Consumerism and Rise of Technology
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Transcript 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
1920s 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
• 1920s 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 waxed-
cardboard 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-1920s.html
Rise of Consumerism and Mass Culture. 3 July 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <http://modern-ushistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture>.
Dictionary. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <dictionary.com>.
"Advertising in the 1920s." EyeWitness to History. 2000. 21 February 2010.
<http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpmech4.htm>
“Coke Lore.” The Coca Cola Company. 21 February 2010
<http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html>
"Great Depression." Encyclopædia Britannica. 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/pag3/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/ads.html>