19.2 Critical Thinking

1. 19.2 Critical Thinking • What happened to blue-collar jobs in the 1950’s? They were replaced with white-collar jobs creating a service industry 2. How did American business expand in the 1950’s? conglomerates: corporations owned businesses in different types of industries franchises: companies offered the same type of service/products in multiple locations 3. How did expectations change form one generation to another? people were expected to conform to society and the sense of individuality began to disappear 4. What were some aspects of the suburban lifestyle? away from the city, affordable living, good schools, safe and healthy environment, similar neighbors 5. How did the postwar baby boom affect social and economic forces? social: parents were encouraged to talk with children and not beat them; mothers were encouraged to stay home economy: sales child related products increased 6. What did many American women think of their role as homemakers? they did not like it because it was boring and lonely

2. 19.2 Critical Thinking 7. What happened to car sales in the 1950s? it grew 8. How did the interstate highway system change the way Americans traveled? more people traveled by automobile; transportation of goods used highways 9. What opportunities and problems were created by the successes of the automobile industry in the 1950s? people and jobs moved to suburbs; noise and exhaust pollution; traffic jams created stress; public transportation decreased; inner-city ppl loss jobs and resources 10. What were American buying patterns for consumer goods in the 1950s?? ppl bought new electronic products and leisure items 11. How did manufactures encourage people to buy more consumer goods? designed products to go out of style or break down; created a “throwaway society” 12. How did advertisers seek to increase sales? spent billions of dollars to convince ppl to buy their products; used hypnosis and psychology to appeal to desire of conformity and status; used TV

3. Anticipatory Set • Answer the following question with your neighbors: • What does it mean to be an individual in society? • What are some pros/cons of conformity in a society?

4. The American Dream in the Fifties In groups of 3 describe ALL the effects that the following trends had on Americans. There are multiple effects. • Business expansion: conglomerates & franchises • Suburban expansion: flight from the cities • Population growth: the baby boom • Dramatic increase in leisure time • Dramatic increase in the use of the automobile • The rise of consumerism

5. The American Dream in the Fifties • Business expansion: conglomerates & franchises standardized what ppl ate; economic advancement for ppl who conform; job security; baby boom & suburbs; more consumer choices • Suburban expansion: flight from the cities Chance to live American Dream; women felt dissatisfied w/ their lives; popularity of automobile; decline in cities; racial & economic gulf between city and suburb dwellers • Population growth: the baby boom largest generation in US history; suburb and business expansion; school overcrowding and teacher shortage; more youth activities

6. The American Dream in the Fifties • Dramatic increase in leisure time business expansion in leisure industry; ppl had time for recreational activities; increase in sale of books & magazines • Dramatic increase in the use of the automobile increase building of roads & highways; increase in suburbs & decline in cities; trucking industry took business from railroads; unified nation; more leisure possibilities; created jobs; created noise & air pollution; traffic jams and accidents • The rise of consumerism equated materials goods w/ success; expansion of business; production of wider range of goods; “throwaway society”; increase of public debt; boom in advertising industry