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THE POSTWAR BOOM

THE POSTWAR BOOM. THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S. SECTION 1: POSTWAR AMERICA. I. Readjustment and Recovery A. 1944 GI Bill of Rights , Servicemen's Readjustment Act, eases veterans ’ return to civilian life 1. Pays tuition, unemployment benefits; provides loans B. Housing Crisis

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THE POSTWAR BOOM

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  1. THE POSTWAR BOOM THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S

  2. SECTION 1: POSTWAR AMERICA I. Readjustment and Recovery A. 1944 GI Bill of Rights , Servicemen's Readjustment Act, eases veterans’ return to civilian life 1. Pays tuition, unemployment benefits; provides loans B. Housing Crisis 1. After WWII, severe housing shortage 2. In response to the crisis, developers used assembly-line methods to mass-produce houses 3. Developer William Levitt bragged that his company could build a home in 16 minutes for $7,000- Levittown 4.Suburbs were born—small residential communities around cities See page 634 With the help of the GI Bill, many veterans moved into suburbs

  3. GI Bill • Money from the government to WWII veterans for college.

  4. Growth of Suburbia • Suburbs that began to grow around U.S. cities. • Housing was affordable to veterans. • Levittown

  5. Growth of Suburbia

  6. C. REDEFINING THE FAMILY 1. A return to traditional roles after the war was the norm 2. Gender Roles = Men were expected to work, while women were expected to stay home and care for the children 3. Conflict emerged as many women wanted to stay in the workforce 4. Tensions from changed gender roles during war =Divorce rates increase

  7. Women in the 1950s • Many suburban women focused on the role of homemaker and raising families. • Many still went to work.

  8. Women’s Fashion in the 1950s

  9. D. REMARKABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY 1. Experts who predicted a postwar depression were wrong. a. they failed to consider the $135 billion in savings Americans had accumulated from defense work, service pay, and investments in war bonds 2. Americans were ready to buyconsumer goods 3. Cold Warkeeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets

  10. DESPITE GROWTH, ISSUES PERSIST II. Meeting Economic Challenges A. Defense workers laid off; Compete with returning veterans for jobs B. Office of Price Administration ends price controls= inflationskyrockets 1. after conversion to consumer economy supply caught up with demand. C. One persistent postwar issue involved labor strikes

  11. D. TRUMAN TOUGH ON STRIKERS • Truman refused to let strikes cripple the nation 1. He threatened to draft the striking workers and then order them as soldiers to return to work 2. The strategy worked as strikers returned work unions give in

  12. III. SOCIAL UNREST PERSISTS Truman Supports Civil Rights A. African Americans deserved equal rights, especially after hundreds of thousands served in WWII 1. Truman took action in 1948 by desegregating the armed forces a. integrates armed forces 2. Truman ordered an end to discrimination in the hiring of governmental employees

  13. B. THE 1948 ELECTION Dewey 1. The Democrats nominated President Truman in 1948 2. Southern Democrats —Dixiecrats —protest civil rights, form own party 3. Republicans nominated New York Governor Thomas Dewey • Polls showed Dewey held a comfortable lead going into election day

  14. TRUMAN WINS IN A STUNNING UPSET 4. Truman’s “Give ‘em heck, Harry” campaign worked - “whistlestop campaign” 5. Truman won a very close race against Dewey Truman holds a now infamous Chicago Tribune announcing (incorrectly) Dewey’s victory

  15. To protest Truman’s emphasis on Civil Rights, the South opted to run a third candidate, South Carolina Governor Strum Thurmond

  16. The Fair Deal C. Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes: (Extension of the New Deal) 1. higher minimum wage, flood control projects, low-income housing 2. Congress passes parts of Fair Deal

  17. IV. REPUBLICANS PLAN FOR 1952 ELECTION A. By 1951 Truman’s approval rating sank to an all-time low of just 23% 1. Why? Korean War, rising tide of McCarthyism, and a general impression of ineffectiveness • Truman doesn’t run The Republican (right) were chomping at the bit in the ’52 election

  18. STEVENSON VS. IKE 1952 ELECTION B. The Democrats nominated Illinois Governor Stevenson; Republicans nominated Dwight David Eisenhower Ike Stevenson

  19. “I LIKE IKE” C. Eisenhower used the slogan, “I Like Ike” for his presidential campaign • Republicans used Ike’s strong military background to emphasize his ability to combat Communism worldwide

  20. IKE’S VP SLIP-UP D. Newspapers accuse VP candidate Richard M. Nixon of corruption 1. defends himself in televised “Checkers speech” emotional speech admitting taking a dog for his daughter. • One potential disaster for Ike was his running mate’s alleged “slush fund” • Richard Nixon responded by going on T.V. and delivering an emotional speech denying charges but admitting to accepting one gift for his children –dog named Checkers • The “Checkers speech” saved the ticket E. Eisenhower wins; Republicans narrowly take Congress Nixon and his dog Checkers

  21. IKE WINS 1952 ELECTION

  22. SECTION 2: THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE FIFTIES I. The Organization and the Organization Man A. After WWII ended, Americans turned their attention to their families and jobs • New businesses and technology created opportunities for many B. By the end of the 1950s, Americans were enjoying the highest standard of living in the world Ozzie and Harriet reflected the perfect American family

  23. THE ORGANIZATION AND THE ORGANIZATION MAN C. By 1956, majority of Americans not in blue-collar (industrial) jobs D. More in higher-paying, white-collar(office, professional) positions • clerical, management, or professional jobs • The fields of sales, advertising, insurance and communications exploded 1. Many white collared jobs in Conglomerates —corporation that owns smaller, unrelated companies • Diversify to protect from downturns in individual industries White Collar jobs expanded greatly in the 1950s

  24. CONGLOMERATES EMERGE • Conglomerates, major corporations that include a number of smaller companies in unrelated fields, emerged in the 1950s • One conglomerate, International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT), bought rental car companies and hotel chains

  25. FRANCHISES EMERGE • Another strategy for business expansion was franchising E. Franchise is a company that offers similar services in many locations - also the right to use company name and system 1. Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises McDonald’s is one of the leading franchises in the world

  26. F. SOCIAL CONFORMITY 1. American workers found themselves becoming standardized – to conform to standard or becoming the same 2. Called the “Organization Man,” the modern worker struggled with a loss of individualism 3. Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs lose individuality • Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage conformity

  27. Despite their success, some workers questioned whether pursuing the American dream exacted too high a price, as conformity replaced individuality

  28. II. THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE A. Most Americans worked in cities, but fewer lived there B. New highways and the affordability of cars and gasoline made commuting possible C. Of the 13 million homes built in the 1950s 85% were built in suburbs • For many, the suburbs were the American Dream The American Dream complete with a white picket fence

  29. THE BABY BOOM • late 1940s through the early 1960s the birthrate in the U.S. soared D. 1945–1965 baby boom —soaring birth rate after soldiers return • At its height in 1957, a baby was born in America every 7 seconds (over 4.3 million babies in ’57 alone) • Baby boomers represent the largest generation in the nation’s history

  30. WHY SO MANY BABIES? Why did the baby boom occur when it did? 1. Husbands returning from war 2. Decreasing marriage age 3. Desirability of large families 4. Confidence in economy 5. Advances in medicine

  31. WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO YOU Your generation will be supporting an increasingly aging American population

  32. ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND CHILDCARE New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseases E. Dr. Jonas Salk develops vaccine for polio Dr. Salk was instrumental in the eradication of polio

  33. Scientific Advances • Polio vaccine discovered by Jonas Salk- to prevent Polio

  34. DR. SPOCK ADVISES PARENTS F. Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular guide for parents • Many parents raised their children according to the guidelines of pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock • He thought children should be allowed to express themselves and parents should never physically punish their kids Dr. Spock’s book sold 10 million copies in the 1950s

  35. IMPACT OF BABY BOOM • Baby boom impacts economy, educational system • result of the baby boom 10 million students entered elementary schools in the 1950s • California built a new school every 7 days in the late ’50s • Toy sales reached an all-time high in 1958 when $1.25 billion in toys were sold

  36. WOMEN’S ROLES IN THE 1950S G. 1950s, the role of homemaker and mother was glorified in popular magazines, movies and television

  37. WOMEN AT WORK • women who did work were finding job opportunities limited to fields such as nursing, teaching and office support • Women earned far less than man for comparable jobs

  38. LEISURE IN THE 1950s H. Americans experienced shorter work weeks and more vacation time than ever before 1. Leisure time activities became a multi-billion dollar industry • Labor-saving devices added more spare time Labor-saving devices provided more leisure time for Americans

  39. POPULAR LEISURE ACTIVITES • In 1953 alone Americans spent $30 billion on leisure • Popular activities included fishing, bowling, hunting and golf • Americans attended, or watched on T.V., football, baseball and basketball games Bowling remains one of the top leisure activities in the U.S.

  40. III.THE AUTOMOBILE CULTURE • After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful fuel and easy credit led many to buy cars • By 1960, over 60 million Americans owned autos • No public transit in suburbs; cars necessary

  41. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ACT 1956 A. In 1956 Ike authorized Interstate Highway Act— nationwide highway network unites country • 41,000 miles of road linking America

  42. THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM • “Automania” spurred the construction of roads linking major cities while connecting schools, shopping centers and workplaces to residential suburbs • Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacations • Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline

  43. IMPACT OF THE HIGHWAY The Interstate Highway system resulted in: • More trucking • Less railroad • More suburbs, further away Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today

  44. HIGHWAYS “HOMOGENIZE” AMERICA B. Another effect of the highway system was that the scenery of America began to look the same • Restaurants, motels, highway billboards, gas stations, etc. all began to look similar 1. The nation had become “homogenized” Anytown, USA

  45. “Our new roads, with their ancillaries, the motels, filling stations, and restaurants advertising eats, have made it possible for you to drive from Brooklyn to Los Angeles without a change of diet, scenery, or culture.” John Keats, The Insolent Chariots 1958

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