...The effects of the “Boom”- USA 1920s The 1920s was a time in America of extreme changes in society as well as in lifestyles and industries. New inventions were made. It was the time when the USA experienced its Boom, but what was the Boom, and did everyone gain of it? During the Boom USA underwent huge changes. It was experiencing a decade of a great business boom in almost every industry. New Jobs were created because things like radios, TVs Hoovers, washing machines, refrigerators were produced. Since the people were employed they could spent more money, and simply buying something had a major economic impact. It was all a circle. Someone had to produce what was bought meaning people were employed, he would then earn money for his work and usually spent some of it, buying goods produced by someone else introducing that someone into the cycle. Henry Ford also noticed that the demand for his cars rise, which lead to him producing more cars. As a consequence he introduced a whole new production way, called mass production. Mass production is the creation of many products in a short period of time, it’s a technique that aims for low unit costs and high output. Other industries took up his system and shopping habits changed as chain stores like Woolworth established. So people bought cars which caused an overflow in cars in the traffic system. Highways were built amongst them the famous Route 66. The Highway is also known as “the mother road” it runs through the USA, from Los...
Words: 930 - Pages: 4
...reasons why American industry boomed in 1920’s. i. The Impact of the car ii. Credit iii. Policies of the Republican Party. Which of these reasons do you think was the most important? Explain your answer referring only to the three points stated above. (10) I think the most important reason why the American industry boomed in the 1920’s was the impact of the car. Ford was the first car and it was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford in Detroit, Michigan but it business really boomed from 1918 onwards. The first car produced was the ‘Model T’. Its first cost was $1200 but by 1928 it was reduced to $295 meaning it was affordable for all families so most people’s quality of life was improved. Due to the low prices and the new technology of the car, it appealed to lots of families meaning mass production was to occur to have the supply to meet the demand consequently leading to more employees for cheap prices doing small jobs. Not only did the car supply all of this but in the mid 1920’s Ford cars consumed 90% of petrol, 80% of rubber and 75% of plate glass which increased other industries profits too triggering the boom. All of these factors contributed to the...
Words: 793 - Pages: 4
...America in the 1920’s The Boom Period During the 1920s there was a prolonged boom in the American economy. Industrial production doubled, the economy grew rapidly and fortunes were made. Life had never seemed better for the majority of the American people. The boom developed for a number of reasons. World War I The European economies were exhausted by the cost of waging a long war. In comparison, the USA grew rich during the war years. Its late arrival to the war, and the fact that its cities and industries were not bombed or destroyed during the conflict, meant that at the end of the war it was able to capitalise on the perilous state of European industry and dominate their markets. New technologies The first 20 years of the twentieth century saw huge technological advances in industry. Factories became automated. Machines and other improved manufacturing techniques meant that huge amounts of goods could be made at a fraction of the cost. The age of mass production had arrived. In the decade of the 1920s economic output increased by a staggering 50%. Consumer boom Because goods could be produced in greater numbers and at much lower prices, more people were able to afford them. This led to huge increases in the sales of products such as cars, refrigerators, radios and cookers. Buying on credit This consumer boom was greatly aided by the availability of hire purchase - the ability to buy goods on credit. Because times were good, people were not worried about...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...After analysis of the interpretations as well as use of my own knowledge, I have reached the conclusion that the war was indeed the main reason why the economy boomed in 1920’s America. The interpretations that support this are A, B and C. While certainly there are other factors that are presented in all of the interpretations, I believe that the prominence of the war throughout these 3 passages support the strength of the argument. Interpretation D attributes Andrew Mellon as the main reason for the boom, but as Cannadine is the only one to do so this limits the strength of his argument. The war was the main cause of the boom as it provided the catalyst necessary to start of a chain of events that provided a huge boost to the economy. Without World War I, it could be argued that the American economy would not have boomed to the extent that it did in the 1920’s. One of the main reasons for this school of thought is an argument provided in interpretation A. Jim potter states that World War I provided an ‘impetus both to agricultural and industrial expansion’. This was because of the fact that the war brought in a need for armaments and munitions to supply the forces with, and there were many countries that could not yield the materials and products due to their lacklustre industry. America was not like these countries, and with the stimulus of the war they were able to quickly improve their industries and make these new products. As a result of this, as the historian Gary...
Words: 1935 - Pages: 8
...Why were some people better off than the others in the 1920s? There are many factors that affected why some ethnic groups were better off than others but the main aspect is the economic issues and booms. In “The Lean Years” Irving Bernstein agrees as he said “The Twenties were, indeed golden, but only for a privileged segment of the American population”. Also the LA times released a cartoon in 1928 displaying that the Wall Street boom is racing ahead the “bandwagon” which displays American prosperity. The Economic boom created jobs, increased wages and caused the innovation of lots of new products. The impact of world war one boosted the economy because America lent money to western European countries and sold munitions to them, they sold...
Words: 2017 - Pages: 9
...One of history’s most famous philosophers, Plato, once said “Excess generally causes reaction, and produces a change in the opposite direction, whether it be in the seasons, or in individuals, or in governments.” This is a trope of history, where many know the dangers of excess but cannot resist the temptation. In particular, it is the dangerous attraction to wealth and excess in the 1920s that will lead to the most devastating economic crash in world history. And even in more modern times, including the 1980s, the excessive habits of the modern world will be a bitter reminder of how toxic superfluous wealth can be. Plato may have lived more than two thousand and five hundred years ago, yet his insight on the perils of decadence will continue...
Words: 1118 - Pages: 5
...worth and true potential to their male counterparts. In this paper, I will be talking about six key events and time periods that have changed not just women's history but the overall history a nation. Three of these events and time periods will be before 1930 and three of them will be after 1930 to give the reader an overall sense of the evolution of the role women have played. The events that I will be talking about are the roles that women played in World War One beginning in 1914, the second historic event is the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, the third time period I will be talking about before 1930 is that of the roaring 1920s. After 1930, the changes were still happening for women and World War II was a major point in the evolution of what it means to be a woman, this time period was quickly followed by the baby boom. The final time period I will discuss is the Feminist Movement in the 1960s and how those efforts have led to a lasting impression of who women are in today's modern era. WOMEN IN AMERICA Annotated Bibliography: Rochman, H. (2001). Those extraordinary women of world war I. The Booklist, 98(6), 564-564. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/235519051?accountid=32521 3 ! This document written in 2001 provides an overview of the dedication and acts that women did during the first world war, how they provided aid to the war effort and how they gained more...
Words: 1613 - Pages: 7
...Throughout the 1920’s jazz music was a defining aspect of American culture; it also had a huge effect on society.. People of the time saw either playing or listening to jazz as a way to feel free or even escape from their daily lives. With the social changes going on in the 20’s, like the parties and the way people behaved, jazz fit right in with the changing times. Many jazz enthusiasts will argue that you are born with a love of jazz (Jazz History: The Standards). Like Louis Armstrong once said, "if you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know" (Music with Ease > Jazz Quotes). In conjunction with the roaring twenties, jazz made it to the top and became widely known across the United States, and even some parts of Britain, making it a worldwide movement. It came very popular with people who wanted to get away from their normal lives and escape into the swing of jazz. Novelist F Scott...
Words: 1292 - Pages: 6
...The Booming Roar of The Canadian 1920’s Many Countries go through the business cycle throughout their history, and prosperity is the part of the cycle that truly roars. In 1920’s, Canada, the great prosperity roared, and it was great for all. Everything in Canada roared by 1924 and life was extremely satisfying for the average Canadian, as quality of life was at an all- time high. The future for Women began to appear to be very bright as they made many big steps for the purpose of women’s rights. There was a great deal of women who began to get involved with government. Therefore, the Canadian government recognized the change beginning, and the growing number of women who were starting to make a stand for their rights, and consequently creating...
Words: 1598 - Pages: 7
...for America’s economic success in the 1920’s [50 marks] Although America remained neutral and did not join World War One until 1917, they were already increasing their country’s profits by selling goods such as: weapons, food, equipment and other ammunition to both sides of the war. During World War One, as well as selling goods, America became ‘the banker’ to the rest of the world: loaning countries money at a very high interest. According to the First World War commissions “Britain, France and Italy owed the USA $22 billion plus interest”, this is showing that USA was at a very stable place financially even before the 1920s began. When the war ended Woodrow Wilson put forward his 14 Points which included a League of Nations. The League of Nations’ overall aim was to prevent war from breaking out again. America’s congress at the time decided that it would be best for America in the long run not to join the League of Nations because, congress believed that the USA should not interfere in any European or world affairs. Refusal to join the League of Nations made America an isolationist country. When Warren G. Harding won the presidential election and became president in 1921 a political party called the Republicans took over from the Democrats and the American government. 1920s America was known as the ‘Roaring twenties’ because of the entertainment and the crazes sweeping the country. There were lots of reasons for the economic boom including: natural resources, impact...
Words: 2565 - Pages: 11
...for America’s economic success in the 1920’s [50 marks] Although America remained neutral and did not join World War One until 1917, they were already increasing their country’s profits by selling goods such as: weapons, food, equipment and other ammunition to both sides of the war. During World War One, as well as selling goods, America became ‘the banker’ to the rest of the world: loaning countries money at a very high interest. According to the First World War commissions “Britain, France and Italy owed the USA $22 billion plus interest”, this is showing that USA was at a very stable place financially even before the 1920s began. When the war ended Woodrow Wilson put forward his 14 Points which included a League of Nations. The League of Nations’ overall aim was to prevent war from breaking out again. America’s congress at the time decided that it would be best for America in the long run not to join the League of Nations because, congress believed that the USA should not interfere in any European or world affairs. Refusal to join the League of Nations made America an isolationist country. When Warren G. Harding won the presidential election and became president in 1921 a political party called the Republicans took over from the Democrats and the American government. 1920s America was known as the ‘Roaring twenties’ because of the entertainment and the crazes sweeping the country. There were lots of reasons for the economic boom including: natural resources, impact...
Words: 2565 - Pages: 11
...The Great Gatsby Essay On the outside, The Great Gatsby seems to be a story about a twisted love affair. Fitzgerald is showing the many changes happening during the 1920’s society, and how it affected the idea of the American dream. Fitzgerald shows the strive for the wealth, which defined the American dream in the 1920’s and which continues to defines as a desire for wealth and success today. In the book, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is showing the corruption of the American dream by throwing parties, making love and having money. After WWII, there was an economic boom which left people suddenly rich, and they were referred to as the “new money.” There quickly became a difference between the “new money” and the people who were previously wealthy. What used to “pursuit of happiness” is now the pursuit of money and greed. The “new money” people don’t like the “old money” people. Jay Gatsby throws parties throughout the summer to show of how much money he has. “There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer night.” ( ) This quote shows that Gatsby has a lot of money because he can afford to throw parties throughout the summer. Money is everything in the world today and it was a huge part in the world back in the 1920’s economy too. The Great Gatsby also symbolizes love throughout the story. There were love affairs between married couples and single people. The biggest affair out of all the characters was definitely Daisy and Gatsby. Jay Gatsby has the biggest...
Words: 620 - Pages: 3
...member) when they met their boyfriend. How did the First World War change the lives of women? * During the war, women began to work in areas like heavy industry. They proved they could work as well as men. By 1929, there were 10 million women workers; a rise of 24% since 1920. * Working gave women independence and they began smoking and drinking in public. * Women were given the vote in August 1920 but few were chosen to be actual politicians. * Production of consumer goods such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines meant women had more time for leisure activities. * Flappers emerged in the 1920’s = women from middle and upper class families from the Northern States. They cut their hair in short bobs, wore make up, short skirts and bright clothes. They also smoked and drank in public, went to speakeasies, danced the Charleston with men and listened to Jazz and drove cars and motorbikes. * BUT many groups, particularly in rural areas thought the flappers were too outrageous. * Hollywood saw the emergence of female stars such as Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson who * were female role models. * Advertising was aimed at women for the new consumer goods of the 1920s e.g in 1925 Ford introduced colours other than black for his Model T to appeal to women. * Divorce rate doubled between 1914-1929...
Words: 6533 - Pages: 27
...understand why they happen and better the future. In the United States in the early 1920s, a new stage appeared with different movements in the areas of politics, economics, society, culture, and foreign policy. By the events that led to the 1930s, new crazes had developed in many of these areas, while other areas remained in continuity. From the 1920s to the 1930, there were several factors that contributed to the changes in American society. The 1920s began shortly after in World War I when the United States and the Allies defeated the Germans in 1918. Many Americans were fed up with Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president from 1913 to 1921. The first election of the 1920s scoured Republican Warren G. Harding against Democrat James M. Cox. Cox supported Wilson and the League of Nations in the election. However, Harding won the election in a landslide, which was a sign of America¡¦s frustration with Wilson and his optimistic and liberal policies. The start of the new conservative era restored the power to the Republicans after the presidential election of the 1920. Harding made quite a few excellent appointments to his cabinet although he failed to demonstrate to have much intelligence. Charles Evans Hughes was appointed to be the Secretary of State, Andrew W. Mellon appointed as the Secretary of the Treasury and as leader of the Commerce Department, and Herbert Hoover bumped up the 1920s to a new level. On the other hand, Harding also appointed some of the worst positions...
Words: 2717 - Pages: 11
...unprecedented decline in economic activity. It is generally agreed to have occurred between 1929 and 1939. Although parts of the economy had begun to recover by 1936, high unemployment persisted until the Second World War. Background To Great Depression: * The 1920s witnessed an economic boom in the US (typified by Ford Motor cars, which made a car within the grasp of ordinary workers for the first time). Industrial output expanded very rapidly. * Sales were often promoted through buying on credit. However, by early 1929, the steam had gone out of the economy and output was beginning to fall. * The stock market had boomed to record levels. Price to earning ratios were above historical averages. * The US Agricultural sector had been in recession for many more years * The UK economy had been experiencing deflation and high unemployment for much of the 1920s. This was mainly due to the cost of the first world war and attempting to rejoin the Gold standard at a pre world war 1 rate. This meant Sterling was overvalued causing lower exports and slower growth. The US tried to help the UK stay in the gold standard. That meant inflating the US economy, which contributed to the credit boom of the 1920s. Causes of Great Depression Stock Market Crash of October 1929 During September and October a few firms posted disappointing results causing share prices to fall. On October 28th (Black Monday), the decline in prices turned into a crash has share prices fell 13%...
Words: 2820 - Pages: 12
