From the end of the 1800s to the beginning of the 1900s, Americans were introduced to a variety of new technologies. Some examples of these are the radio, camera and bicycles. During this time, only public places had electricity.
I found some connections between this period, and present time. For example, many people are excited about the latest developments in photography and music playing technology. Another similarity I found was the exercise movement. In the 1890’s many Americans were introduced to new sports such as cycling, golf, and tennis. The book discusses cycling as “liberating for woman”. I never thought of this but if it made athletics more acceptable for woman to participate in, that makes sense. Something else I thought of while reading is how people started biking places for transportation. In the 1890’s people did not have cars, so bikes made it easier and faster. Today, people are using their bikes for a fun and more environmentally friendly mode of transportation.
Something else I learned was that in the beginning of the century, most people did not have electricity in their homes. I thought they at least had light bulbs and maybe a way to play their radios. People were afraid of electricity, and most did not have electricity until 1930. I was not surprised to learn of the fear of fires. This shows that safety was always a concern among consumers.
Music has been a part of American entertainment. In the 1800’s people would play instruments in their homes or go to the opera on occasion. With the invention of the phonographs, people could play recorded music in their homes. At the end of the century, we had cassette tapes, CD’s and digital music. People have always enjoyed listing to music to relax and it keeps getting smaller and more portable.
The bike-before-car as transportation is still reflected in today's society. In the 1890s, people rode bikes because cars weren't available. Twenty years ago, I rode my bike everywhere because I didn't have a car and, like people realized in the 1890s, it was fast transportation. The cultures behind the bike-riding may be different, but if I think back to the first time that I was allowed to ride my bike on an errand to the grocery store, my childhood feeling of importance, of entering a new phase, reflects 1890s’ fascination with "cheap private transportation" (p137).
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