ROARING TWENTIES

Rise in Consumer Culture

WARM UP: CONSUMER CULTURE

Consumer Culture: a society that views the consumption of a large quantities of goods/services/resources as being positive for the economy and a source of personal happiness.

I consume (use/utilize/eat) the following products/goods on a daily basis…I feel…when I consume (buy/use)…One connection I can make to consumerism in the United States today is…

laissez-faire economics

Hands-Off (No Government regulation)

Presidents Harding and Coolidge

believed “The business of America is

business”

REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE 1920-1932

President Harding worked to get US

out of recession efficient government reduced government spending

Renewed prosperity

Prices dropped for consumers (buyers)

PRICES DROP

ECONOMIC BOOM

New business techniques assembly lines mass production = prices advertisingcredit

Rise of new industries AutomobileMass communication: Radio and motion pictures

ADVERTISEMENTSPartner Work

Approximately how many advertisements are in the first twenty pages of the magazines?

What products/goods or services are the advertisements encouraging you to consume (buy and use)?

Do you notice a trend in the advertisements?• What type of rhetorical devices do they use?

WARM UP:ROLE OF ADVERTISING

Advertisers try to persuade me to buy their products by.....I am convinced to consume products sometimes because…

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY: TIME TO BUY!

Between 1923-1929 earnings/wages increased Government Regulated: 8 hour work days, leisure time

Spending more money • Feels good to purchase • Buying = happiness

MASS ADVERTISINGCreate “needs” for new inventions and encourage consumption.

• Appealing (visually and words used)• Persuasive messages• Linked their products with qualities

associated with the modern era: progress, success

1920’s The US has the highest standard of living in the World

BUYING ON CREDIT

credit: an agreement to buy something with borrowed money and pay back the loan over time. installment buying: buyer (consumer) puts

a down payment on the product and agrees to pay the remaining amount in monthly installments. If the buyer (consumer) does not make payments the seller can reclaim/repossess the product

PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS

Read primary source #1 and annotate

According to the source, what did consumers do in the past when they couldn’t afford to buy any more products?According to the source, what do consumers do in 1929 do when they can’t afford more products?Why is a bill on credit larger if you wait to pay it?

PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS

Read Primary Source #2

According to the source, what two products did many people buy on installment (credit)?

According to the source, why would consumers have to reduce/lessen their purchases?

EXIT SLIP

Why and how did the United States experience a rise in consumerism during the 1920’s?