1. The Business of Americap
The Business of America

2. Objectives
Summarize the impact of the automobile and other consumer goods on American life
Explain how prosperity affected different groups of Americans
Explain in what ways the country’s prosperity was superficial

3. American Industries Flourish
Calvin Coolidge
“The chief business of the American people is business…. The man who builds a factory builds a temple….. The man who works there worships there.”
Followed a policy of “Laissez-Faire”
Kept taxes downs to keep profits up
High tariffs continued to help American manufacturing

4. American Industries Flourish
The Impact of the Automobile
Cultural Changes
Garages
Gas/repair stations
Motels
Tourism
Literal change of the American landscape
Route 66
Chicago to California

5. American Industries Flourish
The Impact of the Automobile (cont.)
Liberation of the American Family
Urban Sprawl
The unplanned and uncontrolled spreading of cities into surrounding regions
1920s - 80% of all registers cars were in the US
1 car for every 5 people

6. American Industries Flourish
The Young Airplane Industry
U.S. Mail
Weather Forecasting
Transatlantic Flights
Charles Lindbergh
Amelia Earhart
Pan American Airway
1927 – 1st transatlantic passenger flight

8. America’s Standard of Living
Refrigerators
Cooking ranges
Toasters
Washing machine
Vacuum cleaner
Sewing machine
Electrical Conveniences
Percentage Increase
– 331%
Percentage of American Industries powered by electricity
1929 – 50%

9. A Superficial Prosperity
Producing Great Quantities of Goods
Buying Goods on Credit
Americans believed prosperity would never end
Overproduction of Products
Farmers Struggle
Mergers
Automobiles
Steel
Electric equipment
Wages not keeping up with rising prices
Americans use Credit to increase their standard of living
Chain Stores
Five-and-Dime
Woolworth’s
Installment Plan
An arrangement in which a purchaser pays over an extended time, without having to put down money at the time of purchase

10. How did the automobile change American life
How did the automobile change American life? What role did credit play in the American economy in the 1920s? What did some businesses not do well in the 1920s? How did the installment plan fuel a superficial prosperity?