Texas Enters the Modern Era
Industries Grow Petroleum: Aircraft and auto industries grew after world wars More people moved into the state and started businesses Many new highways built Agribusiness: many small farmers could not stay in business because of high cost of machinery, etc. so giant companies bought farmland Texas Ranching had large growth
New Technologies Emerge High-tech aviation: Bell Helicopter High-tech weapons and aircraft: General Dynamics, Boeing, and Texas Instruments People started traveling by jet Electronics: television, small electronics, and air-conditioning Development of silicon transistors and integrated circuit
Aeronautics 1961—NASA in Houston (Mission Control) Race to outer space Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969 Developed Space Shuttles
Growing Population Healthy economy after WWII Growth of families: baby boom Growth of suburbs: families outgrew small houses in cities GI Bill helped with low-cost loans Schools and shopping centers grew up around homes Cities left with poorer people: taxes couldn’t cover needed services
Discrimination Minorities still not treated fairly even after serving in WWII Prosperity skipped African Americans Hector P. Garcia helped minorities get services they needed Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954 declared segregation as illegal
New Wars Korean War: U.S. helps South Korea to fight Communist North Korea-1950 Vietnam War: Once again war fighting Communist regimes-1959 Became a bitter argument between Liberals and Conservatives Gulf War: Iraq invaded Kuwait—Bush sent troops to the Persian Gulf-1990
Texas State Politics Johnson’s Great Society: aimed to reduce poverty, advance education, and provide civil rights for all-Civil Rights Act of 1964 Republicans gain ground: Phil Gramm switched parties as did other democrats Texas second female governor, Ann Richards elected in 1990
Texas Economics 1960-OPEC-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to control oil prices 1973-Embargo-on oil by Middle Eastern Countries-so Texas oil boomed again Many people moved to Texas Also, location in “Sunbelt” Amnesty given to illegal immigrants in 1982
Economic Crunch Early 80s, OPEC decided to produce more oil Oil dropped in price to $10.00 per barrel Oil Industry in Texas went “bust” Businesses closed-people lost jobs Texas created a more diverse economy High tech industries grew