Early 20th Century American Life

Ethnic Enclaves and Shifting Demographics

Anecdotal story of the lecturer's in-laws illustrates how ethnic communities, established at the turn of the century, began to fade over time.
These communities were strongly tied to ethnic churches (e.g., Polish Catholic, Hungarian Catholic).
Factors contributing to the decline include:
- Movement away from original community areas.
- Secularization of society.
Example: Two ethnic Catholic churches merged into a single, non-ethnic Catholic church.
Contrast: Orthodox churches still often retain ethnic affiliations.

Growing affluence and increased wages led to more leisure time for the population.
Shift in the economy towards consumer-based industries.
Examples of leisure activities:
- Baseball: Stadiums were built in cities, making baseball a popular pastime.
- Motion pictures: Became a regular part of life, starting in the late 19th century and gaining immense popularity in the early 1900s.

Early movie theaters were called "Nickelodeons" because admission cost 5¢.
Films were geared toward lower-income audiences.
Wealthier movie houses had live orchestras; lower-end venues might have just a piano, or nothing at all as the audience would just read the cards explaining what was going on.

Traditional strong distinctions existed between "man's work" and "woman's work."
Telephone operator became a common occupation for women.
Early telephone system:
- No dialing numbers; operators connected calls manually.
- "Party lines" were common, where multiple households shared a single phone line, leading to eavesdropping and gossip.
Impact of telephone on women's roles:
- The telephone became increasingly prevalent, so the occupation of a telephone operator saw rise in need.
- During World War I, General Pershing requested bilingual (English/French) female telephone operators to support communication in France.
As women entered the workforce, they became involved in labor organization and efforts to improve pay and working conditions.

Traditional values dictated that women should work until marriage and children, then leave the workforce.
A break with these traditional values emerged, especially among first-generation Americans.
Reform-minded individuals challenged traditional values, arguing that full female empowerment required a liberated workplace.

While other Western European countries also saw changes towards modernity, the American society "ran away" with the automobile.
Car culture, which truly took off in the 1950s and 1960s, had its origins in this era.
Accessibility of cars in America:
- By the 1920s, half of Americans owned a car, a milestone that took Britain until the 1980s to reach.
- Modern industry and invention made cars accessible and affordable.

Henry Ford established Ford Motor Company in 1903 (after previous failed attempts).
Ford did not have an auto manufacturing background but was a self-taught engineer.
The Model T and its production:
- Focus on a single, simple model with interchangeable parts.
- Use of a moving assembly line to drive down costs.
- Ford's goal: pay workers enough to afford the cars they produced.
- Standardization: "You can get it in any color you want as long as it's black."
- Affordability: Price dropped from 700 in 1910 to 316 in 1916 (less than 10 today).
Worker compensation:
- Ford paid workers about double the wage of similar companies (approximately 160/day in today's dollars).
- Workers could afford to buy the cars they made.
Ford's stance on unions:
- Vehemently opposed to unionization.
- Maintained higher pay and benefits than union standards.
- Eventually allowed unions in 1937.

"Fordism" refers to the economic system of mass production and mass consumption.
This system involved producing standardized, affordable goods and selling them nationwide.
Increased incomes and amenities led to a sense of abundance.
The idea that living standards would continuously improve.
Increased standard of living translated into a new form of American freedom.
The higher the standard of living, the freer individuals were to spend money and enjoy leisure activities.
The concept of the "American way of life" gained prominence.

Edward Bernays: Considered the father of public relations and advertising.
Bernays applied the scientific method to advertising, studying how to make people want specific items.
He advised both political parties and was active until the 1950s and 1960s.
Bernays' influence on American breakfast: The reason bacon is a breakfast item in The United States.
Bernays also advised the pork lobby to push for more pork consumption as beef became more and more affordable.
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, pork was the primary choice of protein for most American families.
Bernays contacted a doctor friend and through a large network of medical professionals, sent out letters discussing a higher caloric intake for breakfast.
The results were overwhelmingly positive and paved the way for pork like bacon to be a common breakfast food.