The American Middle Class Analysis: Session 1: Rise of the American Middle Class Post War Guiding Question: Does globalization improve the “quality of life” for all?

Our Guiding Questions: Essential Question: Supporting Guiding Questions To what extent does globalization contribute to sustainable prosperity for all? This is our overarching or “larger” question we will using to guide our “larger” conversation How are consumers more connected to the world, due to globalization? Does globalization improve the “quality of life” for all? How has globalization impacted the environment? How has globalization changed life for women, children & workers?

What We are Exploring this week… American Middle Class: An Analysis Session 1: The Rise of the American Middle Class Post War (WWII) Speaking the language of Globalization A historical background into the growth of the middle class in the 1950s-1960s Defining the concept of “Quality of Life” Session 2: The Decline of the American Middle Class- A Statistical Analysis Why the middle class has “shrunk” Wealth Inequality in the U.S. & Around the World

The Language of Globalization There is a special language to globalization and in order to understand it, you have to speak & read it. With your partner, take 20 mins to review the Language of Globalization cheat sheet- word- definition- example Here are the words to know: Trade 8. Middle Class Import 9. Working Class Export 10. Blue Collar Tariff 11. White Collar Free Trade 12. Labor Union NAFTA Protectionism

The American Dream- The Starting Point…? What is the American Dream? Take 2 mins to think and write down your interpretation of what that means? Now, with your partner do the following: Empire- Share what you wrote down- 30 seconds Jedi- Once Empire has shared- Ask this question- How does one achieve the dream? – 10 secs Together discuss possible answers…2 mins Bringing the ideas out to the floor…

Rise of the American Middle Class Here is a chart of the what the middle class is in the U.S. based on dollar amounts earned…

So Where Did This Start? Life after WWII changed the economic status and landscape for Americans… The next slides will give the historical context for the rise of the middle class in the U.S. Take notes on all the ideas that are on the slides We will stop, process and discuss as we move along to make sure everyone is comfortable

THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S THE POSTWAR BOOM THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S

THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE FIFTIES New businesses and technology created opportunities for many Americans were enjoying the highest standard of living in the world *Standard of Living- the degree of wealth and material comfort available to a person or community. Alliances effect Ozzie and Harriet reflected the perfect American family

REDEFINING THE FAMILY Things returned to “normal” post WWII Men were expected to work Women were expected to stay home and care for the children Wages and Earnings (money) increased allowing more flexibility in life

THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE The Move to Suburbs- an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one. 85% of homes were built in suburbs The suburbs were the “American Dream”

NEW JOBS = NEW ROLE FOR MEN… Businesses expanded rapidly More and more people held “white-collar” jobs Sales, advertising, insurance and communications exploded Thinking Time: With Your Partner List all the things a “white collar” job provides compared to a “blue collar” job Out to the floor… White Collar jobs expanded greatly in the 1950s

RISE OF CONSUMERISM 60% of Americans were members of the middle class Consumerism boombed Credit was used for 1st time to make purchases More demand = more supply= more work

THE AUTOMOBILE CULTURE After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful fuel and easy credit led many to buy cars

THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM “Automania” spurred the construction of roads linking major cities while connecting schools, shopping centers and workplaces to residential suburbs

Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today IMPACT OF THE HIGHWAY The Interstate Highway system resulted in: More trucking Less railroad More suburbs, further away But…on the flip side Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today

The Rise of Blue Collar Workers American factory workers found themselves earning more money thanks to growth of manufacturing “Blue Collar” workers were able to “climb” into the middle class thanks to high paying unskilled-semi skilled factory jobs

WOMEN’S ROLES IN THE 1950S HOMEMAKERS HOUSE WIFE HOUSE SLAVE STAY AT HOME MOTHER

HOWEVER… SOME WOMEN WANTED TO WORK… Women worked in limited fields such as nursing, teaching and office support

REMARKABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY Experts who predicted a postwar depression were proved wrong as they failed to consider the $135 billion in savings Americans had accumulated from working during WWII, service pay, and investments in war bonds Americans were ready to buy consumer goods Sooooooo…everyone is good right??????

The U.S. Economic Power The U.S. is also the leader in Exports around the world U.S. consumption is growing as people can afford to buy more goods and services Where are all these goods and services being made???

THE OTHER AMERICA In 1962, nearly one out of every four Americans was living below the poverty level Most of these poor were the elderly, single women and their children, and/or minorities

WHITE FLIGHT In the 1950s, millions of middle-class white Americans left the cities for the suburbs At the same time millions of African American rural poor migrated to the cities The so-called “White Flight” drained cities of valuable resources, money and taxes *Note- We are coming back to this later in Detroit…Hint Hint

How Did All Of This Turn into Middle Class Quality of Life? With your partner do the following to begin to piece together this “story” Review all of the main parts and details of this “story” Anything that is confusing or not clear- help each other clarify and figure it out for yourselves How did all of this improve the “quality of life” and achieve the “American Dream”? Bringing This Out to the Floor for final discussion… Now, go back to your original writing & conversation with your partner about the “American Dream”… Can you now add more to it based on this conversation? Write a much more complex answer to what “The American Dream is?