US.31 Describe the growth and effects of radio and movies and their role in the worldwide diffusion of popular culture. (C, G)
US.32 Describe the rise of mass production techniques and the impact of new technologies, including the advent of airplane travel, spread of electricity, popularity of labor saving appliances, and innovations in food processing and food purchasing (Clarence Saunders). (E, G, H, TN)
US.33 Using multiple sources and diverse formats, summarize the impact of the mass production and widespread availability of automobiles on the American economy and society. (C, E, H, G)
US.34 Analyze the changes in the economy and culture of the United States as a result of expansion of credit, consumerism, and financial speculation. (E, H, C)
Lesson 21. (US.32, 33) 1920's Technologies & Economy
a. Radio
b. Movies
c. Mass Production Techniques
d. Henry Ford
e. Automobiles
f. Airplanes
g. Labor Saving Appliances
h. Food Processes and Purchasing
i. Consumerism
j. Credit & Financial Speculation
The 1920s saw the growth of Hollywood. While the first movies featured subtitles and an in-house organist to heighten the drama on the big screen, it wasn't long before “talkies” became popular. Soon, Americans were captivated by Hollywood stars. In 1927, the first full-length feature motion picture with sound, "The Jazz Singer", debuted. The popularity of motion pictures became a significant part of the Roaring Twenties.
When World War I ended, factories started producing more to satisfy growing consumer demands. There was a great desire for normalcy. Americans wanted to enjoy their families and communities, removing themselves from the problems overseas. Driving factory production was the assembly line, introduced in 1913 by Henry Ford to build the Model T. Ford's goal was to create a mass production process that was so efficient that the product would become affordable to many more consumers. Improving the efficiency would make the product cheaper because more could be created for less. Before the 20th century, products were created from start to finish by perhaps one or a few individuals. A great deal of skill was needed, for example, to build a clock or to assemble one of industry's many machines.
Mass production changed that. Assembly line workers were trained in and performed their specific task in an industrial rhythm of skill and timing. One completed product, such as a car, involved many line workers, Mass production created the need for supervisors and managers, establishing a hierarchy in the workplace.
Finally, the mass production of products required innovation, including advances in technology, and the involvement of other specialties, such as accountants to manage finances, sales representatives to market the product, and specialists in the design and manufacture of particular products. The success of mass Henry Ford in an early Ford production hinged, not only on the capabilities of one or a few individuals, but also on people working as a team. Ford's experiment proved to be a huge success. By 1924, his Model T sold for under $300, affordable for many Americans now earning about $1,300 annually. The wages of American factory workers gave them buying power, with Ford leading the way by offering $5 per day to his assembly workers. The growth of the automobile industry led to growth in other economic sectors. Businesses along America's roads sprung up. Rubber, steel, glass, oil, and other industries grew to meet the needs of consumers. Labor-saving devices run by electricity, such as washing machines, stoves, and vacuum cleaners, allowed for more recreational activities. The resulting economic boom, or growth period, became known as the Roaring Twenties,
Rise of Consumer Culture
The U.S. economy was booming after World War I, and by the 1920s, mass production had fueled the development of a consumer culture. Though industry was fraught with tensions between workers and managers, wage labor gave workers buying power, and the ability to participate in an ever more vital retail economy. Consumerism began to take shape in the late 19th century, when department stores overwhelmed consumers with product selection.
Advertising and marketing techniques like show windows and catalogs created new needs and desires in potential shoppers. The range of products available had also changed with technology. The availability of the automobile, electric lighting, electric irons, electric iceboxes, radios, vacuum cleaners, and other items enabled increased leisure time. Americans also began to spend more time and money on listening to radio Radio programs were quite popular in the 1920s programs and on movies with sound.