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American Consumerism 1920s
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American Consumerism 1920s Facts: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
about the American
Consumerism 1920s.
What does Consumerism mean?
Consumerism is the theory that an increasing
expenditure on goods is economically
desirable. American consumerism in the
1920's led to the preoccupation of the purchase
of consumer goods
What is an example of Consumerism
1920s America?
An example of
American Consumerism 1920s the purchase of
automobiles. In the Roaring Twenties over
60% of Americans bought their automobiles on
credit. Debt was not a worry - people
believed that America, and the Stock Market,
were invincible...
American
Consumerism 1920s
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on American
Consumerism 1920s for kids.
Facts about
the American Consumerism 1920s for kids
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 1: During WW1 (1914 - 1918)
manufacturing, production and efficiency had increased
through necessity in order to meet the demands of the
war effort.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
2: The new advances in manufacturing
techniques, the factory system and the efficiencies of
the assembly line were transferred from meeting military
needs to the consumer goods industry and making
commercial products.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 3:
Technology had advanced and the nation had entered the
age of steel and electricity. Industries switched from coal power to
electricity and most homes, especially in the towns and cities, were
lit and powered by electricity.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 4:
The 1920's introduced Consumerism and Materialism to the
United States with massive changes to lifestyle and culture. The
Roaring Twenties or the Jazz Age, became associated with modernism,
consumerism, sophistication and decadence.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 5: After an initial recession in 1919,
middle class Americans moved to a period of
prosperity. Between the years from 1921 to 1924 the
nation’s gross national product jumped from $69 billion
to $93 billion and wages rose by 22% from roughly $36.4
billion to $51.5 billion.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 6:
Access to electricity provided Americans with the power
required to run new labor saving appliances and luxury products such
as radios, phonographs, electric irons, refrigerators, washing
machines, electric razors, vacuum cleaners and gramophones.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 7:
In the 1920'S America was beginning to prosper and new
technology, mass production and labor saving devices
gave Americans more time for leisure. They were able to
enjoy a wonderful taste of freedom due to the
introduction of mass-produced, cheap automobiles that
revolutionized transportation in America.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 8: The price of the standard Model T in
1903 cost $825. By 1924 a brand new Ford runabout could
be purchased for as little as $260. By 1927 the Ford
company was turning out a Model T every 24 seconds. From
1909 to 1927 over 15 million Model T Fords had been sold
in America. For additional facts refer to
Henry Ford and the
Model T
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 9: Mass Production techniques, such as
the introduction of the Assembly Line in factories, enabled massive
quantities of products to be produced quickly and efficiently by an
automated, mechanical process and reduced consumer costs.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
10: The lifestyles of Americans were
significantly effected by the availability of labor
saving products, luxury items and the emergence of mass
advertising campaigns and consumerism.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
11: The consumer goods industry was not
just restricted to the sale of automobiles and labor
saving appliances and devices. Personal grooming items
such as cosmetics, hair dye, mouthwash, deodorants,
tissues, and perfumes were added to the ever-growing
list of consumer products.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 12: Consumerism in the fashion industry boomed. It
was the era when the youth of America gained independence and the
age of the Flappers. Young women were influenced by the glamorous
clothes, fashion and styles of movie stars. Refer to
1920's Fashion for Women
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 13: The movie industry exploded in the 1920's. By
1929 an average of 100 million Americans went to the cinema on a
weekly basis. Stylish movie posters, some hand painted reflecting
the modern Art Deco style, advertised the newest movies to hit the
silver screen.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 14: Audiences of this vast size ignited the
imagination of merchants and manufacturers with products to sell.
The movies were one of the most important advertising mediums of the
1920's.
Continued...
Facts about
the American Consumerism 1920s for kids
Facts
about the American Consumerism 1920s for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about American Consumerism 1920s for
kids.
Facts about
American Consumerism 1920s for kids
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 15: Magazines and newspapers picked up on
the culture of consumerism and advertisers reached
millions of people through advertising via this media.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 16: Advertisers, reaching millions of
American consumers on a daily or weekly basis, hired
famous movie stars and sports celebrities to persuade
Americans to buy all types of products from coffee to
cosmetic products
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 17: Advertising changed the way that
people prepared their meals with the new types of
cookers. Glass cookware and frozen foods were also
introduced in the 1920's.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 18: Americans also changed the way they
cleaned their homes with the introduction of vacuum
cleaners and a vast array of domestic cleaning products.
Advertisers used the fear of disease to sell their
cleaning products and Americans purchased them to
protect their families from horrible illnesses - they
were reminded of the lethal
1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic
that had swept across the world.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact 19: Mass advertising promoted new
products in the consumer society of America. Advertisers
preyed on the fears and anxieties of Americans or
promoted the qualities of the era such as leisure,
convenience, fashion and style.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
20: Radio, the first mass broadcasting
medium, were also introduced in the 1920's was
that drew the nation together by breaking down
provincialism. The radio programs spread modern
ideas and advertisements to millions of listeners. By the end of the
1920s there were over 100 million radios in use in
America.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
21: Radio Advertising became big business
in the 1920's. In the 1928 presidential election
campaign
networks sold more than $1 million in advertising time
to the Democratic and Republican Parties. For more facts
refer to 1920's Radio and
Advertising.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
22: Much of the new Consumer Society was
built on easy consumer credit. Americans who were once
"thrifty and prudent" they bought most of their more
expensive goods on the installment plan, paying some
money down at first, followed by 1 -5 years of monthly
payments.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
23: The great financial innovation of the
1920s, was the tremendous growth of Installment Plans,
meaning buying on credit. Mass advertising reflected the
general acceptance of buying by installment as a way to
finance consumption.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
24: Easy credit via Installment Plans saw
a massive increase in consumer indebtedness, together
with an equally dramatic decline in consumer savings
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
25: 75% of the U.S. population spent most
of their yearly incomes to purchase consumer goods
including food, clothes, radios, and cars.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
26: Ordinary Americans were building up
high debts because of easy credit and started to gamble
on the Stock Market, believing it was a 'safe bet'.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
27: The excess of the
1920's and the Consumer Society ended abruptly with the
1929 Wall Street Crash. Share prices began to fall and $30
billion was lost in just two days.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
28: The Total Consumer Goods purchased on
Credit in 1929 was $7 Billion. Consumer Credit
outstanding in 1929 totaled over $3 Billion.
American Consumerism
1920s Fact
29: The Stock Market crash led
to the ruin of many Americans and was followed by the
Great Depression. The Great Depression witnessed the end
of the Consumer Society and consumerism in the 1920's.
Facts about
American Consumerism 1920s for kids
Facts
about
American Consumerism
1920s for kids
For visitors interested in the history of
American Consumerism refer to the following articles:
American Consumerism 1920s - President Woodrow Wilson Video
The article on the
American Consumerism in the 1920s provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Woodrow Wilson video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 28th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1913 to March 4, 1921.
American Consumerism 1920s
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Interesting Facts about American Consumerism 1920s for kids
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Key events
and American Consumerism 1920s for kids
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The American Consumerism 1920s, a major
event in US history
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American Consumerism and the Consumer Society
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Fast, fun facts about the American Consumerism 1920s
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Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Woodrow Wilson
● Woodrow Wilson Presidency and
American Consumerism 1920s for schools,
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