Unit 9.4 <previously part 9.4 and part 9.5> The Fifties Unit 9.4 <previously part 9.4 and part 9.5>

AP Main Ideas The dominant American role in the Allied victory and postwar peace settlements, combined with the war-ravaged condition of Asia and Europe, allowed the United States to emerge from the war as the most powerful nation on earth. Rapid economic and social changes in American society fostered a sense of optimism in the postwar years as well as underlying concerns about how these changes were affecting American values.

Post WWII Although the title of this is “The Fifties”, it is not just the 1950s Post WWII: 1945 to 1963 Why 1963 as a stopping point? Baby Boom Why an increase in the number of children born in this time period?

GI Bill Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 Over 15 million given education opportunities Postwar boom in higher education How does that change the face of college students? How does that change the Florida University system? Low-interest loans Effects on home ownership, suburbs Farms and businesses Helped stimulated the postwar economic expansion

Truman’s Fair Deal Plan First Introduced in 1946, and again after 1948 election Fair Deal tried to expand upon the New Deal programs National Health Care system Aid to education Civil Rights Public housing Minimum wage hike Most measures defeated in Republican-controlled Congress Minimum wage only major one passed Foreign policy (Cold War) took priority

22nd Amendment Executive Order 9981 Passed in 1951 Limited President to Two terms Made Washington’s precedent a rule Why? Executive Order 9981 1948 (after congress would not pass law) Truman desegregates the military with executive order.

The Eisenhower Decade “I Like IKE” 1952 Election 1956 Election Rep – Dwight Eisenhower Dem – Adlai Stevenson Checker’s Speech Eisenhower’s VP Nixon 1956 Election Fiscal Conservative who tried to balance the budget Sometimes rated as the top economic President Was it his policies or a great economy?

Business Boom After a short post-war recession (why?), overall great growth. Employment Act of 1946 – goal of full employment due to recession What does that show? Growth of White Collar jobs How did the GI Bill contribute to this? What about women in the workplace? How did the savings/ration system during the war contribute to the unprecedented prosperity of the 1950s?

2 Business types emerge in the 50s Franchises Conglomerates the right or license granted by a company to an individual or group to market its products or services in a specific territory a corporation consisting of a number of sub-companies or divisions in a variety of unrelated industries, usually as a result of merger or acquisition.

Labor & Unions Post-war inflation affected workers which salaries did not keep up 1946 over 4.5 million workers went on strike Taft-Hartley Act (passed in 1947) Permitted states to pass laws to become Right-to-work states (which would outlawed Closed Shops) Outlawed secondary strikes (strikes by other unions not involved) President could declare 80 day “cooling off period” Truman vetoed bill, but was overridden Peak of Union involvement would be in early 1950s Since then the effects of Taft-Hartley have lessened their power How did the “right-to-work” laws help the south?

Rise of the Sunbelt Population shift from The “Rustbelt” to the “Sunbelt” Effects of the New Deal Projects and WWII Defense-related industries built during Cold War Effects of Air Conditioning Would continue to modern-day

Automania I Federal Highway Acts Eisenhower Interstate system Why was it made? What is the numbering system? What is “death by Interstate?”

Automania II How did the Interstates help to expand suburbs? How did the Interstates not only help expand the Automobile Industry, but also lessen the power of the Railroads? How did the Interstates help create a more “homogenous” U.S.? Other Effects: Vacations Motels Consumerism “Youth Culture”

The Suburbs Rapid growth of suburbia in the Post-WWII era In a single generation, the majority of middle-class Americans became suburbanites Levittowns – mass produced housing Effects of GI Bill Effects of Baby Boom Effects of Depression and WWII savings Effects of Interstate Highway Act White Flight What happened in the inner cities in the 60s?

Economic Prosperity Between 1945 and 1960, pre-capita disposable income tripled Post-War standard of living was the highest in the world Would help add to a consumer culture Planned Obsolescence – “throwaway society” New Products Advertising Age (TV effects)

AP Main Idea – 1950s Economic A burgeoning private sector, continued federal spending, the baby boom, and technological developments helped spur economic growth, middle-class suburbanization, social mobility, a rapid expansion of higher education, and the rise of the “Sun Belt” as a political and economic force.

Television By the end of the 1950s, TV became a center of family life for many I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, Bandstand, Ozzie and Harriet Mickey Mouse Club, Lassie, Flintstones, Leave it to Beaver How was the culture portrayed on TV? How does it affect language and “homogenous culture?”

Music, Radio and Records Rock n Roll emerges Blend of black R&B and white country music Elvis Presley Payola Scandal – corporate payoffs of DJs LPs – “Long Playing” records 45s – smaller records

Leisure Time Why did Americans have more leisure time? That combined with more disposable income lead to what? Sports grow Passive – watching (baseball, football) Active – actually involved (bowling, hunting, fishing, golf) TV Dime stores/shopping Vacations

Family Time Dr. Benjamin Spock’s book on raising children Dr. Jonas Salk – Polio vaccine Organized religion expands dramatically (“great awakening?”) Membership in church part of identity and socialization Women roles Seen in traditional view Paid less than men Early feminist movement brewing How does I Love Lucy show this?

The Critics Beatniks / Beat Movement – criticized conformity in modern society Allen Ginsberg – Howl – rebellion against societal standards Jack Kerouac – criticized materialism and conformity J.D. Salinger – Catcher in the Rye – alienation and conformity of youth David Riesman (sociologist) – individualism replaced with conformity Michael Harrington – The Other America Plight of the Urban and Rural poor Much like the muckrakers of the past

AP Main Idea – 1950s Social The postwar economic and social changes, in addition to the anxiety engendered by the Cold War, led to an increasingly homogeneous mass culture as well as challenges to conformity by artists, intellectuals, and rebellious youth. How did TV, Suburbs, Automobiles, etc. contribute to this conformity?

9.4 Reflection Questions 1. How did the Interstates, TV, and business models all contribute to the conformity of the 1950s? 2. What were the effects of the Taft-Hartley Act? 3. How did Americans show their prosperity? 4. What were the critics of the 1950s upset with? 5. What can used for support of the statement that “the Interstate Highway Acts were the greatest investment into the future of America?”

Links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hpLWWgwuYQ – 1950s commercials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C77kx4FZyMQ&list=UUZYs757tACChkS-vjS1m66Q&index=30 – 20s and 50s comparison