Gas drove out Steel. Americans Standard of living rose. And the Petroleum Business exploded. Oil was coming to the for front and the business expanded. Oil derricks shot up in California, Texas, and Oklahoma. Railroads were becoming old news.
Fresh foods could be transported quicker, and profitability for the far out farms rose. American's demanded paved roads, which would be paid for by taxes from gasoline.
Cars symbolized Freedom and Equality. Auto buses allowed the consolidation of schools and churches.
The cars were not the safest mode of transportation. By 1951, the 1 millionth person died in a car accident.
Many people worried about the immoral acts it brought. However, everybody was done with the horse and buggy.
I think we as Americans tend to take our highways and roads for granted...it sounds like constructing all that took a ton of work that no one really appreciates. I think it is very safe to say that the automobile transformed American society in a number of ways that don't necessarily deal directly with transportation as well.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't you want a Model T more than that car you really want...BMW? Anyway! Thank you for the information. The underlining idea makes it look more important...
ReplyDeleteI would have to side with the pro-car faction. I find it very hard to imagine America as an automobile-free zone. As for the abdication of steel from its throne, I can totally understand. Why they didn't try to buy out the infant oil companies, I can not comprehend. Thank you for being an instrument for the betterment of my intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't imagine how the US would be if these events never occurred. I also never knew that buses were used back then too.
ReplyDeleteAnd gasoline takes off! Sure, it was an excellent new luxury then, and a necessity now... but didn't they ever consdier how it would end up over-polluting the atmosphere? Probably not...
ReplyDeleteRailroads were old news. It seems like this is the era when America started that need to get somewhere fast. America was speeding up with the coming of roads and oil. Good job money maker 94.
ReplyDeleteSo at first I thought that you were underlining your sentences for some kind of effect... But... Thanks for posting George, you had some cool pictures.
ReplyDeleteGeorge, this whole blog posts sounds like a bunch of really short and obscure sentences. ANYWAY! I think America would be a whole different country if we didn't have our highway system or our love of cars. It really defines us. Thanks a bunch man.
ReplyDeleteAh! Look out fot that tree! Its really hard to imagine America without roads and highways not to mention that places like Florida or even Madison were unreachable for people without cars.
ReplyDeleteWow I clicked on this and it said two, now it say nine. Anyway, good blog post, and some stuff that I didn't remeber or didn't know.
ReplyDeleteOuch, poor car. Anyway, nice post about the gasoline and how important it has become (in fact so valuable that it is expected to be $5 a gallon in 2012). Cars are useful, but I wish they weren't as dangerous. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about those "far out" farms...will we read about those when we get to the 1960s? But I think I know what you mean:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post!
Good job, George! It's quick and to the point. It's a bit scary thinking about the price in safety we have to pay for the convenience of cars!
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