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During World War I, the U.S. economy was stimulated by the demand for supplies created by European countries involved in the war. American factories churned out tanks, rifles, ammunition, airplanes, and ships. This prosperity continued into the early 1920s because, while they were rebuilding, European countries remained dependent on American factories and agriculture.
The Assembly Line
Henry Ford did not invent the assembly line, breaking the manufacturing process into steps that are completed in a predetermined sequence, but he used it to make the automobile industry in the United States an unquestionable success. The combination of the assembly line and the use of interchangeable parts made Ford’s automobile factories faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective, allowing the price of Model-T cars to drop, while Ford was still able to make a huge profit. This method spread rapidly to other industries and allowed goods to be manufactured more quickly and easily than ever before. The technique, along with the installment plan (which allowed people to purchase expensive items and pay for them over time on credit), led to widespread automobile ownership among Americans. This was one factor that allowed for more urbanization in the United States, because now Americans could travel more easily.
Effects of the More Widespread Availability of Automobiles
One major effect of the increased availability of the automobile was an increase in paved road constructions. This was another factor that contributed to increased urbanization—because people could travel more cheaply. Women and young people were able to become more independent, and workers could live farther away from jobs, eventually leading to the growth of suburbs.
New Forms of Mass Media and Their Effects
Magazines like Vogue, Life, The New Yorker, and Time had widespread circulation by the 1920s, allowing for the spread of popular culture. Radio became more prevalent and was focused more on entertainment (rather than just news) than it had before. Movies with sound (talkies) helped spread popular culture. The first talkie, The Jazz Singer, which cost about $450,000 to make, was released in 1927 and had made a $2 million profit by 1931.
