The Business of America Chapter 20 Section 3

I America’s Standard of Living Automobile changes landscape of America Built roads/houses w/ garages 1st auto traffic signal in Detroit (early 1920s) Holland Tunnel=1st underwater tunnel Liberated previously isolated rural families Women & young ppl become more independent w/ increased mobility

B. The Young Airplane Industry Airplane ind. Began by carrying mail for gov’t Airplane became useful means of trans. Invention of weather forecasting, radio, & navigational equipment helped airplane industry prosper

C. Electrical Conveniences Gas powered much of 1920s boom but so did electricity Many machines ran on electricity Alternating currents & transofrmers allowed electricity to be transmitted to suburbs Electrical appliances made (radio, washing machine, vaccuum, etc.) Made life of housewife easierfreed them up for other activitiesincrease of women working outside the home Mass culture (movies, sports, newspapers) led to new lifestyle

D. Dawn of Mass Advertising Growing # of applincesrelying on advertising No longer focused on informing the publichired psych. To study appeal of buyers Ex.= “Say it with flowers”/ “reach for a lucky instead of a sweet” Goods that were once luxuries now seemed a necessity Listerine advertisement on PG 604

II Superficial Prosperity A. Producing Great Quantities of Goods Various mergers took place Chain stores opened up (Five- and-dimes/Woolworth’s) As business grew so did income gap between workers and managers

B. Buying many Goods of Credit Businesses also made easy credit available to lure customers Installment plan= enabled ppl to buy goods and pay for them over time w/o putting much money down Banks provided low interest while advertiser pushed slogans “Enjoy while you pay” Americans focused on the present w/ little concern for the future