Canada and the Canada and the Automobile Automobile

1920s1920s

The AutomobileThe Automobile Cars revolutionized Canadian society

during the 1920s.

Henry Ford (founder of the Ford Motor Company) used the assembly line to mass produce cars like the famous Model T.

Mass production on the assembly line reduced manufacturing costs and ultimately made cars much more affordable than they had previously been.

As a result, most families could afford to purchase a car.

By 1924, the cost of the Ford Model T was $395.00-people could also choose whatever colour they wanted as long as it was black.

In 1918, there were 300,000 cars registered in the country-by 1929 there were 1.9 million!

The Impact of the CarThe Impact of the Car Cars revolutionized the way Cars revolutionized the way

people got around during the people got around during the 1920s.1920s.

Cars gave people the ability to Cars gave people the ability to move around in a wider area and move around in a wider area and with greater freedom than ever with greater freedom than ever before.before.

Before cars, the only methods of Before cars, the only methods of transportation were by horse, transportation were by horse, public transit, and railroads.public transit, and railroads.

Cars gave people the chance to Cars gave people the chance to determine where and when they determine where and when they went and also where they lived. went and also where they lived.

Cars also had a huge impact on Cars also had a huge impact on the design of houses, buildings, the design of houses, buildings, cities, and other infrastructure. cities, and other infrastructure.

Limitations of the AutomobileLimitations of the Automobile Automobiles in the 1920s were Automobiles in the 1920s were

not as reliable as today’s cars.not as reliable as today’s cars. For one thing, they didn’t have For one thing, they didn’t have

electric starters, you had to electric starters, you had to manually crank the engine to get manually crank the engine to get the car started. the car started.

They also had relatively small They also had relatively small

wheels and weak engines which wheels and weak engines which caused them to frequently get caused them to frequently get stuck in mud-most streets were stuck in mud-most streets were still unpaved.still unpaved.

They could not operate during They could not operate during winter as the cold weather froze winter as the cold weather froze

the fluids in the engine.the fluids in the engine.

Automobiles and Leisure Automobiles and Leisure The advent of the automobile The advent of the automobile

during the 1920s also during the 1920s also changed the way people changed the way people entertained themselves-it entertained themselves-it gave them a greater ability to gave them a greater ability to enjoy leisure time and enjoy leisure time and passtimes.passtimes.

Activities like ‘road-trips’, Activities like ‘road-trips’,

family picnics, and other family picnics, and other leisure activities became leisure activities became popular-allowed Canadians to popular-allowed Canadians to enjoy life. enjoy life.

Cars also provided a new form Cars also provided a new form of entertainment-people now of entertainment-people now enjoyed automobile racing. enjoyed automobile racing.

New Problems Associated with New Problems Associated with Automobiles Automobiles

The popularization of cars during The popularization of cars during the 1920s gave rise to new the 1920s gave rise to new problems.problems.

They created noise and pollution They created noise and pollution in larger cities.in larger cities.

For the first time we have motor For the first time we have motor accidents, traffic jams, and accidents, traffic jams, and pedestrians getting run over.pedestrians getting run over.

Helped thieves flee from crime Helped thieves flee from crime scenes-forced police to get cars of scenes-forced police to get cars of their own.their own.

Governments began to legislate Governments began to legislate speed limits and other rules of the speed limits and other rules of the road and had to institute a road and had to institute a licensing system for drivers. licensing system for drivers.