1. 1950s Culture & Society

2. Success of GI Bill 1944 GI Bill of Rights eases veterans’ return to civilian life Pays partial tuition, unemployment benefits Provides loans to buy homes, establish businesses, and attend college Further boosted the economy

3. Rise in Suburbs Housing Crisis  10 million returning veterans face housing shortage  Developers use assembly-line methods to mass-produce houses Build suburbs—small residential communities around cities  85% of new homes built in suburbs  Advertisers targeted consumers to move out to suburbia  Levittown – NY town  One of the earliest new suburbs Highway systems allowed people to move further

4. Economic Readjustment & Recovery Economic Readjustment  Over 1 million defense workers laid off; wages drop for many workers  Price controls end; 25% increase in cost of scarce consumer goods  Congress reestablishes price, wage, rent controls Remarkable Recovery  People have savings, service pay, war bonds; buy goods long missed  Cold War keeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets

6. 1948 Election Democrat Party added civil rights to their political platform Democrat Party SPLIT  Truman  Southern Democrats—Dixiecrats—protest civil rights, form own party  Advocates for States’ Rights  Nominated Strom Thurmond for President  Henry Wallace formed a new Progressive Party, was critical Truman’s anti-Soviet policies  Republican candidate: Thomas Dewey Truman calls special session to ask Congress for social legislation  Truman frustrated with “Do-Nothing Congress” mostly controlled by Republicans  they refused to enact his legislative agenda for domestic concerns (only focused on foreign policy)  Resurgence of Democratic Party = regained control of both Houses of Congress during election  Southern Democrats  they filibustered to try and prevent acts from being passed and campaigned against civil rights acts, especially desegregation  In response to 1954 Brown v. Board decision, Dixiecrats create “Southern Manifesto” – a document signed by 96 members of congress, charging the Supreme Court with a “clear abuse of judicial power”

7. Fair Deal Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes:  higher minimum wage  flood control projects  low-income housing Congress passes parts of Fair Deal

8. 1952 Election Truman’s approval rating drops over Korean War, McCarthyism  decides not to run for reelection  Americans wanted someone they could trust to lead nation in struggle with Cold War Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower runs against IL governor Adlai Stevenson  Eisenhower’s campaign slogan: “It’s time for a change!”  Eisenhower wins in landslide; Republicans narrowly take Congress Walking the Middle of the Road Eisenhower’s views on the Cold War  Key to victory = military might and strong economy  Large-scale war would cost too much  no longer wanted large expensive army  Wanted to focus on atomic weapons  “More bang for your buck” Eisenhower conservative about money, believed business growth was vital for nation, works for balanced budget, and tax cuts Pushes social legislation and large government projects  new Depts. of Health, Education, Welfare  Ike tries to avoid civil rights movement, which is gaining strength Popularity soars; is reelected in 1956

9. Changes in Business After WWII Increase in country’s economic growth = dramatic changes in work environments Less farmers due to factories  More technological advances that allowed farmers to do their job more efficiently More Americans working in white-collar jobs  Worked for large corporations  Businesses competed with each other  some moved overseas to be closer to raw materials Conglomerates  Conglomerates—corporation that owns smaller, unrelated companies  Diversify to protect from downturns in individual industries Franchises  Franchise—company offers similar products, services in many places  also the right to use company name and system  Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises

10. Baby Boom 1945–1965 baby boom—soaring birth rate after soldiers return  More than 65 million children born in US Factors contributing to baby boom: Young couples who had delayed marriages due to war Government encouraged growth of families by offering GI benefits to buy homes

11. Medical Advances Advances in Medicine and Childcare  New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseases  Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular guide for parents  Development of powerful antibiotics  Introduction of combative drugs to fight off arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease 1940s and 1950s – polio epidemics occurred  Primarily affected infants and younger people – affects nerves and can lead to paralysis  No one knew what caused disease  led to fear and terror  Jonas Salk developed injectable vaccine that prevented polio  First tested it on himself  moved on to test wife and 3 sons  Moved to bigger study = tested 2 million school children  1955 – vaccine was declared safe and effective

12. Women’s Roles Many women focused on traditional role as a homemaker  Emphasis on establishing families = discouraged employment  Assumption that a good mother was to stay at home  Magazines, TV, movies glorify role of homemaker, mother Still had an increase of women who worked outside of home  Women who worked did so to help their families maintain a comfortable lifestyle By 1960, 40% mothers work; limited opportunities, less pay than men

13. Leisure Activities Shorter work week, paid vacation, labor-saving devices give people more free time  recreational activities, amusement parks  spectator sports  Books, magazines, comic book sales climb rapidly  Local vacations

14. Advances in Electronics 1946 – Electronic Numeral Integrator and Computer (ENIAC)  US Army contracted out one of nation’s earliest computers  Made military calculations Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC)  Handled business data  Launched computer revolution Computers and other advancements in communication and transportation systems allowed many Americans to work more efficiently and quickly

15. Automobile Industry & Highways Automania  Cheap, plentiful gas, easy credit, advertising increase car sales  No public transit in suburbs  cars necessary Interstate Highway System  Local, state roads link cities, suburbs to schools, shops, work  Interstate Highway Act—nationwide highway network unites country  Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacations  Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline Mobility Takes Its Toll  Auto boom stimulates new businesses  drive-in movies  Cars create social, environmental problems  accidents, pollution  Upper and middle-class whites leave cities; jobs, businesses follow  Economic gulf widens between suburban and urban Federal Highway Act of 1956  Eisenhower’s idea for Federal Highway Act  Transcontinental Motor Convoy – 2 months to cross  too long for transportation of bombs, if necessary  Largest public works program in US History  Act appropriated $ 25 billion for a 10-year effort to construct more than 40,000 miles of interstate highway

16. Federal Highway Act of 1957

17. Consumerism New Products  60% of Americans in middle class; twice as many as before WW II  Consumerism (buying material goods) equated with success  Numerous new products appear on market in response to demand Planned obsolescence—making products that get outdated, wear out  makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones New Consumerism  Americans in 1950s had sense of conformity  Desire to buy same new products as neighbors  More disposable income  buying luxury items  Fridges, A/Cs, washing machines, vacuums  More labor-saving machines: coffeemakers, blenders, lawn trimmers

18. Television During WWII – Televisions became more affordable  1946: 7,000 – 8,000 television sets in US  1957: 40 million television sets  1960: in almost 90% of homes Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communications  By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast Television advertising became a large growing market TV leads to lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine; TV dinners Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows, children’s shows  Stereotypes and Gunslingers  Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few blacks, Latinos  Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts  Raise concerns about effect of violence on children  Television families in 1950s - simplistic

19. Radio & Movies Adapt to TV Television cuts into radio, movie markets Movies  Movies capitalize on size, color, sound advantages; try gimmicks  1952 – 1954: 3-D films became revolutionized with use of 3-D glasses  Cinemascope movies – shown on panoramic screen – gave pull Hollywood needed Radio  Specialized in presenting recorded music, news, talk shows, community affairs, and shows for specific audiences  Targeted programming allowed radio to flourish  1948: 1,690 stations  1957: 3,600 stations

20. Beat Movement Beat movement—writers, artists express social, literary nonconformity  Poets, writers use free, open form; read works aloud in coffeehouses  Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention, students Came from feeling among group members of being “beaten down” by American culture Young people who sought to live unconventional lives – out of the norm Examples:  Allen Ginsberg – poet who wrote “Howl”  Jack Kerouac – author who wrote On The Road

21. Rock and Roll Rock ‘n’ Roll  Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop; heavy rhythm and simple melodies  Loud and heavy beat = ideal for dancing  Lyrics about romance, cars, and other themes that spoke to young people Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy records  Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality  White artists began making music that stemmed from African American rhythms and sounds Artists: Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Comets 1956 – Elvis Presley emerges as first Rock ‘n’ Roll hero for teens

22. African American Entertainers African American entertainers struggle to find acceptance within nation Television shut out African American entertainers African American rock ‘n’ roll singers had more luck in gaining acceptance  Examples: Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Drifters Rise of women groups as well  Examples: Crystals, the Chiffons, the Shirelles, and the Ronettes

23. Cities and Urban Renewal White Flight  White, middle and upper class families moving to suburbs  Results in loss of businesses and tax payers in cities  Cities can no longer afford to maintain or improve:  schools, public transportation, police and fire departments Poverty grows rapidly in decaying inner cities  Poor economic conditions lead to illness and terrible conditions  By 1962, 25% of Americans below poverty level

24. Education After launches of Sputnik I and Sputnik II by Soviets in 1957 – America’s education worries intensified Overall feeling that American education was behind Life Magazine proclaimed “Crisis in Education” Efforts made to improve math and science education in schools Fears for young Americans dominated the education progression Parents grew concerned over nation’s educational system as baby boomers began entering school system More schools were constructed School enrollment increased by 13 million School districts struggled with building new schools and hiring new teachers Frequent shortages of buildings and staff