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Explore the impact of conglomerates, suburban expansion, and consumerism on the 1950s American Dream. Learn how standardized living affected society and led to widespread changes in lifestyle and industry.
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19 – 2 Vocabulary/Identification conglomerate franchise baby boom consumerism planned obsolescence Dr. Jonas Salk
Chapter 19 – 2 The American Dream in the Fifties
Business Expansion Standardized what people ate. Offered economic advancement to people to conform. Offered job security to more Americans. Contributed to the baby boom and suburbanization. Offered consumers more choice on goods and services.
The Organization and the Man • Many workers from themselves working at “conglomerates” (A major corporation made up of smaller companies in unrelated industries) • Thus, the birth of the “Organization Man” • Company people where people who: • “Fit in” to the corporate structure, • Gave up individuality and personal style, • Would not “rock the company boat”.
Suburban Expansion Offered more Americans a chance at the American Dream. Caused many Americans, especially women, to feel dissatisfied with their daily routine. Contributed to the popularity of the automobile. Led to the decline of cities. Create economic and racial gulfs between the suburban and city dwellers.
Population Growth Created the largest generation in U. S. history. Contributed to suburbanization and business expansion. Led to widespread overcrowding of schools and teacher shortages. Led to a boom in activities geared toward the young.
Life of Leisure • Contributed to the expansion of businesses that promoted leisure activities. • Time saving devices such as: • Washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and power lawn mowers • Give people time to engage in a variety of recreational activities. • Including: • Fishing, hunting, golf, boating and bowling. • Helped to increase the sales of books and magazines.
Cars, Cars, and more Cars… Living in the suburbs made owning a car essential. Spurred the construction of more roads and interstate highway system. Encouraged people to move further away from cities, leading to growth of suburbs and decline of cities. Helped the trucking industry take business away from railroads.
Cars, Cars, and more Cars… Offered Americans more possibilities for leisure activities. Stimulated other industries. Created noise and air pollution. Led to more traffic jams and accidents as roads become congested. Helped unify and homogenize the nation.
Money to Burn – Buy, Baby, Buy.. Increased consumerism – buying material goods. Helped popularize the equating of material goods with success (Keeping up with the Joneses). Encouraged manufactures to produce a wider variety of consumer goods. Encouraged planned obsolescence, where manufacturers purposely designed product to become obsolete or wear out.
Money to Burn – Buy, Baby, Buy.. America became a “throwaway society”. Caused people to go into debt. Led to a boom in the advertizing industry.
Homework • 19 – 2 Reteaching • 19 – 2 Section Quiz • Page 649 • 3,4,5