The main aspect of the economic boom of the 1920's was the new assembly line production method.

Ben Hewison USA Coursework

Question One

The main aspect of the economic boom of the 1920’s was the new assembly line production method. This developed industries because with the assembly line it was easier to produce things, or to have them mass-produced. This was cheaper and more effective. New sales methods were also invented, people could start to buy things they couldn’t afford on credit, or have purchased this was where they paid in separate payments. New technology, meant there were less labour costs, and machinery was quicker. New advertising methods, in cinemas and films showed off new dress styles and smoking of cigarettes, this gave people new thoughts too be in with fashion and they became more confident. The new mass-produced, cars lead people to greater mobility by 1929, over 5,622,000 cars were sold. The impact of 1st world war gave American manufacturers a chance to become rich, selling things to Europe. Lots of more jobs became available there was almost full employment and 40% - 60% of people became richer.

The car industry changed a lot of people’s lifestyles. Over 5,622,00 people owned a car.

Around 1914 the model T car or (Tin Lizzie) would cost $850 but around 1926 the price had fallen to just $295. This was because of the assembly line, which had lots of workers in separate areas with separate jobs, and the car would move along a belt for each worker to do their job. Statistics show from 1921 to 1929 the amount of the production of the model T car had risen from 1,682,000 cars to 5,622,000 cars. The wages of the workers of the car industry went up, from $2.40 a day in 1914, Ford paid a minimum of $5 a day. By 1926 the wage was, $10 a day as an average.

Fords investment in his assembly line meant that he could lower prices of his cars but increase the wages of his workers. The main companies were Ford, Chrysler and MG. His assembly line grew to other industries such as home appliances and consumer goods.

Consumer goods included Domestic Equipment such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and irons, which were also starting to get mass-produced in the 1920’s. In 1921 there was a huge demand for Radio sets.

The radio set sales started from $2 million a year and rocketed to $600 million. Soon after the typewriters and cookers ...

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The radio set sales started from $2 million a year and rocketed to $600 million. Soon after the typewriters and cookers started to get mass-produced. The radio industry grew and radio broadcasting started in 1921 a huge demand for radio sets was created. This in turn boosted the electrical industries. Advertisements to buy things were created people started to buy stuff they wanted rather than needed. The advertisements lead to more people wanted consumer goods this helped the boom.

Mail order catalogues were produced. This could help you get things before you could afford them and the industries could keep producing them. Radio was the main entertainment it had the news, stories, soap operas for the women in the afternoons. In between breaks it would advertise goods which mainly appealed to women which would ensure industries that people wanted more and more consumer goods.

In 1920s because of the war gave women opportunities to work. Women went to work and started to earn money just like the men, they could become more independent and more women worked in industry. The women who went to work helped the American economy, from buying more cosmetics clothes and electrical appliances to help with housework to save time.

There were more jobs for women because the economy was doing well.

Women got the chance to vote in the 20’s and gave them more opportunities.

New types of women called flappers became a new trend and the women were wearing looser clothes. The women started to become rebellious in a way. They started going out alone without men and started to smoke and drive cars. They started playing sports, using new cleaning appliances, hair changed women started to develop this new lifestyle.

During the jazz age new trends and dances started like the black bottom and the Charleston. The jazz music was a mixture for both black and white traditions.

Many traditionalists didn’t like these dances and the songs, they thought they were sexually explit. They wanted to stop them.

The new trends helped the U.S economy because this meant that the people wanted new clothes to suit the new trend. They would buy the new music as well.

Nightclubs for the people who wanted to wear their new fashionable clothes and to dance to the new music became very popular.

The jazz was the new American type of music it became very popular and had many followers.

The movie industry took off and of course you could now travel to the cinema in the family car. Going to the cinema became the hobby of an American. To the end of the 20’s 100 million cinema tickets were being sold each week. Hollywood became the film capital of the world and rise of movie stars like Charlie Chaplin proved that people could get rich in America.

Economical factors lead to changes in society because production methods such as the assembly line meant more goods could be made quicker and cheaply so lots of people bought the new things. High purchase agreements were taken out so people could buy things they couldn’t afford over a period of time. The cars lead people around easier and Jazz, people wanted the new fashionable clothes which lead to changes in the economic factors.

Not every one benefited from the boom – US farmers saw a fall in income after European countries recovered from the effects of the war and no longer was in demand for us wheat. Not many farmers did not own their land they were called sharecroppers and weren’t able to make enough money to pay rent, many went bankrupt.

America had emerged from world war one with a strong economy. America itself had not been attacked and did not have to rebuild itself like European countries. Production methods such as the assembly line meant that more goods could be produced quicker and cheaper. Hire purchase agreement or credit so Americans can buy things they couldn’t afford. Advertising industry took off and people were persuaded to buy through billboards, magazines, cinemas and radio advertisements.

Taxes were placed on goods entering the USA. This made American goods cheaper and the economic boom led to low employment, high wages and cheaper goods meaning people had more money to spend.