Effects of Automobiles on

American Culture
This topic helps argue that the 1920s should be remembered as the “American
Nightmare” by showing how automobiles polluted the environment, highlighted
disparities of wealth, changed moral standards for the worse, and caused
numerous accidents.

By Nurayda Albeez

“Photograph shows a fleet of Ford motorcars in
rows ready for delivery inside plant” (Ford Motor
delivery department).
It “is perhaps not an understatement to say that automobiles were the
American economy” in the 1920s (Delucia 14). They played an immense role
in the economic prosperity of the decade and greatly boosted the national
market. This was because automobiles were not just a means of
transportation for Americans, but also a symbol of the “American dream” that
everyone desired. As the “Big Three” auto companies (Ford, General Motors,
and Chrysler) gained popularity, Americans embraced automobiles and the
many benefits they provided. This is clearly seen by the mass production of
automobiles that occurred in the 1920s as well as the “increase in motor
vehicle registrations by more than two and a half times-from nine million in
1920 to more than 23 million in 1929” (Brownell 5). In the photograph to the
left, one of several Ford factories is shown where hundreds of Ford
automobiles are lined up to be sold. Similar to what occurred with the release
of the Ford Model A, thousands of customers may be buying this model
without seeing it (The 1920s:). It is important to note that consumers were not
the only group of people who supported and praised the automobile industry.
Journalists even expressed the belief that automobiles positively impacted
everyone. According to the Nashville Tennessean in 1920, they were “‘one of
the great blessings that has come to us who live in this age’” (Brownell 6).
That being said, were automobiles really a blessing? In this photo analysis,
we will argue that the 1920s should not be remembered as the “American
Dream”, but as the “American Nightmare”, by showing how automobiles
polluted the environment, highlighted disparities of wealth, changed moral
standards for the worse, and caused numerous accidents.
 The first reason why the 1920s should be remembered as the
“American Nightmare” is because pollution increased rapidly as a
result of automobiles. In the photograph to the right, you can see a car
dump from the 1920s, which started to become very common. This
was due to the fact that the success of the car industry was directly
proportional to the waste it produced. Walker Evans, the photographer
of this image, goes so far as to say that “junk was becoming a defining
characteristic of our space and landscape, a central element of our
society” (Orvell 3). Automobiles also polluted the environment by
causing the accelerated development of cities and infrastructure.
“Highways were built linking almost every city, town, and village in
the nation,” and suburbs expanded past the railway system that
defined borders before automobiles (The Affair with). These
advancements required land to be cleared, which meant cutting down
trees and ruining animal habitats. This contributed to the mass
deforestation that occurred during this time period. But the most
important thing to note is that the creation of auto dumps and land
development continued because a majority of people weren’t against “Here, Evans pictures a horizontal landscape, with
it. Therefore, what this photograph of car wreckage in a beautiful the middle ground occupied by a jumbled collection
pasture truly shows is how American perspectives towards wildlife of wrecked or abandoned automobiles, boxy shapes
changed after the introduction of automobiles. from the 1920s, all facing the same way, as if they
were towed into the field headfirst” (Orvell 4).

A New York Jitney overflowing with
passengers. (A New York Jitney)
The second reason why the 1920s should be remembered as the
“American Nightmare” is because automobiles highlighted disparities
in wealth. Most lower social classes couldn’t afford the luxury while
some could purchase cheap automobiles. On the other hand, higher
social classes not only purchased expensive automobiles, but also
imported ones like Bentleys. In fact, when the Ford Model A was first
released, “the status symbol over the next few months was to own a
new Model A” (Industry: The). The automobile industry supported the
emergence of this materialistic culture and social classes by targeting
specific populations with specific products that would only fit their
budget. They did this through the deliberate placement of dealerships:
small, rural towns would not have any dealerships for high-end
automobiles like Cadillacs while big cities would mainly have these
dealerships. This made it difficult for low-income groups in big cities
to purchase automobiles, which resulted in the introduction of
Jitneys. Shown in the photograph to the left, Jitneys were
commercial vehicles that carried 5-10 passengers. However, “Jitneys
were banned completely from the streets of Atlanta in 1924” and in
other places (Brownell 34). Wealthy men backed this movement with
the argument that Jitneys took away from the grandeur of the
technology. Consequently, privately owned automobiles weren’t
banned and remained on the streets.
 The third reason why the 1920s should be remembered as the
“American Nightmare” is because automobiles changed moral
standards for the worse. Many Americans, especially those in the
South, believed that automobiles would lead to the degeneration of
youth and future generations. This turned into reality when family
life was hurt due to parental control on children declining. The main
example that portrays this was “joyriding”, which involved riding an
automobile for pleasure or dangerously driving a stolen automobile
for pleasure. As it gained popularity, “joyriding” became integrated
into American culture. For this reason, most people “directly linked
the motor car to the rising crime rate” (Brownell 18). In the
photograph to the right, you can see some police officers with their
police automobile. This vehicle greatly benefitted police officers in
catching criminals, but also greatly benefitted criminals in escaping
from their wrongdoings, causing the number of police officers and
criminals to increase. Additionally, automobiles “changed dating
and courting behavior by providing couples with a new source of
privacy” (The Affair with). Several communities claimed that this “Beside auto on snowy street, policeman
negatively impacted couples by preventing them from having the drinks from cup, while auto driver and
level of respect and relational values that older couples have. African American passenger look on”
(Police coffee).
 In the photograph to the left, a busy street lined with automobiles is
shown. This high level of traffic led to a rise in automobile accidents. But
the even bigger issue was that America’s medical facilities did not have
the capacity and resources to treat such a large number of patients from
motor vehicle accidents. “Never before in history were patients thrust so
precipitately into hospitals” (Brownell 13). Hence, to reduce traffic
congestion and automobile accidents, roads were widened, which
eliminated on-street parking spaces. The domino effect of this was a big
loss of customers for downtown businesses, some of which had to close
down. However, this did not affect the economy as it continued to boom
on account of automobile sales. Americans “adored the automobile”
because it gave them two things deeply valued in American culture:
“individual privacy and freedom of movement” (The Affair With). The
price of these benefits was a fast paced lifestyle with different family
values that older residents didn’t enjoy. For instance, spending quality
time with family members during a home-cooked meal was replaced by a
quick meal at the diner that was just a car ride away. Things like this
throughout the 1920s made the traditional, tight-knit family drift apart.
This and all of the evidence provided in this photo analysis proves that
the 1920s should not be remembered as the “American Dream”, but as the
A busy street in Detroit, Michigan.
“American Nightmare”, because it ultimately had a negative impact on
([Automobile traffic in city street])
American cities and lifestyles with automobiles polluting the
environment, highlighting disparities of wealth, changing moral
standards for the worse, and causing numerous accidents.