By the Numbers in 1914
World Population
—
UK Life Expectancy
49.1 years
US Life Expectancy
50.0 years
Gold Price (per oz)
$20.66
Dow Jones Index
82
US National Debt
—
Sovereign Nations
53
How Much Did Things Cost in 1914?
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £275 | $3,400 |
| Average salary | £75 | $600 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | 7¢ |
| Loaf of bread | 2½d | 6¢ |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 3d | 35¢ |
| Pint of beer | 2d | 5¢ |
Technology and Inventions in 1914
The war immediately accelerated military technology. Aircraft were initially used for reconnaissance. Machine guns, barbed wire, and trenches defined the Western Front. The Panama Canal represented a triumph of civil engineering. Ford's assembly line was now producing a car every 93 minutes.
- ● The Panama Canal opened to traffic on 15 August
- ● Military aircraft used for reconnaissance for the first time on a large scale
- ● The first successful non-stop flight across the Mediterranean
- ● Ford Motor Company introduced the $5 daily wage, doubling workers' pay
Shop 1914 memorabilia on eBay/Amazon