Overview

Household work was transformed by new technologies during the first half of the twentieth century. Some machines were intended to automate work that servants used to do, while others took advantage of new sources of energy such as electricity and gas to make homes cleaner, safer, and more efficient. Technological innovations such as refrigerators, washing machines, and ranges were first available only to the wealthy, but after the end of World War II household appliances became widely affordable. Household appliances have not eliminated time or effort spent on domestic chores, but they have helped dramatically raise the general standard of household comfort and convenience.

Background

While many of the activities that took place in homes at the turn of the twentieth century would still be familiar one hundred years later, how those tasks were performed...