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Automobiles Impact On American Society

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The Effect of Automobiles On American Society An automobile is a motor vehicle that is used mainly used for transportation. Most automobiles are usually used to transport people and goods. In past times, people used horses and carriages to get to their desired destination. Since the invention of cars, transportation has become even more advanced and faster. Automobiles had a huge effect on American Society. It provided faster more advanced travel, helped people get to where they wanted to go and it became basic need in life. It also helped industries boom and bring in a vast amount of money for the economy. Before there were any automobiles, people had to find their own ways to get to where they wanted. Before automobiles, the earliest types …show more content…

Lots of spin-off industries grew and the demand for vulcanized rubber skyrocketed. Road construction created thousands of new jobs, as state and local governments began funding highway design. Gas stations began to cover the land, and mechanics began to earn a living fixing the unavoidable car problems. Oil and steel were two industries that received a serious boost from the demand of automobiles. Travelers on the road needed somewhere to sleep and rest on long trips, so motels began to line the major long-distance routes. Even food was transformed by the automobile. The typical American foods, such as hamburgers, french fries, milk shakes, and apple pies, were hallmarks of the new roadside diners. Drivers wanted cheap, fast food so they could be on their way in a hurry. Unfortunately, as new businesses grow stronger and attract peoples attention, old ones began to die off. When America opted for the automobile, the nation's railroads and trains began to be ignored. As European were strengthening mass transit systems, Americans invested in the automobile infrastructure ( The Age of The …show more content…

The automobile has changed city life by speeding up the expansion of population into the suburbs. The suburban trend is emphasized by the fact that highway transportation encourages business and industry to move outward to places where land is cheaper, where access by car and truck is easier than in crowded cities, and where space is available for their one or two story structures. Better roads were constructed, which further increased travel throughout the nation. The trend is most noticeable in the United States but is rapidly appearing elsewhere in the world ( The Impact of the Automobile on the 20th Century). Also,The social effects of the automobile were as great as well. Freedom of choice encouraged many family vacations to places where they could not go in past centuries. Urban dwellers had the opportunity to rediscover new landscapes, just as rural dwellers were able to shop in towns and cities. Teenagers gained more independence and confidence with driving freedom (The Age of The

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