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US History of the 1960s. Dave Richards Office: Netzer 225 Phone: 436-3326 Hours: By Appointment Email: Richards@oneonta.edu. Day One. Syllabus Overview Lecture: The 1950s- Seeds of the Sixties. America in the 1950s. The Economy Wealth and Poverty in a land of plenty
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US History of the 1960s • Dave Richards • Office: Netzer 225 • Phone: 436-3326 • Hours: By Appointment • Email: Richards@oneonta.edu
Day One • Syllabus • Overview • Lecture: The 1950s- Seeds of the Sixties
America in the 1950s • The Economy • Wealth and Poverty in a land of plenty • Rumblings of Discontent • Consensus and Conformity in the Suburbs • Signs of things to come
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented • Rising real income across class lines
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented • Rising real income across class lines • Easy credit availability
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented • Rising real income across class lines • Easy credit availability • Business consolidation
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented • Rising real income across class lines • Easy credit availability • Business consolidation • Decline in unskilled jobs and rise in white-collar employment
1950s Economy • Consumer oriented • Rising real income across class lines • Easy credit availability • Business consolidation • Decline in unskilled jobs and rise in white-collar employment • Increase in government defense spending
Inequality of Wealth • Top ½ of 1% controlled 19% of wealth in 1949 • Increased to 25% by 1956 • Top 1% controlled 33% of the wealth-1960 • Bottom 20% controlled less than .005%! • 40 million Americans (22%) lived below the poverty level in 1960!