6th Period The Savvy Consumer

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Table of Contents Group Editorial……………………………………. 3 Marketing or Brainwashing?................................... 4 How Credit Ruined the American Economy!........ 5 ★ Model T What are Movies and Radios?................................. 7 ★ The Jazz Singer How Credit Affected America ………………….... 9 ★ How Your Credit Stacks Bibliography……………………………………….11


Group Editorial

How is the 1920s changing in regards to consumerism and the way Americans spend their leisure time?

The times are a changin’. Life in America has never been better. Products are flying off the shelves and Americans have a newfound freedom when it comes to how they spend their leisure time. But purchasing these new products comes at a cost-pun intended. Without credit, most Americans wouldn’t be able to afford expensive goods in the 1920s. Credit is ruining America’s economy and could ultimately bring down all hard working Americans. Production has never been higher. Employers are producing goods faster than ever before. And Americans are buying these goods thanks to credit. Can’t afford it now? No problem! Credit will save the day. Credit isn’t necessarily a bad thing. People can afford expensive goods instead of having to wait to purchase them later. Americans no longer have to save large sums of money to afford a refrigerator, Model T or ice box. These products are available to all Americans-not just the rich. If you’re not out buying the latest product flying off the shelf then perhaps you are listening to a baseball game on the radio. Spectator sports are taking

American by storm. The 1920s are the Golden Age of Sports and the Age of the Spectátor. The current popular sports are boxing, wrestling, baseball, golf, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, and swimming. But the most popular sport is baseball. Large amounts of Americans started paying money just to watch teams play against each other. Baseball and movies were called the “national pastime” in the 1920s. Besides sports, movies are also a very popular pass time. Movies and sports only cost $0.25 per ticket. Movies are more popular in big cities than small cities. Radios are used more in the urban areas. Radios are growing in popularity, because they’re a new and unique product. Everything's changing, it’s almost impossible to stay the same with the new sports developments, ventions, and pass times, there’s no reason to be bored. Everything’s changing so fast, it’s almost hard to believe we were ever cavemen. Due to the fact that we instantly fell in love with the new inventions and the fact we have the new industry and

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Marketing or Brainwashing?

Are New Advertising Tactics Good For America, or a Way to Brainwash Americans Into Buying Things They Don’t Need? By: Alison Stalkfleet Companies use many tactics to advertise their products, but did you know that not all tactics are good? Some advertisements can be considered brainwashing. Many advertisements are good for the American people. They get the message across quickly and give you proper information. Some companies use a spokesperson for their advertisement, others collect data and customer reviews. They’ll make catchy slogans and jingles. They grab your attention and sell the product. Some advertisements, on the other hand, aren’t as good for America. Some may consider them brainwashing. They use cheap tactics such as false claims, one example is, claiming that your product will help make women seem like better wives and mothers.

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They also target specific demographics, trying to get them to buy their products instead of all Americans. When they have their targets, they use false data to make you believe that people buy this product. Saying things such as all most women love their product. This drive certain people to get their product, and it may not even be as good as it seems. One man started a company with the claim that if someone invested in it, it would make them rich. What it ended up doing, was scamming americans out of thousands of dollars. In the end, mose marketers are just brainwashing American citizens to buy products that they don’t need. Thankfully, we can use some tell tale signs to see if we’re being brainwashed, or if it’s just good advertising.


How credit ruined the american economy!

Is mass production lowering the quality of american products or a way to brainwash americans into buying things we don’t need ?

By: Mia Spratte

The Assembly Line The assembly line began in 1925 when Henry Ford due to the assembly line mass production started.Mass production the manufacturing of large quantities of products in the United States. The assembly line moved the products from one station to another each station putting a part onto the product until it is finished. Mass production and the leading to mass consumption. Prosperity in the 1920’s led to new patterns of consumption and the purchasing of consumer goods. Goods like radios,cars,vacuums,clothes,food and beauty products were all being purchased at a faster pace than ever . Mass production led to cost of things lowering due to the fact of more of those products being mass produced and that led to more people buying these goods. Mass consumption led to more people buying on credit which led to American debt and the lowering of the economy. The expansion of credit allowed for the sale of more consumer goods and for the making of more products. Credit made expensive and non affordable products more affordable for average Americans.

What is credit? Credit allowed for the sale of affordable consumer goods by being able to pay over time and puts products such as automobiles within reach of average earning Americans. It was good for the american economy because it helped people in poverty be able to pay for expensive products throughout time and soon they can pay it off to its original amount. Credit was bad because it put us as American citizens in debt and it put our economy as one in debt and it lowered our power. How advertising became a huge industry Advertising became a big industry meaning the more ads posted the more people are tempted to buy consumer goods. These ad’s were the most common ad’s in the united states in the 1920s . It helped mass consumer culture. Overall, credit was bad for america because it lowered our economy and put us in debt.

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What are movies and radios By Dylan

Will radio and movies give americans access to new information, or make americans lazy, mindless zombies. Have you been to see The Jazz Singer? How about Steamboat Willie? If not, what are you waiting for? There is more disposable income to spend on entertainment and advancements in technology, led to new patterns of leisure and consumption. The advancements in technology helped make radios and movies.

While movies and radios have been very informative, there is the ever growing danger that society is turning into lazy, mindless zombies. There is a real danger that Americans could get addicted to watching movies and listening to the radio. Whatever happened to reading a newspaper or going outside and playing with your friends because that is better for everyone.

To get into a movie or a double feature or live show only cost 25 cents and the attendance swelled to 90 million people. There are hundreds of radio stations that popped up all over the us in the course of the decade and many stations developed and broadcasted news serial story, and political speeches Radios are used more in urban areas and everyone wants a radio because the radio is something new and it was strange and unique why would you not want to have one.

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Credit By: Izzy

Is buying on credit good or bad for America?

Credit started in the 1920s because of mass consumption and led to mass production made possible by Henry Ford. The government made policies that let companies grow. American households could now afford to buy expensive items such as cars through credit. Even mid class could purchase expensive items such as cars. Costermes didn’t have to save large amounts of money anymore and they could now use credit. 65% of cars were purchased through credit.

In the beginning of the 1920s people didn’t have to worry about credit, customers couldn’t imagine a time when the economy might shut down. Credit became more and more popular but became harder for the customers to make those payments. Americans felt they could afford more goods because of advertisements. Starting today in the 1920s ads became to run national pint to advertising companies. People in both urban and suburban got the same ads.. Credit in my opinion is bad for america because it made a lot of people in debt. Credit also lowers our economy rate.. .

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Group Bibliography Dylan W: Movies, radio, and sports in the 1920s. (2019). Khan Academy. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/rise-to-world-power/1920samerica/a/movies-cinema-sports-1920s Radio: The Internet of the 1930s | American RadioWorks | "Radio: The Internet Of The 1930S | American Radioworks | ." Americanradioworks.org. N. p., 2019. Web. 24 Oct. 2019. "Radio Fever [Ushistory.Org]." Ushistory.org. N. p., 2019. Web. 24 Oct. 2019. File:Club holds radio dance wearing earphones 1920.jpg - Wikimedia Commons "File:Club Holds Radio Dance Wearing Earphones 1920.Jpg - Wikimedia Commons." Commons.wikimedia.org. N. p., 1920. Web. 28 Oct. 2019. File:The Mark of Zorro (1920) - Leader Theater, Washington DC 1921.jpg Wikimedia Commons "File:The Mark Of Zorro (1920) - Leader Theater, Washington DC 1921.Jpg Wikimedia Commons." Commons.wikimedia.org. N. p., 1921. Web. 28 Oct. 2019.

Izzy S: The Roaring Twenties by Marcia Lusted. LĂźsted Marcia Amidon, and Jennifer K. Keller. The Roaring Twenties: Discover the Era of Prohibition, Flappers, and Jazz. Nomad Press, 2014 Mia S: "1910S-1920S: Immigration, Defining Whiteness." Msnbc.Com, 2008, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24714378/ns/us_news-gut_check/t/s-s-immigrationdefining-whiteness/#.Xa3y9UZKiUk. 1920S Consumption." Khan Academy. N. p., 2019. Web. 23 Oct. 2019. Alison S: Drowne, Kathleen, and Patrick Huber. American Popular Culture Through History: 1920s. 2019AD.

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