An American Automotive History Essay Question. Can you answer it?

 To be included in a take home exam, Fall semester, 2021, HST 344, “The Automobile and American Life.”

I.               Essay (50pts.). Be as factual and detailed as possible in crafting a well written and organized answer, with both an introduction and a conclusion.. Rely on the assigned textbook and Isidore PowerPoints as your reference, as this is not a research question.

 

Whether the Automobile Age in America ended after 1970 or not remains an open question. Whatever the case, however, the domestic industry faced several serious challenges during the next 40 years, including foreign competition, federal government regulation, Oil Shock I (1973), Oil Shock II (1979), and the Recession of 2008-9. As a result, the “Detroit Three” declined significantly in market share and prestige. You are to examine the first phase of this “gathering storm,” beginning with the late 1960s and ending in the early 1980s.

 

Your essay should consist of the following.  

1)    Focus on the period 1968 to the early 1980s.

2)    Discuss the various political and economic disruptions along with the industry’s vulnerabilities and response. You should include (not particularly in the following order):

a.     a discussion of the impact of federal government regulation related to safety and emissions, and industry response.

b.     The ramifications of Oil Shock I and II must be discussed in some detail.

c.     Discuss the quality and market fit of 1970s American vehicles.

d.     Contrast Japanese and European automobiles with American brands. In particular, what were some reasons for the spectacular rise of the Japanese Industry?

e.     How did Lee Iacocca’s leadership and the federal government save the Chrysler Corporation?

3)    Finally, how was this period represented in films about automobiles and trucks? What does the story of the automobile industry and film from this time say about American identity?