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The Business of America CHAPTER 12- SECTION 3
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Calvin Coolidge Born in 1872 Republican lawyer from Vermont 1918- Governor of Massachusetts Boston Police Strike Elected to Vice Presidency in 1920 Harding died in August 1923
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Coolidge as President Favored policies that would keep taxes down Gave businesses more available credit to expand Goal was to keep government interference to a minimum and allow private enterprise to flourish Laissez-faire Placed high tariffs on American imports Determined to preserve old moral and economic habits
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Coolidge as President Silent Cal Forced the resignation of Attorney General Daugherty and other cabinet members 1924- he was elected as President Son died shortly after 1928- decided not seek re-election
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Henry Ford Born in 1863 outside of Detroit, Michigan Grew up on a farm As a teenager, gained the reputation of watch repairmen 1893- built a gas engine and an automobile Reserved for the rich Custom made cars 1899- joined the Detroit Automobile Company Wanted to adopt assembly line technology
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Ford Motor Company 1903- set up the Ford Motor Company “motor car for the great multitude” Believed assembly line would make car production more efficient Moving assembly line Interchangeable parts Improved machinery Increased pay and decreased hours of employees
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The Model T 1908- simple sturdy car Offered no factory options No color options Divided production into 84 steps Workers were trained to do a specific step Had time down to a science Workers were paid $5 an hour
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The Model A 1927- the last Model T Ford was created 15,000,000 had been sold December 2- the Model A was released Came in multiple colors More luxurious Sold until 1932 Over 4,000,000 Sold for $495
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Impact of Ford Did not invent the car Did not invent the assembly line He did make the car affordable for most middle-class families Even some working class families Model T revolutionized transportation “Fordism-” mass production of inexpensive good paired with high wages
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Criticism of Ford 1915- went on a trip to Europe Supposed to promote peace, widely criticized Unsuccessfully ran for Senate Opposed labor unions Criticism of Jews during World War II Nazi sympathizer Called a “traitor to his class”
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Impact of the Automobile Reduction of income taxes meant people had more money Automobile changed American lifestyle Construction of paved roads Suitable for driving in all weather Route 66 Main Street of America Established in November 1926
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Impact of the Automobile Changing homes Driveway and garage Construction (gas stations, repair shops, garages, motels, camps) Holland Tunnel, 1927 NYC New Jersey
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Social Impact of the Automobile Gave young people new freedoms Dating culture Liberated rural families Rise of suburbia Increased vacation opportunities Allowed women to become more independent People could live further away from jobs Urban sprawl
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Economic Impact Automobile industry drew people to cities Detroit, Dearborn, Flint, and Pontiac Michigan Oil industry- drew people to oil producing states like California and Texas Car became status symbol “I’ll go without food before I’ll see us give up the car”
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Auto industry = symbolized success of free enterprise system Only country where people with little money own a car 1 car for every 5 people
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Will Rogers to Henry Ford “It will take a hundred years to tell whether you helped us or hurt us, but you certainly didn’t leave us where you found us.” How did the automobile industry improve American life? What harm may have been caused by the automobile?
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Young Airplane Industry The airplane industry began as a mail carrying service for the US Post Office Henry Ford trimotor airplane in 1926 Transatlantic flights by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart Helped to promote cargo and commercial airlines 1927- Pan American Airways created the first transatlantic passenger flights
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When commercial airline flights begin, all flight attendants were female and white
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