Automobiles and the American Society

Isn't it hard to believe that there are currently one billion automobiles being used on a daily basis throughout the world? But, there always wasn't that many in the world as the automobile has only been around since the early 1900s. An automobile, also called a car, is a four wheeled vehicle that has its own motor and is used in daily travels around the world. Even though our world is filled with them now, automobiles were quite rare during the 1910s and 1920s. In the United States automobiles were just being developed at this time, but once the automobile became popular, people used them with every opportunity

American culture, its society, and its landscapes are all shaped by the automobile. The automobile is more than just a vehicle or a means to get from one point to the next. A car is a symbol, upon which Americans project their dreams, desires, goals, values, beliefs, and identities. In Dagoberto Gilb's short story, "Love in L.A.," the protagonist's name is Jake. Jake envisions his ideal car, with crushed velvet interior, an FM radio, electric controls, and a heater because "he could imagine lots of possibilities when he let himself," (p. 432). Jake's vision is more than a vehicle; it is the American Dream epitomized.

The document “The Social Influence of the Automobile” was written in June of 1922 by Allen D. Albert. In this article Albert is saying that since the creation of automobiles the life has shifted for the better. “…almost without a pause in our thinking have we adjusted our lives to these factors new since yesterday”1 while automobiles brought a drastic change in life as it was, people adjusted to it quickly. In 1920’s cars were available to the general public at an affordable price, therefor offering the public a better, faster way of getting from place to place. Most importantly according to the document cars brought a change in the social aspects of life. With the help of a car travel times were decreased. Cities were now in reaching distance.

The 1920 's were a time where North America became modernized. Whether it was the music, the culture or the growth in technology, this time era is known to most people as the point where America advanced itself to become a world renowned country. An advancement that will be focused on is the Ford Model T. During this time owning a car was a symbol of wealth. Henry Ford, the creator of the Model T, made a system that revolutionized the automobile industry as we know it today. Henry Ford made it possible for people with an average income to own a motor vehicle by creating the assembly line and the theory of mass production. "The horse, which had been the chief means of land transportation for 3,500 years, had given way to the automobile, and

Cars in the 1920s completely impacted daily life and greatly influenced the cars that we use everyday. Back before cars were popular, everyone traveled by horse and buggy. They had no source of cart heating, nothing to absorb shock, wheels without tires. All they had for streets back then were dirt roads with a top layer of gravel. This was not a problem for horses and buggies, but cars didn’t handle well in the mud. Because of this, the invention of the paved road we use now came about. After that, they needed a more organized and efficient way to navigate to faraway places, since the people could now travel at ease. An interstate highway system was created as a result of the First Federal Highway Act, passed in 1921. The highways heading

According to Foner, “By 1960, 80 percent of American families owned at least one car, and 14 percent had two or more, nearly all manufactured in the United States”(). Many families owned automobiles, for it enabled long-distance vacationing and commuting to work, malls, etc. The ability for people to travel farther distances through means other than trains and trolleys stimulated a population shift from cities to suburbs. Approximately one third of Southern California, a mainly suburban area, was “paved over with roads and parking lots,” hence showing a transformation in American landscape. Infrastructure had to accommodate for cars as they became central to American life. Not only did the automobile alter the American landscape with a web of roads and freeways, but it also led to “the construction of motels, drive-in movie theaters, and roadside eating establishments”(). The automobile revolutionized America, as it allowed for individual mobility and private choice-a symbol of

American society has been changed by many different creations throughout history, such as telephones, fridges and credit cards. The creation that has affected American society the most is the automobile. The automobile has affected the American society in several ways: first, it has created more jobs. Second, it allowed people to travel to destinations they could not before. Third, it has polluted the environment. Lastly it has changed the urban and rural landscapes. All of these reasons prove that the automobile has altered the American society.

During this time period, America saw a great change in its economy. After WWI, many citizens had extra time and extra money. Due to the surplus, they were eager to attain a variety of new products on the market. The greatest example of these technologies is the automobile. Not only did the car become affordable through the use of assembly lines, but it also gave the public an opportunity to travel and live in areas other than the city. Although there was not a great selection of cars back then, progressive advertisement strategies persuaded the public that they indeed needed a car.

Throughout the 1800’s, methods of transportation were limited; people either used horses or rode on the train. Most people lived in town near their work. With the introduction of the automobile, society evolved and soon transformed to fit the need of people’s transportation. Many of those needs caused by automobile invention included society, economy and finally, politics.

Is the automobile still a good thing for America? There’s been a debate going on about whether the automobile is still good for America. I’m not very smart but I do know one thing, it’s not. Rates of car ownership peaked in 2006 and are now declining. The automobile is definitely not good for America. Driving cars pollute the environment, also causes many car crashes, and it cost a lot to maintain the car, here’s why.

This was because the cities meant business, a place where people got social and political. Americans started attaining jobs in big cities after the rapid growth of the economy in 1920.The successful new industries had their consumer products on demand nationwide. One of the most popular industries was the transportation industry. Henry Ford sold his Model T cars very well and made billions of dollars off of it. They were affordable and admirable.

Without the automobile trucks would be unable to bring food and other important items to the cities. Another reason the automobile has changed society for the better is that it has created many jobs that revenue millions of dollars yearly due to the different types of jobs such as building highways, truckers delivering items from state to state and busses that people for daily. There are many ways that the automobile has changed the history of it, rather having it become a necessity into every day life. It has become a personal admiration toward some groups of people collect them.

The automobile has had a tremendous impact on society and the environment since its development in the beginning of the 20th century. Today, there are over 500 million motor vehicles on the earth. The automobile's efficiency, style, and performance have changed over the years, but there is one thing that has not - the pollution the automobile generates. Because of the pollution, people find themselves asking whether this technology has helped our society or hurt it. Should the consequences of the automobile be cause to eliminate it? Or should science develop technology to eliminate the pollution caused by the car?

Since the development of the steam engine people had been interested in creating self-powered vehicles, this manifested during the industrial revolution as the train. However, as time went on people became interested in creating a vehicle that wasn’t confined to tracks. The earliest attempts were moderately successful but served little practical purpose. Automobiles first began to truly spread with the invention of the electric motor which created cheaper, more powerful, and safer automobiles. Still the automobile still had numerous problems and were mainly in the hands of the rich. It was the development of the internal combustion engine and the assembly line that was truly able to create a practical vehicle that could be used by all and

Remember the days of the Old West? The women walked around with their parasols or rode in a horse drawn carriage and the men rode fast and furious on their horses. Everything you needed was right there in town: the saloon, the general store, and the barber. When one needed to get somewhere, they would walk. If they needed to travel far, there were steam-powered locomotives. As towns and cities grew larger, it was not so convenient to walk everywhere. There was a need for a machine that could get us around to where we had to go. Technology was becoming a bigger part of the times and the machine we now know today as the automobile was invented.