,” Theda Bara.Advertising and the availability of financing brought about a consumer revolution. The new consumer products appealed to people’s social ambitions. Very few of the products were necessities, but eventually, participating in the consumerism culture became a standard for judging one’s value; rather than religion, character or social standing as it had been before the 1920s.Business is the other main area that accented the transition to modernization. Big business was seen throughout the later half of the 19th century, but there was a major shift that changed American business and employment forever. The 1920s saw more mergers than anytime in American history besides the 1980s and 90s. Income per capita increased by one-third which increased the standard of living for many people, allowing more than two-thirds of Americans to have electricity in their homes by 1929 and other modern household items such as washing machines, irons, vacuum cleaners, toasters and sewing machines.Efficiency became a main issue in factories. Henry Ford could produce an automobile in 93 minutes as opposed to the fourteen hours it took him before. This also allowed him to sell the automobiles for a mere $295, that is, $700 less than the cost of the automobiles in 1908. The availability of the automobiles prompted both state and federal governments to pour millions of dollars into building new roads. This new industry also opened up new markets in oil, steel, rubber, glass and tools.The working world was altered by the average work week dropping to 45 hours. Paid vacations were becoming more regular with 40% of companies offering them. The increase in free time led to Americans being “lost in leisure.” This caused a whole new era in the arts, a new rage for the movies, sports and fashion.Media and business both changed drastically in the 1920s. The changes in these fields altered many other aspects of life a...
