Consumerism and Rise of Technology Context Post WWI

Consumerism and Rise of Technology

Context �Post WWI era of prosperity �New economic models to increase production �Decade of conservative politicians �Supported capitalism, big businesses �American dream �Equate prosperity with progress �Consumerism engrained in American culture

Consumerism �Social and economic system causing desire to purchase material goods in great amounts �With rise of consumerism came rise of materialism �Economic boom lead to higher wages �Higher wages lead to more goods being bought � 1920 s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States

Rise of Credit �Increase in consumerism leads to the rise of credit �Instead of paying in cash could put it on credit �Easy to become stuck in debt �Caused debt = factor of the Great Depression

Rise in Advertising �More consumer goods available than ever before �Convincing people their life would be better with the product �The rise in technology provided brand new ways for advertisements to be spread �Celebrities �Used common insecurities of people

Coca-Cola One of the largest and most visible companies in the world thanks to its successful advertisement campaigns Holiday Campaigns Sports Contour bottle

New Technology • 1920 s was an important decade for new technology • Many were common household items: • Telephone • Automobiles • Toaster • Refrigerator • Washing machine • Vacuum cleaner • Rayon

Household Inventions �Radio �Ernest Alexanderson � Credited for modern day radio � High frequency alternator �This helped lead to the invention of the television. �First broadcast in 1920 of the Harding-Cox presidential election. �Soon, 2 million homes had radios

Household Inventions �Earle Dickson Band-Aid (1920) �First version of Hair dryer invented �Before women had to use vacuums! �Clarence Birdseye Frozen food �Meat + Veggies preserved in waxedcardboard cartons, after exposure to high pressure

The Great Depression �October 29, 1929 – Black Tuesday �Severe economic depression �Caused by decline in consumer demand, financial panics, and misguided government policies �Decline in output, deflation, unemployment

Significance �Economic prosperity influenced rise of new technologies �Urbanization �Rise of credit �Rise of debt �Uncontrolled consumerism directly led to Great Depression �Created new American culture of consumerism �Still see effects today

Bibliography � http: //library. duke. edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/radio-tv. html � http: //www. buzzle. com/articles/inventions-of-the-1920 s. html � Rise of Consumerism and Mass Culture. 3 July 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <http: //modern-ushistory. suite 101. com/article. cfm/the_1920 s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture>. � Dictionary. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <dictionary. com>. � � � � � "Advertising in the 1920 s. " Eye. Witness to History. 2000. 21 February 2010. <http: //www. eyewitnesstohistory. com/snpmech 4. htm> “Coke Lore. ” The Coca Cola Company. 21 February 2010 <http: //www. thecoca-colacompany. com/heritage/cokelore_santa. html> "Great Depression. " Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2010 http: //school. eb. com/eb/article-234442. Gusmorino, Paul A. , III. "Main Causes of the Great Depression. " Gusmorino World (May 13, 1996). Online. Internet: <http: //www. gusmorino. com/pag 3/greatdepression/index. html. 22 February 2010> “Making Sense of Ads - American Advertising: A Brief History. ” History Matters. 21 February 2010. <http: //historymatters. gmu. edu/mse/ads/amadv. html> “Understanding Advertising: Decoding an Ad’s Appeal. ” Center for History and New Media. 21 February 2010. <http: //chnm. gmu. edu/courses/omalley/120/empire/ads. html>