Chapter 12 Section 3 The Businesses of America

Chapter 12 -Section 3 - The Businesses of America

Coolidge � Calvin Coolidge served as the 30 th U. S. president of the United States (1923 to 1929) • He was Harding’s Vice President and assumed the role of President upon the death of President Harding in 1923 � Nicknamed “Silent Cal” due to his reserved demeanor • Republican • Had a lazie fair approach towards business wanting them to have free reign �Tried to limit foreign completion by raising tariffs

The Impact of the Automobile � The automobile changed the way Americans lived • The construction of newly paved roads created jobs and the ability to drive in all weather conditions • This also impacted architecture as homes were now beginning to be built with garages • Blinking traffic lights began being used in Detroit in the early 1920’s • Under water tunnels began being used in 1927 connecting New York and New Jersey • Construction of gas stations, public garages, motels, tourist camps and shopping centers gave American’s a new reason to hit the open road • Urban Sprawl also allowed many American families living in rural areas to enjoy the convenience of the city living without having to have to move there �It also offered independence through mobility

A Young Airplane Industry � Originally the U. S. post office began to send mail by plane but as early as 1918 commercial flights became a new form of convenient transportation • New weather forecasting instruments and built � In in radios made air travel safer 1920 Henry Ford created a tri-motor airplane � Transatlantic flights made by Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart fueled American interest in aviation � In 1927 the Lockheed Company produced a single engine comericial airplane � This also created new opportunities for women to work as flight attendants

Electrical Conveniences � From 1920 to 1929 the average American income for families rose 35% from $522 to $705 annually. � With this new found wealth items of convenience became extremely appealing • Labor saving devices like electric washing machines, vacuum cleaners, electric sewing machines and refrigerators allowed families to enjoy more

The Dawn of Modern Advertising � With new products to market advertising agencies began hiring psychologists to analyze products and help them convince costumers that they “needed” these new items. • They would appeal to the consumers desire to be youthful, beautiful, healthy and wealthy �For example from 1921 to 1924 the gross sales of the floral industry nearly doubled thanks to the slogan “Say it with flowers”

1920’s Advertising

Buying Goods on Credit � With a boom in advertising and a need to purchase new goods many Americans began buying items on credit through the use of instalment plans • Installment Plans-The ability to buy a product and pay for it in monthly installments (payments) over time �This led to a boom in production that drove prices down �The gap between rich and poor began to grow as more Americans began to “live for the moment”