Technology in daily life Notes

How did new technologies change routines?

1. Technology didn’t just upgrade tools: it rewired the rhythms of everyday life.
2. From the moment people woke up to the moment they went to bed, new inventions changed how they worked, communicated, travelled, and relaxed.

How technology reshaped daily routines

It transformed how households functioned

1. Before the 19th and 20th centuries, chores consumed most of the day.
2. New inventions dramatically cut this time:
   1. Electric lighting extended the day far past sunset.
   2. Vacuum cleaners, washing machines, irons reduced the endless cycle of domestic labour.
   3. Gas and electric stoves made cooking faster and safer.

Example

• Early 20th-century USA
  • Homes with electricity jumped from 33% (1920) to nearly 70% (1929).
  • The new appliances created a consumer boom and opened up new leisure time for families.

It changed how people worked

1. Most work in 1800 was physical and local. Technology slowly replaced muscles with machines.
   1. Factories introduced engines, assembly lines, and automation.
   2. Clerical work changed with typewriters, telephones, and telegraphs.
   3. Digital tech in the late 20th century created entirely new jobs: software developers, data analysts, IT technicians.

Example

• Ford’s assembly line (1908–1914)
  • Replacing hand-built cars with moving assembly lines cut production time from 12 hours to 90 minutes.
  • Workers’ routines shifted to repetitive specialised tasks, shaping modern industrial work culture.

It reshaped communication

1. New technologies shrank distances and sped up information flow.
   1. Telegraph → instant long-distance messages
   2. Telephone → real-time voice conversations
   3. Radio → shared national culture
   4. Internet → global connection in milliseconds

Example

• Telegraph revolution (1840s–1870s)
  • Businesses coordinated across continents, newspapers spread breaking news within hours, and governments managed empires more efficiently.

It changed travel and mobility

1. People moved faster, farther, and more safely than ever.
   1. Railways linked towns, accelerated trade, and enabled commuting.
   2. Automobiles gave families independence and reshaped cities.
   3. Air travel shrank the globe and transformed migration and tourism.

Example

• Post-WW2 Europe
  • Cheap air travel in the 1950s–60s allowed middle-class families to holiday abroad, something unimaginable a generation earlier.

It redefined entertainment and leisure

1. Technology didn’t only change work, it changed fun.
   1. Cinema introduced mass entertainment.
   2. Radio and television created shared cultural moments.
   3. Video games, smartphones, social media turned leisure into interactive, customised experiences.

Why some technologies changed routines more than others

They were affordable

1. Cheap, mass-produced goods (e.g., Ford’s Model T, the radio, smartphones) spread rapidly.

They solved everyday problems

1. People adopted inventions that made life easier, better lighting, cleaner homes, faster travel, safer food.

They shaped expectations

1. Once people experienced convenience, they didn’t want to go back.
   1. Electricity made candles obsolete.
   2. Smartphones made landlines feel ancient.

They connected people

1. Communication and transport technologies influenced society the fastest because they linked individuals into networks.