Age of the Automobile

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Have you ever thought of what the world would be like without the automobile? This paper will talk about the things the automobile has helped create. Inventors first started experimenting with steam powered engines in the late 18th century. Cars began being produced and sold to the public in the 1890’s (Automotive History). The automobile is considered to be one of the greatest inventions of all time. As a result of the automobile, cities changed, jobs were formed, and the environment was impacted.
Within the past century, the automobile have had a large impact on cities. One of the effects of the automobile that people don't always think about is the formation of suburbs. Suburbs began being built heavily in the 19th and 20th centuries. “Levittown was the first pre-fabricated community, it was built in 1949.” (Automobile in American Life). Levittown was the first of the largest mass produced suburbs. Cars allowed for people to live outside of the city and still be able to commute to work. This greatly reduced city crowding. The expansion of city boundaries required an expansion of roadways. Highways and Interstates were formed because of this. Highways allowed for travel between cities and interstate allowed for travel across state lines. (Automotive History). Along with this new expansion came new opportunities. Some of these opportunities include drive-in movie theaters and restaurants, drive-thru banks and restaurants, motels, and convenience stores. 7 Eleven was the first extended hour convenience store (Impact of the Automobile). This impacted american culture and travel greatly. It was the first store with extended hours. The new hours were from 7 am - 11pm. That in fact, is how the store got its name (7 Eleven). Motels p...

... middle of paper ...

...ure would not exist. Life without the automobile, suburbs, interstate travel, and Drive-thru restaurants would be very different than the life people are used to today. The automobile industry has expanded to every continent and still continues to grow today.

Works Cited
“Automobile In American Life and Society.” Automobile In American Life and Society. N.P., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
“Automotive History.” Automotive History. N.P., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
“Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Early Cars: Fact Sheet for Children.” Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Early Cars: Fact Sheet for Children. N.P., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
“History.” History. 7-Eleven, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
“Newsroom.” NC State News. N.P., n.p. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
“The Impact of the Automobile on the 20th Century.” The Impact of the Automobile on the 20th Century. N.P., n.p. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

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