The Business of America

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 ProsperityA. 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