MCQs: Rise of Mass Production and Consumption

1. Who is considered a pioneer of mass production in the U.S. during the 1920s?  

   A) John D. Rockefeller  

   B) Thomas Edison  

   C) Henry Ford  

   D) Andrew Carnegie  

   Answer: C) Henry Ford  

2. Which method did Henry Ford adapt for his car manufacturing plant in Detroit?  

   A) Batch production  

   B) Assembly line system  

   C) Craft production  

   D) Cottage industry method  

   Answer: B) Assembly line system  

3. What was the world’s first mass-produced car?  

   A) Chevrolet Impala  

   B) Ford T-Model  

   C) Volkswagen Beetle  

   D) Dodge Charger  

   Answer: B) Ford T-Model  

4. Why did many workers initially quit working at Ford’s factory?  

   A) Low wages  

   B) Lack of job security  

   C) Stress from the repetitive and fast-paced assembly line work  

   D) Limited career growth opportunities  

   Answer: C) Stress from the repetitive and fast-paced assembly line work  

5. What was Henry Ford’s solution to reduce worker turnover at his factory in 1914?  

   A) Shortened work hours  

   B) Offered free meals  

   C) Doubled daily wages to $5  

   D) Provided health insurance  

   Answer: C) Doubled daily wages to $5  

6. What effect did Ford’s wage increase have on productivity?  

   A) Reduced worker productivity  

   B) No significant change in productivity  

   C) Increased productivity as workers worked harder and faster  

   D) Workers took longer breaks  

   Answer: C) Increased productivity as workers worked harder and faster  

7. Which term describes the industrial practices introduced by Ford?  

   A) Keynesian economics  

   B) Fordism  

   C) Capitalism  

   D) Laissez-faire economics  

   Answer: B) Fordism  

8. What was the impact of mass production on the cost and price of goods?  

   A) Increased costs and prices  

   B) Decreased costs and prices  

   C) No change in prices  

   D) Prices fluctuated randomly  

   Answer: B) Decreased costs and prices  

9. Which consumer goods saw a sharp increase in sales during the 1920s due to mass production?  

   A) Typewriters and sewing machines  

   B) Refrigerators, washing machines, and radios  

   C) Bicycles and rickshaws  

   D) Horse-drawn carriages  

   Answer: B) Refrigerators, washing machines, and radios  

10. What system allowed people to purchase durable goods by paying in installments?  

    A) Barter system  

    B) Credit card payments  

    C) Hire purchase system  

    D) Direct trade system  

    Answer: C) Hire purchase system  

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 Explanations:

1. Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry with his introduction of mass production techniques.  

2. The assembly line method allowed faster, more efficient manufacturing.  

3. The Ford T-Model became iconic as the first car produced using assembly line techniques.  

4. Workers initially quit due to the monotony and stress of repetitive tasks at high speeds.  

5. Ford’s wage increase to $5/day reduced turnover and attracted skilled labor.  

6. Higher wages led to greater productivity, as workers were motivated and Ford could demand more efficiency.  

7. The term Fordism describes Ford’s industrial strategies, focusing on high wages and mass production.  

8. Mass production lowered both production costs and consumer prices, making goods affordable.  

9. Products like refrigerators and radios became popular due to mass production’s affordability.  

10. The hire purchase system allowed consumers to buy expensive goods by paying in installments, boosting consumption.