1. Post War Economy

2. Businesses Reorganize Businesses Reorganize The GNP doubled The GNP doubled –Per Capita Income-average annual income per person Rose from 1,223 to 2,219 Rose from 1,223 to 2,219 Business was dominated by a few large companies Business was dominated by a few large companies –General Motors, Ford and Chrysler –Conglomerate-a corporation made up of three or more unrelated businesses –Why is this a good idea? Franchises came into existence Franchises came into existence –A business that contracts to offer certain goods and services from a larger parent company –McDonalds!

3. Technology Transforms Life Technology Transforms Life Television Television –Television became popular Howdy Doody, the Mickey Mouse Club and American Bandstand –Three large Networks controlled television programming and got money through advertisers

4. The Computer Industry The Computer Industry –The War created powerful calculators and computers Businesses adopted them Businesses adopted them –Debugging –Transistor A tiny circuit device that amplifies, controls and generates electrical signals A tiny circuit device that amplifies, controls and generates electrical signals Used in radios, computers and other electric devices Used in radios, computers and other electric devices Computers that once took over rooms now fit on desks Computers that once took over rooms now fit on desks

5. Advances in Medicine Advances in Medicine –Polio vaccine was developed –Advances in antibiotics were made, developed antibiotics that were effective against penicillin-resistant bacteria

6. Changes in the Work Force Changes in the Work Force Jobs Shifted from Blue Collar to White Collar Jobs Shifted from Blue Collar to White Collar –Caused service industry to rise –Blue collar workers were replaced by Machines

7. Suburbs and Highways Suburbs and Highways a. Baby Boom-spike in birth rates a. Baby Boom-spike in birth rates Moving to the Suburbs Moving to the Suburbs –GI Bill of Rights- Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944- gave low interest mortgages to purchase new homes and provided them with educational stipends to go to college or graduate school –The mass production techniques that were used in factories were applied to houses

8. Cars and Highways Cars and Highways –Stores moved from cities to shopping centers –The automobile industry grew –1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act-national web of new roads that allowed for evacuation of major cities in the even of nuclear attack