This class examines how and why twentieth-century Americans came to define the ‰ŰĎgood life‰Ű through consumption, leisure, and material abundance. We will explore how such things as department stores, nationally advertised brand-name goods, mass-produced cars, and suburbs transformed the American economy, society, and politics. The course is organized both thematically and chronologically. Each period deals with a new development in the history of consumer culture. Throughout we explore both celebrations and critiques of mass consumption and abundance.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Identify how each class of Americans—working class, middle class, and upper class—responded to the challenges associated with urban life
Explain the process of machine politics and how it brought relief to working-class Americans