advances in technology in the twenties
...Over the first couple years in the 1920's, Ford’s automobile became very popular with the American people. By 1929, every household in American that could afford a car owned one. The automobile quickly became a very popular part of life. The Model-T, besides being popular, was a very important step in transportation. It was not very expensive therefore many people could afford it. It also allowed people to go long distances in a shorter amount of time than walking. It was also much more comfortable. Not only was it very important step in transportation, it was an important step in creating other industries. This industry was road and highway construction. When cars first came out, the only thing they could drive on was dirt road. This was very harsh on the cars because mud, dirt, and sand would get in the gears, the motor, the engine, and the car itself. This made driving a lot more difficult. According to Kenneth Bruce: "...there were very few good roads outside the east coast; crossing the continent was a real adventure, as during the spring when the snow melted or after a good rain storm, automobiles would sink into gumbo mud up to their hubs. Travelers crossing Iowa or Nebraska were often forced to wait several days until the road dried before moving onto the next town. ..." (79) To improve this situation, road construction began nationwide. In 1924, the Federal Road Act offered government money to all of the state legislatures to organize highway construction departments. By the end of the decade, highway construction programs were making more money than any other private industry at that time. The improvement and invention of the automobile greatly benefitted the American people with many advantages. It improved transportation, it helped the economy, and it opened up new industries such as road and highway construction. It was one of the most important inventions that was created in the 1920's. Another important invention was the radio. This helped improve communication a great deal. It was first invented in 1879. Radios were very large in size and noisy. They also had very poor reception. However, with other advances in technology, it was developed into a smaller device with better reception. Radios were very useful because it was an easier and cheaper way of getting ideas as well as information out to the public. The first things that were aired on the radio were basically news broadcasts and things about what was happening in the world. Later, however, it was used to broadcast anything from Church sermons all the way to blues records. According to Elizabeth Stevenson, “Radio not only reported the events but shaped them. ...”(114) Now, one could sit ...