The 1920s saw a boom in the US economy.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] e.g. 'Mass production was made possible by assembly line production.'
2. [1-4] 'The assembly line brought the work to the worker.'
3. [1-4] 'Each worker carried out one task and then the line moved the work on to the next worker.'
4. [1-4] ‘The whole process depended on the assembly line being kept in motion.'
5. [1-4] 'Because products were produced more quickly, they were cheaper to buy.'
6. [2-3] 'American consumer industries needed to sell vast numbers of goods.'
7. [2-3] 'Advertising convinced Americans that they needed a particular product.’
8. [2-3] 'Advertising persuaded Americans to keep up with their neighbour in buying.'
9. [2-3] 'Advertising encouraged sales which in turn encouraged demand.'
10. [4-5] e.g. 'Advertising was important to the boom because consumer goods were being produced on a vast scale and profits depended on increased sales. Sophisticated marketing techniques were developed to encourage people to buy goods. Many of the advertisers had learned their skills producing wartime propaganda. Now they set up agencies to sell cars and other consumer goods produced during the boom. If the advertising was successful more people would buy products and demand would continue to rise, fuelling the boom.'
11. [2-3] 'Many could afford new domestic electrical goods.'
12. [2-3] 'Millions of Americans owned motor cars.'
13. [2-3] 'Millions owned radios and went to the cinema.'
14. [2-3] 'Customers could buy goods through hire purchase agreements.'
15. [2-3] ‘There was still much unemployment and low wages.'
16. [2-3] 'Black Americans met discrimination in the jobs market.'
17. [2-3] 'Native Americans did not benefit from the new prosperity.'
18. [2-3] 'New immigrants only had low paid jobs.'
19. [2-3] 'Farmers and agricultural labourers did not share in the prosperity.'
20. [4-6] e.g. 'Most Americans had the benefit of widespread availability of electricity, which meant homes and industry now had a clean, cheap and efficient power source. Domestic appliances powered by electricity, such as fridges, washing machines and vacuum cleaners, became affordable to ordinary Americans, changing their way of life.'
21. [4-6] OR e.g. 'About 5% remained unemployed throughout the 1920s. These millions of unemployed Americans did not share in the boom. These included many poor white Americans but an even greater proportion of black Americans and Hispanic people. Those who worked in traditional industries, such as cotton textiles and mining, did not benefit from the industrial growth brought about by the boom.'