Following World War Two, the 1950’s became a time of prosperity that embodied new culture, a consumers’ market, and major fads. New products and technology was being produced and sold at prices that were affordable for the average American family. One product in particular stands out to me when thinking about an invention that impacted the nation, the automobile. Car had already been around for a while, but their sales and use exploded in the suburbs. Factories that produced military supplies converted to automobile plants and began to sale millions of vehicles. Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth were “the low-priced three” car manufactures, and their cheap sale prices allowed both husband and wife to own a car, known as a “two-car family” (Conlin
As Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” This logic is what sparked the creation of the popular inventions of the 1950’s. Even though some inventions of this decade may not be around today, they still have a significance on inventions and thinking today. There are plenty of inventions that we use in modern time. Some examples are the Barbie Doll, Diet Soda, and today’s most popular fast food chain McDonalds. There were many types of inventions in the 1950’s such as technological, medical, and other inventions that are still used today.
Once working citizens had started to receive higher salaries, they could afford more and nicer items than they would have otherwise. According to Daily life… (Kaldin, 2000) the average working man could buy a split-level house on display. In one year, the overage woman bought nine dresses and suits and 14 pairs of shoes. New appliances had also been invented during the 1950s. These appliances were simple in design with basic designs that reflected a new style of European modernism. The 1950s brought a “populux age “to America- a time when every appliance had handles or was easy to lift. Because of this, most appliances and technology could be moved around the house. This was just one of the advances in
Technology played a vital part in helping America become the great economic and cultural success that it was during the 1920s. New advancements, new discoveries, and new inventions improved American lives in every imaginable way but not without a few negative side-effects. As mentioned earlier, the automobile really came into play during the 1920s by making traveling a common thing for anyone who could afford a car (Trueman, 2000). Henry Ford started the Ford Motor Company, which began to mass produce affordable automobiles known as the Model-T. Ford's Model-T car became such an irresistible success that by the end of the decade, there was almost one car per family in the United States (Bruce, 1981). The automobile seemed to give people a type of new freedom, but the automobile also proved to be a dangerous item in the hands of many irresponsible people who loved to drink during the 1920s. The washing machine, telephone, and radio made their arrival during the twenties. People were discovering life to be far easier than the previous generations because of technology, but they were also slowly being driven into an industrial nation. People were lured
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
The 1920s often referred to as “roaring twenties” is one of the most remarkable periods because of technological advances, and scientific discoveries. Many of the inventions made during the 20s such as Insulin, Penicillin and Traffic Signals have saved numerous lives. With the invention of Vacuum Cleaner, Washing Machine, Electric Dishwasher and Refrigerator household chores have gotten much easier. Due to the advances in technology and scientific discoveries made in the 1920s, inventors and scientists today are able to study the previous work and take the invention one step farther (Inventions in the 1920s).
Americans were eager to spend their money on goods that had been scarce during World War II. As Stephanie Coontz put it, “the emphasis lay on producing a whole world of satisfaction, amusement, and inventiveness within the nuclear family had no precedents:” Consumerism was also evident in a pursuit of pleasure Americans spend more money on necessities and luxuries. Credit and credit cards were easier to obtain and by that expensive things were also easier to obtain. Debt rose from $5.7 million in 1945 to $56.1 billion in 1960. No other consumer good characterized the era as much as the automobile. The cars were big and powered with accessories lots of chrome and color was marketed. A General Motors designer called the strategies of that time "dynamic obsolescence" to encouraged Americans to see their old car as out of fashion. The number of registered cars in 1945 was 25.8 million. In 1960 it was 61.7 million. This is important for us today because consumerism is ever-present today, advertisement suggesting us what we need in order to live according to certain lifestyles we wish to adept to.
The 1920s was a time of growth for society. One form of technology that changed mankind for years to come was the Model T. Although cars were, “First invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1800s” (Automobile History 1) the Model T was truly the first of its kind. According to Nick Hardcastle the Model T was the first car most Americans could afford (2). Cars were expensive to make at the time; therefore, they were only available to the wealthy. Most Americans did not own cars, but this wouldn’t be true for long. The average price of a car at the time went from 850 dollars to only 250 dollars in less than ten years (Hardcastle 2). This was a dramatic change that happened in a small amount of time. The world was becoming bigger for more Americans. The number of cars Americans were buying was rapidly
During the 1950s there wasn't many discoveries, but the little discoveries there was had a big impact in the world of science. Discoveries such as the double helix were important because they helped expand the knowledge of science in more ways than just one. In 1953 Watson and Crick discovered DNA structured that was named the double helix. It wasn't a big hit at first but after the paper published in December 19, the discovery managed to beat even the climb of Mt. Everest. Another discovery during the year 1950 was that Animal Antibiotics can help boost the growth rate of the animals if fed to them. In 1951 scientist discover that a low calorie diet can help lower the chances of developing cholesterol. In 1954 Chlorpromazine was proven that it does not only treat nausea and vomiting, but it can also be used as a sedative.
The economic boom of the 1920’s enhanced the everyday life of Americans. Mass production of goods made prior tasks, such as washing clothes, simple and allotted woman to have leisure time. The assembly line utilized by Henry Ford made the production of automobiles cost less lowering the price for consumers. The amount of cars sold from 1921-29 went up from 1.5 million to 4.5 million. (Document 9) With more leisure time because of useful inventions people sought activities to occupy their free time. Radios grew increasingly popular and steadily increased to be in 10 million households in 1929. (Document 9) The economic power held by the U.S permitted technological advances to be attainable, which unconstrained the daily lives of many Americans.
New discoveries, inventions, and advancements improved the lives of Americans in every matter but not without a few negative outcomes. The automobile came into play in the 1920s by making traveling common for people that could not afford cars. It was Henry Ford that started the Ford Motor Company which began to produce affordable automobiles known as the Model-T. The Model-T car became so successful that by the end of the decade, there was almost one automobile per family in the United States. This automobile gave people a new type of freedom, however, the car was proven as a dangerous item when in the hands of irresponsible people who would drink and
In the 1950´s there was many medical advances and new technology found. The pacemaker and Thalidomide had immense influence on the medical industry today. Cpr and The heart and lung machine were also new upcoming technologies in the 1950ś.
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.
The roaring 1920’s was an era full of prosperity and outstanding inventions. New items were constantly being invented and being used. The 1920’s, however, popularized one of the most known transportation to this date;, this invention was the freedom of transportation or the automobile. The automobile has affected the 1920’s society in many ways which include the changes it brought, its pros and its cons. The invention of the automobile brought a huge change to the 1920’s.
The 1950s were known for the growth post World War. Societies of the 1920 and 1950 eras can be compared and contrasted with their technological advancements, women, and communism hysteria, that all played important parts in these two time periods. An important part in both 1920’s and 1950’s societies were the technological advancements. The Ford Model T was one of the greatest inventions in the 1920’s.
Karl Benz invented the first automobile in 1866; it has changed the world in how we commute every day. From riding in carriages to now cutting our time travel whether it is riding a bus or our on car. It has become more of a necessity in today's world to have a car because its something that we choose to have in our daily life that it is a choice that is high on the priority list to own. As to wealthier people the type of car you drive puts in a different class. Where some get the choice of car that they want others have a certain budget on what to look for. The way an automobile symbolizes today, changed in society, and how a car has become a collection.