Causes of the 'boom'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why there was an economic boom in the 1920s.
Key learning points
- The USA experienced an economic boom in the 1920s.
- Mass production, government policies and the effects of WWI helped make businesses more profitable.
- Demand for consumer goods like cars and radios increased.
- Advertising and hire purchase schemes helped create a consumer society.
- The boom was accelerated by a cycle of prosperity which benefitted both businesses and consumers.
Keywords
GDP - GDP refers to the total value of goods and services produced by a country in a year
Shares - some companies sell shares in order to raise money; people who own shares in a company receive part of the company’s profits
Laissez-faire - laissez-faire beliefs suggest that the government should not interfere with the economy
Tariff - a tariff is a government tax on imports into a country
Consumer goods - goods which people use for their own benefit, such as cars or clothes, are known as consumer goods
Common misconception
Students assume that only businesses benefitted from the boom.
Consumers benefitted from the boom through increased employment, rising wages, and the ease of buying goods which improved standards of life.
Teacher tip
Students could be pushed further by asking them what the most important cause of the boom in the US was. Students should be encouraged to refer to links between factors or refer back to the cycle of prosperity as part of their explanations.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word best describes someone who buys goods?
Q2.What type of economic activity is involved in industry?
Q3.Write the missing word. The Industrial began in Britain in the 18th century.
Q4.Which of the following countries was not initially involved in WWI?
Q5.Why can Native Americans be described as 'indigenous' to the Americas?
Q6.Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match up the keywords with the correct definitions.
total value of goods and services produced by a country
where the government avoids interfering with the economy
allow owners to take a portion of a company's profits
a government tax on imports into a country
Q2.Which of the following goods was commonly produced on assembly lines?
Q3.Write the missing word. politicians in the USA were usually in favour of laissez-faire policies in the 1920s.
Q4.What name was also given to credit schemes?
Q5.Which statement is accurate?
Q6.What name is given to the process whereby changes in the US economy positively reinforced the effects of other changes?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Causes of the 'boom', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Causes of the 'boom', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the America 1920–1973, Opportunity and inequality unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.