US Life in 1919

US Life in 1919

Life in the USA by 1919 was very revolutionary; socially, religiously

and economically. For example, women were becoming more independent

and were being taken more seriously, there was a dramatic rise in the

variety of different industries, the different classes were

integrating, the amount of immigrants was on a dramatic rise and

religious views were being expressed very noticeably.

To begin with, women were becoming independent. They were beginning to

earn their own living and no longer living up to the “housewife”

standard that this era possessed. Equality was a big issue and women

wanted to be taken more seriously and be admired for the qualities

they really possess and not at how good a cleaner they were. They no

longer relied on their husband’s wages to survive, they had

independence and they knew it. They were able to buy gifts for

themselves ranging from faux fur and hats to pianos and cars –

especially as cars were becoming a great demand.

Also, cars were no longer reserved for the rich upper class, but due

to Henry Ford, became available for middle class society to purchase.

The Ford Motor Company was incorporated in 1903 with Henry Ford as

vice-president and chief engineer. The infant company produced only a

few cars a day at the Ford factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. Groups

of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order

by other companies.

Henry Ford realized his dream of producing an automobile that was

reasonably priced, reliable, and efficient with the introduction of

the Model T in 1908. This vehicle initiated a new era in personal

transportation. It was easy ...

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many rural areas saw these changes as a threat to their traditional

way of life. Higher crime rates in cities were also blamed on alcohol.

When the USA entered WW1 in 1917, prejudice also turned against the

brewers of alcohol, many of whom were German. To drink alcohol they

argued was unpatriotic.

Many temperance organisations were middle class women’s groups,

motivated by a desire to “reform” what they saw as the bad habits of

the working class and drunkards from their own weakness. Women, they

argued were most affected by drink when husbands spent wages in the

bars and saloon and came home drunk.

Other arguments were that drink was a waste of grain for food, it

caused a drop in the efficiency of workers and therefore less was

produced in factories and on farms and that alcohol led to death on

the roads.