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Consumerism and Rise of Technology

Consumerism and Rise of Technology. Context. Post WWI era of prosperity New economic models to increase production Decade of conservative politicians Supported capitalism, big businesses American dream Equate prosperity with progress Consumerism engrained in American culture. Consumerism.

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Consumerism and Rise of Technology

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  1. Consumerism and Rise of Technology

  2. Context • Post WWI era of prosperity • New economic models to increase production • Decade of conservative politicians • Supported capitalism, big businesses • American dream • Equate prosperity with progress • Consumerism engrained in American culture

  3. Consumerism • Social and economic system causing desire to purchase material goods in great amounts • With rise of consumerism came rise of materialism • Economic boom lead to higher wages • Higher wages lead to more goods being bought • 1920s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States

  4. Rise of Credit • Increase in consumerism leads to the rise of credit • Instead of paying in cash could put it on credit • Easy to become stuck in debt • Caused debt = factor of the Great Depression

  5. Rise in Advertising • More consumer goods available than ever before • Convincing people their life would be better with the product • The rise in technology provided brand new ways for advertisements to be spread • Celebrities • Used common insecurities of people

  6. Coca-Cola • One of the largest and most visible companies in the world thanks to its successful advertisement campaigns • Holiday Campaigns • Sports • Contour bottle

  7. New Technology • 1920s was an important decade for new technology • Many were common household items: • Telephone • Automobiles • Toaster • Refrigerator • Washing machine • Vacuum cleaner • Rayon

  8. Household Inventions • Radio • Ernest Alexanderson • Credited for modern day radio • High frequency alternator • This helped lead to the invention of the television. • First broadcast in 1920 of the Harding-Cox presidential election. • Soon, 2 million homes had radios

  9. Household Inventions • Earle Dickson Band-Aid (1920) • First version of Hair dryer invented • Before women had to use vacuums! • Clarence Birdseye Frozen food • Meat + Veggies  preserved in waxed-cardboard cartons, after exposure to high pressure

  10. The Great Depression • October 29, 1929 – Black Tuesday • Severe economic depression • Caused by decline in consumer demand, financial panics, and misguided government policies • Decline in output, deflation, unemployment

  11. Significance • Economic prosperity influenced rise of new technologies • Urbanization • Rise of credit • Rise of debt • Uncontrolled consumerism directly led to Great Depression • Created new American culture of consumerism • Still see effects today

  12. Bibliography • http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess/radio-tv.html • http://www.buzzle.com/articles/inventions-of-the-1920s.html • Rise of Consumerism and Mass Culture. 3 July 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_1920s_rise_of_consumerism_and_mass_culture>. • Dictionary. Web. 22 Feb. 2010. <dictionary.com>. • "Advertising in the 1920s." EyeWitness to History. 2000. 21 February 2010. • <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snpmech4.htm> • “Coke Lore.” The Coca Cola Company. 21 February 2010 • <http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html>  • "Great Depression." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2010  http://school.eb.com/eb/article-234442.  • Gusmorino, Paul A., III. "Main Causes of the Great Depression." Gusmorino World (May 13, 1996). Online. Internet: <http://www.gusmorino.com/pag3/greatdepression/index.html. 22 February 2010> • “Making Sense of Ads - American Advertising: A Brief History.” History Matters. 21 February 2010. • <http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/ads/amadv.html> • “Understanding Advertising: Decoding an Ad’s Appeal.” Center for History and New Media. 21 February 2010. • <http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/omalley/120/empire/ads/ads.html>

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