. The car became a symbol of mobility. Motels and roadside restaurants that catered specifically to automobile travelers developed. New shopping and living patterns emerged. Streetcars to the suburbs were replaced with roads designed for automobiles.

Question 18

During the 1920s, newfound wealth among average Americans from the economic boom led to a

Answer 18

rapid increase in demand for consumer goods.

Question 19

Buying on credit also allowed consumers the ability to make

Answer 19

major purchases, such as a car.

Question 20

What did credit allow Americans to do

Answer 20

Credit allowed Americans to borrow and spend money with the understanding that the money would be paid back to the lender in small amounts over a period of time. This put automobiles within reach of more Americans.

Question 21

Some other newly developed innovations included the following:

Answer 21

• radio
• phonographs
• vacuum cleaners
• washing machines
• refrigerators

Question 22

importance of advertsing in the 20s

Answer 22

Print advertising became central to this new consumer economy but quickly spread to new technologies, such as the radio. Magazines also became more dependent on advertising.

Question 23

Back then, people relied upon newspapers and an increasingly popular form of media for information:

Answer 23

radio broadcasts.

Question 24

The 1920s also saw major changes in air travel and aviation. Motors impact

Answer 24

Orville Wright, one of the inventors of the airplane, thought airplanes needed better motors. ” However, during the 1920s, auto manufacturers such as Henry Ford also made airplane motors. Improvements to motors in the auto industry led to rapid improvements in airplane motors.

Question 25

Charles Lindbergh

Answer 25

In 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, flying from New York to Paris nonstop in 33 hours.

Question 26

Spirit of St. Louis

Answer 26

The airplane he flew was called the Spirit of St. Louis.