America 1920s-The boom

• United States witnessed extreme social change and technological advances which led to significant change in lifestyle and culture


  1920s
• There was an economic boom, ocean turmoil and it ended in disaster
• Roaring Twenties


  The decade became known as
• Economic upturn and growing population


  Rapidly increased demand for consumer goods
• More people were moving into urban areas
• The government wanted people to buy goods made in the US resulting in profits remaining in the US
• President Coolidge: 'The business of America is business'
• Fordney-McCumber Tariff


  1. Congress introduced

  2. A taxation placed on foreign goods coming into the United States

  3. Resulted in imported goods being more expensive than the same American goods

  4. Helped create a financial boom in the 20s

  5. Protected the American industry from competition
• The government relaxed regulations and reduced American taxes
• Methods of production


  • Changing notably with the innovation and advances of production in the motor industry
  • Ford and General Motors were the largest car manufacturers
• Henry Ford


  • Did not invent the assembly line, instead he developed and revolutionized it
  • His automobile factories produced vehicles more efficiently
• Ford Model T


  • The most famous and successful car
  • Originally $825, dropped to $260 by 1925 (around $3,600 today)
  • Ford was producing a car every 10 seconds, pushing down prices and making cars more accessible for ordinary people
• Henry Ford


  Captured the loyalty of his workers by paying them more than his competitors, introduced better working hours and even gave Sundays off
• In the 1920s, prejudice towards African-Americans was exhibited by the Ku Klux Klan
• One and a half million African-Americans migrated north and specific neighborhoods were soon deemed African-American
• Harlem Renaissance


  • In New York and other areas like the hill district in Pittsburgh and Bronzeville in Chicago became centers for African-American art and culture
  • There were African American architects, novelists, poets and painters
  • Many African Americans believed the artistic endeavors were a way of winning equality by proving they were equal
• African American jazz music


  • Took its roots from New Orleans and through the migration of African Americans its popularity spread
  • Frequently played at nightclubs, the most famous was the Cotton Club where live music was hosted nightly to people of all race
• The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote


  1920
• Federal Road Act of 1916


  1. The start of the significant period for American infrastructure

  2. Over the following years construction of roads was seen all across the nation
• New industries


  • Aviation, chemicals and electronics
  • Provided both jobs and consumer products for the emerging American dream
  • Companies looked at the new technology and produce many devices such as vacuum cleaners, toasters, washing machines and refrigerators
  • Enabled the average working American to achieve more time for leisure and the economy prospered
• The use of financial credit became widely accepted, however the implications of debt were ignored in order to maintain the American standard of living