Beginning in the early twentieth century, powerful forces of
technological change, immigration, urbanization and progressive political reform
were shaping the history of the United States. In many ways, New Jersey's history
in the twentieth century was a window on America, providing important case studies
of how these powerful forces interacted and often clashed. Three case studies
are included in this section of the Electronic New Jersey website to illustrate
how the lives of individuals and groups were transformed by the rapid pace of
technological change, the impact of new immigrants on existing communities,
the growth of cities and suburbs, and political reform movements seeking solutions
to social problems.
Advertising and the Consumer Movement
The phenomenon of mass consumerism as we know it really took
shape in the early part of the 20th century. Many of the advertising campaigns
and techniques, along with the types of products introduced in the early 20th
century are still encountered in contemporary society. When examining the era
when mass consumerism began it is apparent that as long as there is an audience
of potential consumers, companies will do whatever it takes to sell their products.
Child Labor in New Jersey
Although child labor was a major element in the Progressive reform
agenda between 1880-1920, efforts to develop uniform national standards that
would limit harms to children in the workplace were not successful. This module
examines the struggle for child labor reform in New Jersey between 1920-1945,
an often "forgotten" period in the history of children's rights.
Growth of Suburbia
Suburban growth has defined modern America since 1970 when for
the first time in our history more people lived in the suburbs than in the cities.
The outskirts of major metropolitan cities are a denizen of traffic jams, malls,
and super highways. The following website examines the growth of the American
suburb since the time period of WWII. It uses Levittown as a case study to highlight
the significant changes that have occurred. In addition, the websites incorporates
poems and songs about New Jersey highways, a map activity for students to see
the growth of New Jersey roads, photographs about the environmental impact,
and excerpts about race and gender.
