How the Automobile Changed the
Face of Society
Material From Martin V. Melosi’s Essay “Automobile in American
Life and SocietyThe Automobile Shapes the City”
Retreived from: www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Environment/E_Casestudy.htm
Video Clips downloaded from United Streaming

How Did People Get Around Before the Automobile?
• Horses
• Streetcars
• Bicycles
• Railroads
What change did this make on transportation?
* Mass Transit -> Private Transit

1920’s - Auto Production had become a pillar of the U.S. economy. By the end of the decade, American factories were churning out five million cars a year, making more money than any other industry.

How Automobiles Affect Our Lives
• No other invention changed the way we live like the automobile
• Cars gave people freedom in several aspects of our life
• Created new businesses

How Automobiles Affect Our Lives
(02:36)

How Automobiles Affect the
Places They Go
• Some people didn’t like cars at first
• Others liked the car because of what it got rid of
• Automobiles changed the landscape
• The government became involved in improving things for cars

How Automobiles Affect the
Places They Go
(01:54)

How Automobiles Affect Cultural Change
• Becoming a car owner went across the economic lines
• Rural life flourished
• New Recreational Activities
• New Social Activities
• New Jobs Emerged
• New Types of Business Emerged
(Bonnie and Clyde’s Car After Final Shootout •• We will discuss
Prohibition and the rise of the Mafia after this lesson ••)

How Automobiles Affect
Cultural Change
(01:53)

Automobiles: Advantages and
Disadvantages
• Accidents
• Pollution
• Noise
• Decreased “Natural Environment”

Automobiles: Advantages and
Disadvantages
(02:28)

• Paper One
– You must complete the columns with lists of the Pros and Cons of automobiles
• Paper Two
– Write down at least 5 major changes that you learned that were brought about by automobiles

Then, you will work with a partner and discuss what you have, compared to your partner. Come to an agreement on what your group would say the top five things were in each category and why. Be prepared to share and to back your answer up if called on. You have 10 minutes for this.