1. The Business of America
Chapter 20 Section 3

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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