Business of the 1920s Questions

1. How did the automobile change American life? The Automobile changed American life by altering landscapes with paved roads and making houses equipped with garages or carports and a driveway. It also made gasoline a part of the everyday life, so gas stations along with repair shops and traffic lights began to spring up. It also made it possible for people in rural parts of cities to travel to other parts of the town to shop, and for workers to live outside of the city and to commute.

2. What advances were made in the airplane industry during the postwar years? The advances made in the airplane industry during the postwar years were navigational systems, radios, and safer flights. Which meant that commercial flights were becoming more popular.

3. What role did credit play in the American economy in the 1920's? Credit in the 1920s made many people go in to debt. People bought appliances and goods without thinking about whether or not they had the money, using the “installment plan” as a means to have whatever they wanted. Thus, many consumers went in to debt.

4. What role did mass advertising play in the American economy in the 1920's? Mass advertising meant that people became more familiar with brand names, along with advertising that made other products better than others. Companies hired psychologists to help with appeal marketing, along with slogans to stick in the minds of consumers.

5. Why did some businesses not do well in the 1920's?

6. Why did American farmers suffer during the 1920's? Farmers suffered because they had borrowed money to buy land along with machinery, the main reason was so that they could do their part in World War I and grows more crops. Yet they could not pay back their loans so they lost their land, equipment, and income.

7. How did the installment plan fuel a superficial prosperity? By making it appear that people had enough money to buy a product when they really did not.

8. How did changes in technology in the 1920's influence American life? Changes in technology made it so that housewives could spend more time doing community activities and spending time with her family than cleaning and doing other housework. With the invention of the washing machine and vacuum housewives no longer had to wash clothes by hand and sweep.

9. What evidence suggests that the prosperity of the 1920s was not on a firm foundation? The evidence to suggest that was peoples carelessness for the future and only had an interest for the present.

10. Look at the cartoon below. How did the artist place blame for the Teapot Dome scandal through the use of symbolism, without actually naming the Republicans? The artist placed blame on the republicans by making the teapot look like an elephant.