Automobiles
Automobiles were just being introduced to the public in the early 1900's. However, this new invention, much like any other new technology, was very expensive upon initial introduction to the consumer market. To solve this problem, Henry Ford developed the assembly line, which was a process in which certain groups of people would be responsible for the production of certain parts, making the production process much more efficient and reduced costs. Due to these lowered costs, many Americans purchased automobiles throughout the 1920's, allowing for easier transportation to farther locations.
Radio
Another revolutionary invention during the 1920's was the radio. The first ever commercial broadcast was on November 2, 1920, when the radio station KDKA broadcasted the results of the 1920 election. By the mid 1920's, there many different radio stations broadcasting a variety of things, such as music, sports, weather reports, and more. During the 1920's, around 60% of American families purchased a radio, and this new technology undoubtedly changed peoples lives.
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/03/08/kdkas-historic-broadcast/
http://1920newtechnologyhanyoung.weebly.com/entertainment.html
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3396
I like the way that you go into depth to describe two major technological developments that would shape the future of humans. you gave me a better understanding of how the radio was originally created and the different types of radios that existed. As well as the way automobiles were created and the evolution of cars.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Ryan! The Radio was one thing that really connected the world in that time. The ability to bring people together by one spoken word. Also in that time wasn't the Radio imperative when he came to the talk about evolution and the case in which a teacher was taken to court for teaching the theory of evolution because it contradicted the bible. The Fundamentalist where outraged but the school teachers lawyer was able to question the Fundamentalist about the bible and he showed the entire courtroom and the whole broadcasting audience on the radio how unrealistic it is to take everything in the bible literally. Even though he lost the case the everyone due to the radio new the fraud of fundamentalist ideals. It marked the start of religious being progressive. Thanks to the Radio!!
ReplyDeleteI like how you talk about the invention and its effects on America. I would like to mention a few other inventions that were changing America and its values. The washing machine, vacuum cleaner, and electric dishwasher shaped the home lives of families, allowing more time for less mundane things. The invention of the refrigerator and frozen food changed the way consumers thought of food forever (now it's more taken for granted). There were also huge strides toward efficiency and time saving, like the bread slicer, traffic signal, drive-in restaurant. In total, the 20's was a time of increased efficiency, and therefore changing values favoring more consumerism and more comforts.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/inventions-in-the-1920s.htm
DeleteI loved how clearly you formatted this post -- I was able to get a lot more out of it because of the clear titles and sections. I thought it was very interesting how during the 1920's ~60% of American families purchased a radio when it was only invented in 1895. The rise of consumer culture was largely popularized because of (overall, but obviously not for every American) growing wages and discretionary income. Another key invention in the 1920's is Penicillin (1928). While often overshadowed by the Eugenics movement in the US, the 1920's gave way to numerous advancements of medical science. Penicillin would be a crucial factor saving soldiers and civilians alike in WWII.
ReplyDeleteOne source I found particularly helpful and blunt was http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/inventions-in-the-1920s.htm
It clearly lists inventions of the time and brief summaries about their discovery/making.
I found this post really interesting because these technologies not only drastically changed society in the 1920's but also continue to greatly impact the way we live today. Both the automobile and the radio are everyday items that are very difficult to picture life without for Americans in 2017. In addition to the automobile itself, Fordism also brought about great change in the country and was the start of a process in the labor force that would become very prevalent. The radio was such an important invention because it brought people closer together, as it allowed people all over the country to listen to and react to the same news at the same time. Today, Americans are still able to bond in a similar way because we continue to have the radio and other forms of entertainment that can bring people together, such as television. As time has gone on and more and more people have come to the United States, we have gained more of a variety, though, which is really neat. Different people are able to use the radio for different interests and enjoy more specific programs, which kind of organizes society into more groups that are able to connect in a way that is similar to in the 1920's, yet more specific.
ReplyDelete