netw rks NAME _______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________ The Jazz Age, 1921–1929 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. PACIFIC OCEAN Santa Ana South Beach Long Beach Azusa Covina Redondo Beach Hermosa Beach Manhattan Beach Wilmington Beverly Hills Burbank Torrence Compton Los Angeles San Pedro Fullerton La Habera Whittier Glendale Pasadena Montebello Anaheim Lynwood South Gate Maywood Huntington Park Monterey Park Alhambra San Gabriel San Marino Monrovia Hawthorne Inglewood Culver City Hollywood Santa Monica Brea 0 6 km 6 miles 0 N S E W The City of Los Angeles, 1939 N Urban area PACIFIC OCEAN Santa Ana South Beach Long Beach Azusa Redondo Beach Hermosa Beach Manhattan Beach Wilmington Beverly Hills Burbank Compton Los Angeles San Pedro Fullerton Whittier Glendale Pasadena Anaheim Huntington Park Alhambra Monrovia Inglewood Culver City Hollywood Santa Monica 0 6 km 6 miles 0 N S E W The City of Los Angeles, 1929 Urban area Geography and History Activity The Impact of the Automobile on U.S. Life Suburbanization The rise of the automobile changed U.S. society by altering the way Americans related to the geography around them. The mobility provided by the automobile eased the isolation of rural life, enabling people in the country to enjoy the benefits of the city. At the same time, it enabled people to move out of the city without giving up the cultural and economic benefits of city life. The suburban commuter became a common figure in the workplace as “bedroom communities” spread outward from the cities. The automobile also made it possible for Americans to travel more within the country. There was a rise in camping as the automobile gave urban and suburban Americans greater access to rural and wilderness areas. Roadside motels popped up all over the country to accommodate these travelers. Car Cities The automobile not only led to suburbanization and greater access to the countryside, it altered U.S. cities as well. The rise of the automobile led to a decline in the use of mass transportation, such as railroads and trolleys, and resulted in the growth of highway systems. With widespread automobile ownership, cities could grow outward instead of just upward. In places such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit, where there was room to move outward, the urban landscape spread farther and farther from the original urban core. Caption: These road maps of Los Angeles from 1929 (left) and 1939 (right) show significant growth in the city even during the Great Depression. Consider how the rise of the automobile contributed to this growth. United States History and Geography: Modern Times