Glossary
Assembly Line
A manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner as it moves from one workstation to another, greatly increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
Example:
Thanks to the assembly line, Henry Ford could produce a Model T car in just 93 minutes, making automobiles affordable for many American families.
Babe Ruth
An iconic American baseball player who became a national hero and cultural icon during the 1920s, known for his prodigious home runs.
Example:
Crowds flocked to baseball games to watch Babe Ruth hit towering home runs, making him one of the most celebrated athletes of the Roaring Twenties.
Birth of a Nation
A controversial 1915 silent film directed by D.W. Griffith that glorified the Ku Klux Klan and depicted African Americans in a negative light, contributing to racial prejudice.
Example:
Despite its groundbreaking cinematic techniques, Birth of a Nation fueled racial tensions and was widely protested by civil rights groups for its racist portrayal of Black Americans.
Charles Lindbergh
An American aviator who gained international fame in 1927 for making the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Example:
When Charles Lindbergh landed in Paris after his historic flight, he became an instant global celebrity, embodying the era's fascination with technological progress and individual achievement.
Consumer Goods
Products purchased by the average consumer for personal use, rather than for manufacturing or resale.
Example:
The widespread availability of new consumer goods like electric irons and toasters transformed household chores in the 1920s.
Credit
The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.
Example:
Many families bought their first radio or car on credit, paying for it in installments over time.
Creditor Nation
A country that is owed more money by other countries than it owes to them.
Example:
After World War I, the U.S. emerged as a powerful creditor nation, lending significant funds to war-torn European countries.
Debtor Nation
A country that owes more money to other countries than it is owed by them.
Example:
Before World War I, the United States was largely a debtor nation, relying on European capital for its industrial expansion.
Marketing
The process of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.
Example:
Clever marketing campaigns in the 1920s convinced Americans they needed new appliances, even if they hadn't considered them before.
Mass Media
Technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication, such as radio, film, and newspapers.
Example:
The rise of mass media meant that people across the country could listen to the same popular music or watch the same movies, fostering a more unified national culture.
Paternalism
A system where an authority (like a company or government) provides for the needs of its subordinates but also limits their freedom and autonomy.
Example:
Some companies practiced paternalism by building company towns with housing and stores for their workers, but also imposed strict rules on their personal lives.
Roaring Twenties
A period in U.S. history during the 1920s characterized by significant economic prosperity, cultural dynamism, and social change, though not all Americans shared equally in this boom.
Example:
The jazz music and flapper fashion of the Roaring Twenties symbolized a new era of liberation and modernity.
Scientific Management
A theory of management that analyzes and synthesizes workflows to improve economic efficiency, especially labor productivity, often associated with Frederick Winslow Taylor.
Example:
A factory implementing scientific management might time workers' movements with a stopwatch to find the most efficient way to complete a task, even if it meant highly repetitive work.