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The Changing Face of the Nation

The Changing Face of the Nation. The Changing Face of the Nation. A Peacetime Economy. During the war millions of Americans had been employed making goods for the military Where would defense workers and soldiers find jobs. A Peacetime Economy.

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The Changing Face of the Nation

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  1. The Changing Face of the Nation The Changing Face of the Nation

  2. A Peacetime Economy • During the war millions of Americans had been employed making goods for the military • Where would defense workers and soldiers find jobs

  3. A Peacetime Economy • GI Bill of Rights: government spent billions to help veterans set up farms and businesses • Loans to go to college • Unemployment insurance for up to a year

  4. Inflation and strikes • During the war the government had controlled the price of food and other goods, as well as wages • When the war was over the government removed wage and price controls • Price of food, clothing and other goods soared

  5. Inflation and strikes • Workers demanded more pay • When employers refused unions went on strike • Steel workers, auto workers, railroad workers

  6. Inflation and strikes • Taft Hartley Act: meant to prevent a new wave of strikes • Passed over Truman’s veto • Allowed government to apply for a court order delaying a strike for 80 days if it threatened public health or safety • Banned closed shop: a business or factory that agrees to hire only union members

  7. The economy expands • Strikes ended • People who saved money during the war wanted to spend it • New houses, cars, and clothing • Government spent billions of dollars on new military weapons in the Cold War • Spent on Korean War • GI Bill increase government spending on education and welfare

  8. Postwar Leaders • Election of 1948 • Republicans nominated candidate Thomas Dewey from New York • Truman barely won the election

  9. The Fair Deal • Americans were not ready to give up the reforms of the New Deal • New Deal; Truman proposed a broad package of reforms • Congress passed only a some of the president’s measures • Raised minimum wage • Expanded Social Security to cover more people • Reject a bill that would have provided health insurance financed by the government

  10. 1952 Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower won the presidential election. • “I like Ike”

  11. The road down the middle • Eisenhower, like most Republicans, believed that the federal government should limit its control over the economy • Supported a large government program to build a system of superhighways • 1959 Alaska and Hawaii entered the Union

  12. Life in the 1950s • Baby boom: the birthrate grew by 29 million compared to 19 million in the 1940 and 9 million the 1930s.

  13. Growing families • During the Great Depression it was hard to support a large family • Many couples who married during WWII waited until after the war to have children

  14. Growing families • Improvements in health and medical; care contributed to the baby boom • Better care for pregnant women and newborn infants • Fewer children died from childhood diseases • Dr. Jonas Salk introduced the polio vaccine

  15. The suburbs grow • Growing families sent Americans looking for new housing • During the war families moved in together • Some lived in basements • Suburbs grew 40 times faster than cities

  16. The suburbs grow • William Levitt pioneered a new way of building suburban housing • Bought large tracts of land then subdivided them into lots • Built identical houses • Called the project Levittown

  17. Cars and highways • Suburban houses were far from stores • Needed a car to commute to work • BY 1960 9 out of 10 families owned a car • Federal state and local governments encouraged movement to suburbs by building thousands of miles of new roads

  18. Cars and highways • Interstates Highway Act: network of high speed roads linking the entire nation • auto makers competed with each other over car style and engines size • shopping centers sprang up near suburb housing developments

  19. Television • The economy prospered • Americans could buy luxurious goods • Refrigerators, electric toasters, washers and dryers • Made life easier

  20. Television • 1950s nearly 7 million televisions were sold each year • Brought news, sports, and entertainment • Teenagers watched American Bandstand • Children watched Howdy Doody • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw8jL7j9_WA&feature=related

  21. Families watched I love Lucy • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFLLw7JcU74&feature=BFa&list=PLBF59092A1473F6D6&index=6 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3P8JSvxVmc&feature=BFa&list=PLBF59092A1473F6D6&index=10 • Television became a major influence in American life

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