By Gregorio Rivera
The automobile has had an enormous impact on American society, both in the short term and long term. As Americans, we are not responsible for the invention of cars. However, over the last century, they have come to define much of what it means to be an American. While the creation of the automobile originated in Germany, American inventors built upon their ideas and introduced the first practical car in 1893. In the 20th century, cars became integral to American life as they transformed transportation and culture. They have affected many aspects of society, including family life, the economy, and the environment. As a result, many people, including myself, believe that the automobile is one of the greatest and most important inventions in human history.
The automobile changed many things in the United States. It led to the developing of new industries, including rubber and plastics manufacturing. Increased access to jobs and services led to the development of better roads and more complex transportation systems consisting of highways and airports. Automobile parts manufacturing also increased due to greater demand created by the automobile industry’s rise. During the first few decades of the 20th century, incomes rose, and the number of middle-class families in the U.S. grew, which allowed more people to buy cars. The expansion of car ownership helped to expedite the development of paved highways, as well as suburbs. World War I began in 1914, and the United States entered the war a few years later. Women’s lives also changed during that time, as cars gave them more freedom to get out and see the world around them.
When men went to war in 1917, women back home in the United States had to assume many traditional roles, including finding jobs, and some even worked at factories. During the 1910s and 1920s, women and men campaigned for the right to vote. Before that time, women did not have the legal freedom to vote. Most also did not have the personal liberty or money to drive. After more than 50 years of struggle to earn that right, the U.S. Congress passed the 19th Amendment in 1920. The automobile helped them do that. In 1916 Nell Richardson and Alice Burke made an incredibly bold statement about their strength and identity as American women. They gave speeches from their cars and decorated them with messages of “votes for women” while making a 10,000-mile cross-country car trip to advocate for women’s right to vote.
In short, it is safe to say that American life is one of opportunity and change. For example, the invention of the automobile has allowed families to travel to the city to shop and entertain themselves, given vacationers the chance to visit new places, freed women from dependence on their husbands, and given workers access to jobs far from home.
