Consumerism In The 1920s Essay

I have learned a great deal from this class in a short amount of time, but one of the most interesting things studied would have to be the 1920’s. Not only did the United States become the wealthiest nation in the world during this era, but some major social changes took place during this time. Consumerism grew during the 1920’s due to products being made more obtainable. Henry Ford’s assembly line contributed greatly to this. Each worker was given a specific task to do on the assembly line, and that along with the model T only being made in the color black, allowed for a greater number of model T cars to be produced each day. Ford also realized that he needed his workers to become customers, so he paid workers $5 a day instead of the $1.50 a day salary that was the normal. Eventually other business owners saw that Ford’s idea was a smart business decision and followed his lead, making more workers
Americans were more informed with what was going on around them and what styles were “in” for that season. Rudolph Valentino was the heart throb that played in “The Sun of the Sheik,” and big band music with its heavy African American influence was widely popular. Flappers is a term used in the 1920’s by women who decided to test the way women should look and act, by wearing short dresses, putting on makeup, and cutting their hair off short. Women also started working outside the homes, and they were finally granted the right to vote. Prohibition took place during this time which made it illegal to consume or possess alcohol. This lead to speakeasies and bootlegging alcohol. With all the changes occurring in the United States, many Americans were uncomfortable with the youth culture and community life. The size of Protestant church membership increased greatly because many Americans were afraid of the changes taking