Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Impact of technology on everyday life

Terms and definitions Aussie Dream: to own a home and live in the suburbs Baby Boom: the period where there was a sudden increase in births as couples would re unit after war and want to start a family. A temporary marked increase in the birth rate, esp. the one following World War II. Prefabricated: Manufacture sections of (a building or piece of furniture) to enable quick or easy assembly on site Digital Dived: The digital divide refers to the gap between people who possess regular access to technology, (such as computers and their related functions like ability to get on the Internet), and those who do not have this access.

Housing:
There was a major boom in housing due to the large number of families wanting to experience the
Aussie Dream.

There was a rapid increase in the amount of home owners and this sparked a massive phase of
building and construction in Australia.

Since the 1960s was the period where servicemen returned from war, many got married and started a
family. The Baby Boom period lead to the development of new suburbs in order to accommodate for these families.

There was a sudden call for builders in order to help construct homes and suburbs, Australia was in
short supply of workers so the government called for migrants to settle in Australia and work on these projects. (the majority were from UK and Ireland as well as European countries like Greece)

Due to the huge demand of home supplies, there was a development of new materials which was
cheap and more plentiful. Homes were being built with materials such as corrugated iron roof.

Prefabricated homes also became popular in the 60s. Homes were considered small in todays standards. An average home had two or three bedrooms,
one living room, a kitchen, small bathroom and the toilet and laundry were sometimes located outside the house.

During the 60s the homes were simple and it was rare to have a double storey house, there were very
few homes with extra features like verandas and fireplaces.

Many homes in this period were owner built as families tried to cut down their spending on the
house.

One third of all new houses were owner built and the families lived in small sheds while building was
in progress. These sheds would become a garage later.

Materials soon began to improve during the late 60s and homes were being built with bricks and red
roof tiles.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Since brick was expensive, people turned to brick veneer, this was cheaper as the house only had to
have one layer of bricks against the wooden frame, the benefit of this is that it provided better insulation and it looked like full brick.

Many families soon had car as second hand cars became popular and were also affordable. This meant that families no longer relied on public transport and were able to travel alone, leading to
the development of homes further from the cities.

An Urban Sprawl had begun as houses were more distanced from cites There was a new range of building technology which was cheap, this allowed for families to extend
their homes or build bigger homes.

Homes soon included many bedrooms and bathrooms, family rooms and even air conditioning. Patios and outdoor living areas became popular as people saw the need of having natural light due to
the climate of Australia.

Technological advancements also led to the growth of high rise apartments and buildings, similar to
that of America.

Throughout the 70s, there was a oil crisis and some people decided to live a natural life out in the
bush and experiment with new materials

Energy efficient housing was developed, these features included solar power for heating and
electricity

In the 1980s house were being renovated , and many people moved to restore old houses Many European migrants settled in the city and established cafes delicatessens and other forms of
street life which made the city more attractive

In the 1990s the Urban Sprawl continued, and families relied more on cars During this decade there were many issues like social problems which included isolation for people
who do not have cars. Environmental problems from the increase number of cars and public help problems from air pollution and lack of physical activity. Economical problems from spending money on infrastructure.

In the 1990s suburban houses because larger with fewer people living in them Backyards became smaller because house took up more room than before Environmentally friendly homes were created-these houses had insulation, people used building
materials with low environmental impacts and home energy sources were from solar power

In summary, the building materials from the 50s until now have not changed immensely; we still rely
on timber, nails, bricks and mortar in order to construct homes.

Figure 1: URBAN SPRAWL

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Transport:
Transport allowed for material and goods to be delivered to cities and towns. Transport helped make daily life possible: we were able to trade, transport goods, travel to the city
and go to work.

NEGATIVES:
Road deaths became an issue Overcrowding and air craft noise Traffic congestion impacted on the quality of life Pollution became an issue as exhaust fumes could pose a major threat to public health

Many systems of transport were powered by fuel that polluted the atmosphere and contributed to
climate change

Since everyone had cars, people were able to travel even further causing further urban sprawl and
habitat loss.

Due to the expansion of cities and the development of suburbs, there needed to be a way to travel.
The main forms of transport were cars, trains and road trains, which were a substitute for trains ( a truck with many carriages)

Figure 3: Holden FX

Figure 2: The MINI

Cars:

The first Australian car made was the Holden FX and the company produced 10 cars per day. Many other Holden cars were manufactured and it increased to 100 cars per day. These cars costed
around 1074 pounds (equivalent of 68 times the weekly wage)

Having cars impacted on the way homes were designed, people included garages and car ports to
keep their cars.

Public areas soon had car spaces to park their cars. Motor vehicles also changed the way of living as Australians could travel to wherever they wanted
and this increased family time, going to parks and beaches.

It also became easier for people to keep in contact with others and maintain friendships Australias first freeway was built and enabled people to travel interstate.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

The Mini was a smaller car which was easy to handle. It was more affordable and therefore, appealed
more to women.

Cars were becoming cheaper to purchase and there was a wider range with different accessories Petrol was not expensive and the roads were usually free form traffic Road deaths were rising, forcing the government to introduce the curb toll. Safety designs specifications were developed for all cars sold in Australia and people had to wear seat belts. Licenses were later introduced and police began to test the blood alcohol level of drivers. unlimited source.

In the 70s, petrol prices doubled due to the oil crisis and people realised that petrol was not an From that event, cars later had to be designed to suit the environment and increase fuel efficiency to
limit pollution.

In the 80s, cars seemed to be an important aspect of everyday life. As more cars were being sold and
riven, the pollution level sky rocketed and traffic became a big issue.

Energy efficient and more eco friendly cars were being introduced. In the 80s police were allowed to breath test anyone, known as the RBT, where people were
randomly pulled over and tested for drink driver, previously only those who were pulled over for another crime were tested. Still enforced today.

There was new technology to detect running on a red light, these cameras surveillance red lights to
see if anyone drove through it.

In the 90s scientists warned the public of rising greenhouse gases and transport was responsible for
one quarter of the worlds greenhouse gases.

There was a greater risk of being sick from the air pollution, illnesses like asthma and respiratory
disease became common.

Efforts were made throughout the 1990s to develop alternative ways of powering cars. Solar power
and less polluting fuels like methanol, hydrogen and bio-diesel were researched heavily. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) became a more common alternative fuel.

By the end of the 1990s, the social and environmental problems posed by cars were a prime
concern of governments, industry and the public. Improved urban planning, better public transport and continued research into alternative energy were put forward as solutions to be developed in the coming decades.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Figure 4: Qantas Boeing 707

Air Travel:

Air travel wasnt very common in the 50s They were powered by propellers and their cabins were unpressurised. This was a less comfortable form of transport as it was loud and bumpy. Aeroplane trips were long
and often stopped for refuelling

The introduction of the Boeing 707 changed the feel of aeroplane travel, it travelled worldwide on a
regular basis and was a jet powered plane, allowing for more passengers to come aboard.

Worldwide travel impacted on Australia culturally as Australian had a firsthand experience of

another country: fashion, ideas, technology and other trend were easily spread.

By the 1970s the Jet age arrived, planes were becoming more advanced, large turbine powered
aircrafts could fly higher, faster and further than ever before.

Planes had the capability of flying across the globe with stopping, making travel time shorter. Qantas Boeing 707 -400 could carry up to 300 passengers. Airplanes became cheaper allowing for different social classes to travel and experience international
travel.

Sydney and Melbourne had terminals to accommodate for these new air crafts During the 90s Qantas created planes which could carry 500 passengers, which shows the sudden
improvement due to the technology available.

Air crafts polluted the air and were not fuel efficient.
Rail Travel:

People travelled long distant journeys by steam trains as well a diesel locomotives: which was much
faster and cleaner than the steam train.

The Diesel train also eliminated any heavy rocking motion causing less damage to the train on the
track and provided passengers with a smoother ride.

The electric train was also developing became the worlds first double Decker train, which operated in
Sydney.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Since different states had their own rail tracks, trains from other states had to stop and unload their
cargo onto another state train in order to deliver, as certain trains did not run on other state rails.

The government later implemented a plan to standardise the railways between Victoria and New
South Wales, making it easier to travel from Sydney to Melbourne

These rails played a vital role in travel as cities grew larger and people did not want to sit through
traffic congestions, and so they caught the train.

In 1988, Tangara trains began servicing Sydney and carry 2080 people in 8 carriages; this was a double
storey train.

The interstate rail travel suffered a massive decline due to the cheap air flights available. The
government then spent more money on rails, making them more eco friendly, reducing air pollution. Sea Travel:

Throughout the 50s many migrants arrived by boat and ship, but by the end of this decade, ,many
arrived by aeroplanes

Ships used to be a common form of travel, going on voyages to Britain and spending a couple of
months on the ship, however air travel was much cheaper and more efficient. People chose planes over ships as they were able to travel from one country to another without stopping. Passengers didnt have to wait for 2 months until reaching their destination.

Since air travel was taking the business away from ships, ships became more luxurious and offered
passengers cinemas, restaurants, lounges and the trip became smoother and comfortable.

The popularity of sea travel, however, would still decline.

Figure 5: Tangara Train Newspaper cutting

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Communications:
Australias postal needs were serviced by PMG (Post Master General). It was responsible for telegraph
poles, postal services and home phones.

In 1954, PMG offered Telex. An electronic typewriter which delivered messages along telegraph
poles. This was very convenient as it was more efficient and businesses found it effective to communicate. Telephones:

Subscriber trunk Dialling (STD) was introduced in the mid 1960s and allowed for people to directly dial
the long distance areas.

Telephone technology was constantly improving; the rotary dial telephone was replaced by a
keypad model which made dialling easier.

Australians were later able to directly dial overseas rather than to operators who forwarded the call. Answering machines became popular during the 80s especially to small businesses as they were able
to record themselves and calls would be answered if they were busy. It helped them as they did not have time to answer calls sometimes.

Mobile phones were introduced in the middle of the 80s. They were large and heavy portable
devices used to communicate as well. They were quite pricey and werent as popular.

During the 90s mobile phones became more popular and a necessity while going out. They were more
affordable and smaller.

Mobile phones allowed for greater freedom of movement and changed the way people
communicated. People were able to be contacted anywhere and keep in touch during work.

Throughout the 90s, there was a debate over whether mobile phones had a negative effect on human
health as they emitted electromagnetic waves, which could damage the brain tissue causing tumours.

Despite the concerns, it was not proven and the popularity soared.
Televisions:

In 1956, television entered the homes of families where they could watch moving images. It started
off in Sydney and Melbourne, and over the next five years families from other states had access to this new piece of technology.

It soon became the most popular was of communication, it took over the radio, cinema and print
media.

It transmitted ideas into Australia faster than ever and Australia was informed about events in other
countries.

It exposed people to other cultures and world views and produced information that would shape
society.

For the first time ever, television allowed for broadcasts of the war to be viewed by the general
public, usually the news was horrifying and publics support for the war rapidly diminished.

Colour television was launched in 1975 and within three years, 70 percent of Australian households
owned a coloured television.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Television production techniques began to improve also, there were new methods to make the
audience more excited and entertained, for example, placing a camera inside a race car so the audience gets a firsthand experience of the race.

Pay TV was later introduced, this allowed for Australians to access a greater range of sport, news,
movie and entertainment channels all day. Satellites and telecommunication:

Global communication was revolutionised by satellite technology, it was a bridge for exchanging
information and had major impacts on television and telephone communication.

In 1966, INTELSAT II, a satellite, was launched and enabled Australia to transmit and receive
telephone calls; television signals and became the first satellite exchange between Australia and the rest of the world.

On the 20th of July 1969, Australia was able to witness the potential of television and satellite through
the broadcast of the moon landing. Australia was a part of this spectacular event and could celebrate with the rest of the world.

Fibre Optics were thin strands of glass which could transmit greater
volumes of information, unlike the old copper cable.

This revolutionised the field of communication as it carried almost

unlimited amounts of data at a fast rate, it supported long distant calls and television and internet were faster.

In 1986, Australia launched AUSSAT, which was the nations own

satellite, this had a huge impact on communication services in rural areas and allowed for information to be transmitted to unpopulated areas.

By the end of the 80s, the country had a sophisticated communication

network and nearly everyone had access to basic communication technology.
Figure 6: Optical Fibres

Radio:

The portable transistor saved the radio industry from being outrun by the television industry. This
new device could be taken anywhere, even placed in a car which made it popular, although the sound quality was not as good.

FM radios began broadcasting in Sydney in 1974 and provided the state with a higher quality sound
broadcast.

The government funded multicultural stations, these stations later combined to form Special
Broadcasting Service (SBS) Advertising and communications:

Advancing forms of communication provided new avenues for advertising to deliver messages to the
public.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Through television, radio and magazines,

advertisers depicted an exciting new American inspired lifestyle that could be obtained by purchasing the latest fashion, music, films, food and beverages as well as home appliances and cars.

Advertising had a major effect on encouraging

consumption in Australia; it influenced Australian culture and society.

In the 70s, advertising became more targeted,

sophisticated and modern. It tempted the audience with target messag es and created desires for the product.

Computers:

In the 70s computers were rare in the household

as they were only used in banks and universities and were large and bulky.

Satellite technology made it possible for

computers to be connected from around the world.
Figure 7: Radio

Word processors were common in offices and by

the end of the 80s, even schools had computers.

In 1984, PC (personal computers) was introduced and was cheap enough for families to afford.
Families used the computer for the word processor and playing games.

By the mid-1990s, computers had become an indispensable part of everyday life. Computers were
standard in most workplaces, schools, libraries and universities and computer skills were considered essential in many occupations.

New computer related jobs were created and occupations were available in the computer industry,
like IT consulting. Internet:

In the 1990s home computer became popular and scientists were trying to develop a system where
most computers were linked through a single system, this creation became known as the World Wide Web (WWW).

Internet proved to be one of the greatest communication advances of the century as it created a
direct line of communication between people across the world, allowing them to share information and perform daily tasks from their computer.

The amount of users of internet in Australia rapidly increased from 4 percent to 68 percent. Some employees began to work from home, which allowed for varied working hours and savings on
transportation and petrol.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

The internet was also used for leisure as people sent mail, chatted to friends, explored topics and
play games online.

In the 90s people were able to do their banking over the internet and pay their bills from home.
Home shopping became a large industry and very popular.

Businesses were able to set up online and display items online. This provided cost savings for those
who had very few employers or no shop (rent).

In many ways, the internet dissolved cultural, economic and geographic barriers and opened up
communication access to everyone - regardless of their race, age, class, sex or appearance. People were able to be educated through the internet, they were able to socialize and enjoy the information available to them

However, there was also a divide in society, those with access to internet and those who didnt.
Ethnic minorities, old people or people in isolated areas were isolated from the internet based society as they did not have access to all the information shared online.

They were cut off from certain parts of society, like easy online banking and shopping, education
lessons and the rest of the information put up by others.

As the internet became a necessity in society, many people without internet access found it
increasingly difficult to fully participate in many aspects of everyday life. This unequal access to information and communication technology is known as a 'digital divide.'

Figure 8: Yahoo internet 1990s

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Entertainment:
Television:

Television was introduced in Australia in 1956 and became the primary source of entertainment. It
changed the way people spent their leisure time as they stayed home and watched films rather than going out to the cinema.

American culture was exposed to the Australia public through television and it influenced the
Australia way of life.

Australians were able to participate in important social changes and watch American films, like I love
Lucy.

Television allowed for Australia and many other countries to share cultural experiences through
television shows.

From the 70s television was a cheap and enjoyable form of entertainment, it was later improved in
1975 with the introduction of colour TV. Shows were aired in colour and more enjoyable and excitable to watch.

Pay TV allowed for Australians to watch television for 24 hours, with access to many channels of
different categories, like sport, comedy, music and news.

Many people feared that television was negatively impacting on everyday life, such as social and
emotional development of children, reduction in family time, obesity and violence.

The video tape had a huge impact on television as it enabled efficient recording, preservation, re
broadcasting and resale of TV programmes.

The video tape took over other forms of recording, like video recording the TV screen. Videotapes
were cheaper, more efficient and allowed for editing and high quality previews.

Satellite technology allowed for shows to be aired from city to city and even other countries. News
stories and programmes could be shared between capital cities to allow for spreading of words.

Figure 9: collection of TVs

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Video Cassette Recorders and RADIO and TECHNOLOGY:

The VCR transformed home entertainment as it allowed for programmes to be recorded and watched
later.

Cinemas were negatively impacted by this and were forced to shut down or slash ticket prices to
attract customers.

Car radios became popular and catered for mobile entertainment. Portable transistors were used for
entertainment outside, like beached and parks.

American pop music was played on Australia radio and youth driven American cultures rapidly
spread to Australia through music which was played on radio.

In the 80s, radios were installed in alarm clocks and personal stereos featured radio capabilities. By
the end of the 90s, radio broadcasts from all over hte world were listened to through the internet. Cinema and Technology:

Cinemas suffered over the decade as television and radio took over. In order to attract the audience,
they had better sound quality; wider screens, technicolour and the drive-in cinema were employed to encourage audiences back to the big screen.

In the 70s and 80s, coloured television drew people away from cinemas and many thought it was the
end for cinemas.

However, throughout the 90s, cinemas became popular and new suburban multiplex cinemas were
being built. These complexes included: large screens, surround sound, and crystal-clear pictures

There were many cinema screens in different rooms to allow for a greater range in movies.
Music and Technology:

The 80s saw a revolution in music technology. Personal stereos were available for individuals to play
their own music on cassette tapes and listen through headphones. Many people listened to music while walking or travelling.

CDs began to replace the vinyl records in the 80s. CDs were lighter and smaller and offered a higher
sound quality.

Videos were later added to music and songs were accompanied by dance moves or singers in the
latest fashion.

Synthesisers changed the way music sounded by producing an electronically generated sound and
computers were able to edit music

Artists could digitally record themselves and burn it onto a CD or upload it onto the internet.
DVDs:

Digital Video Discs were introduced in the late 90s and were expensive at the start; they soon
dropped in price and became more popular.

DVDs held more information than CDs and had better picture and sound resolutions than video tapes.
Computer Games:

Personal computer games became a popular feature in homes throughout the 80s and 90s.They
transformed the computer into a major source of home entertainment.

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Internet:

It involved the experience of home entertainment and also provided new sources of entertainment
in the 90s.

People had access to music, movies, newspapers and games, all this could be done in the comfort of
home.

Socialising was made easier through email and chartrooms Interactive experiences were revolutionised through the introduction of multiplayer online games. Problems like social isolation, loneliness and depression were faced with the internet and demised
the true community spirit.

Figure 10: first computer game PONG

Demi Tran 10A History Summaries: Miss Smith

Home Appliances:
The 50s was a decade of change as there were a
large number of people being employed and a great technological advancement.

Women were still seen as the homemaker and due

to the introduction of television; their job was to create a domestic haven for the family.

Home appliances also came to symbolise the success

and modern outlook of their owners and were often displayed in the lounge room for visitors to admire. Many households purchased electronic stoves, refrigerators, shiny toasters and kettles which revolutionised the kitchen.
Figure 11: microwave

The vacuum cleaner, washing machine and dish

washer saved hours off time spent doing the cleaning and women were able to enjoy their leisure time and make the house more comfortable.

In the 60s, technology had an impact on mass production. Since more of the home appliances were
being made, it was more affordable and became an essential since everyone had it.

There was a problem with mass production as once the consumer bought it, there would no longer
be a need to buy more, so manufacturers made products of a lower quality, forcing consumers to replace it once in a while.

The design of the product became important as it was suppose to look attractive and not like a bulk of
metal, however some designs made the product look like harder work.

People liked to display their items in the lounge room and show the pieces of technology they could
afford. Manufacturers decided to make the items seem more stylish and modern, it became smoother, shinier and colourful.

The microwave revolutionised food preparation as it was simpler to heat and warm up meals. Frozen
foods became popular and convenient with the microwave.

Australian home appliances focused on energy efficiency throughout the 80s and 90s. The government introduced a product labelling program whereby the energy efficiency was displayed
and encouraged consumers to buy the more eco friendly one.

Many of the home appliances when compared to the 50s is similar, except, there are a few
improvements in function and design.

New machines were created, ones which could make a selection of things like coffee, bread and ice
cream as well as outdoor products like a leaf blowing machine.

Plastics were later introduced and were durable. New motors were installed to produce noise free machine, like dish washers. Due the poor quality of some appliances and the difficulty in repairing for others, there was a large
number of appliances being thrown out and placed in landfills. This was a concern for people as many appliances were toxic once old.

These substances could leach into public areas causing health issues. People began to consider landfill when purchasing goods.