Technology and Consumerism

Technology and Consumerism

• New technologies, new consumer products, and newer forms of leisure made the twenties roar
• The 20’s were called this because the economy had taken a huge turn from war to peace, which led to a large era of economic growth.

The things invented in the 1920's helped America's development today. These include things like the automobile.

Technology and Consumerism

• Consumerism had to do with new things on the market, which made Americans want to own these newer things. People were able to purchase things and pay them off over time, but only for large items. This resulted in more money for the markets.

The Mass-Consumption Economy

• The assembly-line production reached perfection in Henry Ford’s plant. This was a big improvement for industrys.
• American manufacturers had mastered the problems of production and this led to improvements in the economy.
• Buying on credit was another innovative feature of the postwar economy.

This is an example of a automobile assembly line to help move production forward.

Humans develop Planes

• The Wright brothers developed the first plane in North Carolina known as, "the miracle at Kitty Hawk."
• By the 1930s and 1940s, airlines were developed and they were significantly safer than highways.

A memorial for the Wright Brother's when they were inventing the first plane.

The Radio Revolution

• Gugleilmo Marconi, invented wireless telegraphy in the 1890s and by the late 1920s, technological improvements made long-distance broadcasting possible
• Educationally and culturally, the radio made a significant contribution, such as sports announcers, and politicians delivering their speeches.

An example of a radio in the 1920's.

The Stock Market Crash

• In 1929, signals abounded that this economic joyride might end in a crash
• Hundreds of banks in America started to fail because Americans didn't pay back what they owed to the bank.

The Crash

• The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as Black Tuesday began in late October 1929 and was the most devastating stock market crash in History
• The crash signaled the beginning of the 10-year Great Depression that affected all Western industrialized countries