Post War Culture Unit 5 Section 1

I. New America Wish to get back to the normal of peacetime Demobilization The G.I. Bill Gave loans for businesses, homes, and farms, to WWII veterans Paid for returning veterans to get an education (scholarship) This was the first time average income Americans got to go to college

Workforce and Home changes Women were giving their war-time jobs back to the returning G.I.s (veterans) Technology Increases Televisions, automobiles, microwaves, etc. Swanson TV dinners, Kraft Television Theater, Chevy Bel Air

Suburbs Baby Boom Living area within driving distance of a large city 60 million Americans by 1960s “Cookie Cutter Homes” – inexpensive but look like neighbors Interstate Highway Act (1956) – connected cities to suburbs Baby Boom American population increased by almost 20% during the 1950s

* BOOK WORK * Read ‘Migrating to the Sunbelt’ on pg. 555, and complete the Checkpoint Question on pg. 557. Read ‘Family Life in the 50s’ on pg. 561 and complete the Checkpoint Question on pg. 562 20 Minutes to Complete

II. Tennessee and Music Industry Grand Ole Opry Radio broadcast in Nashville Played records through the night making it the longest running radio program in history Helped make country music popular on a national scale Hank Williams and Patsy Cline

Home of the Blues Hall of Fame Sun Studios Rock n’ Roll recording studio in Memphis Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded there in the 1950s. Stax Records Record label that helped expose soul music nationally Otis Redding and B.B. King Home of the Blues Hall of Fame

II. New Media Television More people stopped going to shows and nightclubs 1960 presidential election (first televised debate) John F. Kennedy vs. Richard Nixon 70 million people watched the debate Nixon looked tired, worn, and sickly Kennedy looked tan, fit, and charismatic Listeners thought Nixon won debate, Viewers thought Kennedy won debate 50% of voters said televised debates influenced their vote

Protest against Jim Crow Laws “Separate but Equal” African Americans had worse living conditions, poor education and careers, worse public facilities, etc. 1963 – Birmingham, AL Martin Luther King, Jr. and demonstrators protested and aftermath was on TV

THE COLD WAR Struggle for world power between the United States and Soviet Union

III. Space Race United States vs. Russia Russia wins the race to space (tech. and human) Sputnik I – 1957 – was the size of beach ball and weighed 80 kg – orbited the earth for more than 2 months Yuri Gagarin – first human ever in space (1961) – completely orbited the Earth – hero of S.U. Appear to be far more advanced in science and tech.

United States Fights Back Explorer I – 1958 – First to discover the Van Allen belt – remained in orbit until 1970 Congress passes National Aeronautics and Space Act (NASA) – goal to lead space exploration JFK – 1962 – America will put a man on the moon by end of decade (got Americans excited) Book – Pg. 859 JFK Rice Address Q - Why did Kennedy believe that the US should be the leading space-faring nation? Neil Armstrong – 1969 – first human to step on the moon (Apollo 11 mission) Nationally Televised – America watched the step

IV. Promoting Democracy Policy of Containment and Truman Doctrine P.oC. – economic support and military aid to vulnerable countries so they did not fall to Communism. T.D. – P.oC. that became U.S. foreign policy for next 40 years Domino Theory – fear that if one Asian country fell to Communism, they would all fall to Communism. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – created to make sure Soviet Union would not attack Europe with Communism.

VI. McCarthyism Joseph McCarthy (Senator from Wisconsin) led crusade against Communist Spies in U.S. The Second Red Scare Created the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) Investigating and accusing individuals of espionage (Spying) Focused on the State Department and the Film Industry “Hollywood Ten” – Group of writers and directors that went to jail rather than answer HUAC questions

V. The Korean War Before WWII – Japan controlled Korea After WWII – control went to Soviet Union (North Korea) and United States (South Korea) First test of Truman Doctrine North Korea invaded South Korea War lasted 3 years and ended in a stalemate (draw) 55,000 killed – 33,000 were Americans Basically same boundary is kept after the war Peace Treaty ending the war has never been signed

* BOOK WORK * Read Pages 518-523 Pg. 522 – Decision Point: Should America invade China Read sources – write/answer questions 1-3