U.S. History 11

 “I Love Lucy” Lc Lc  “Leave it to Beaver” uMEA uMEA  “The Brady Bunch” N8Cc N8Cc

 “Baby Boom”- began in 1946  a record number of babies (3.4 million) were born in the U.S.  ~ 4 million babies were born each year during the 1950s  By the time the boom finally slowed in 1964, there were almost 77 million “baby boomers.”

 Growing Economy:  From 1945 to 1960, the GNP more than doubled— growing from $200 billion to more than $500 billion  Due to: construction of interstate highways and schools, the distribution of veterans’ benefits and the increase in military spending ▪ Spending on goods like airplanes and computers  Less factory jobs, more service jobs leads to a rising middle class

 Why didn’t the military industry fall, as it did after WWI?

 Economy and Consumerism  Unemployment and inflation were low  Wages were high  Middle-class people had more money to spend and had more things to buy!  Also have the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank ▪ these institutions were to ensure an open, capitalist international economy

 Americans spread out, migrating more evenly across the country  Business sector shifts to more information and service industries  Work days average 8 hours  Educational opportunities expand  All impacts more opportunities for leisure activities

 Leisure  Amusement parks  Bicycling and tennis  Spectator sports  Public libraries and museums  Shopping! ▪ Department and chain stores ▪ Increased advertising ▪ Mail order catalogues

 Developers began buying land on the outskirts of cities  Used mass production techniques to build modest, inexpensive homes  The G.I. Bill subsidized low-cost mortgages for returning soldiers  Creation of the “Nuclear Family”  Typically envisioned as the Mom, Dad, Son, and Daughter living in a single family (suburban) home

 Car ownership jumped to 60 million registered vehicles by 1960  With the suburban commute, people became more dependent on their cars  Also aided by the creation of the Interstate Highway System  Interstate Highway Act of 1956  Dwight D. Eisenhower  Created 41,000 miles of highway

 Why would people be motivated to buy and move outside the city if jobs were still located in the city?

 Glorified the role of homemaker and mother  Many were dissatisfied with their lives  During this time the number of women working outside the home begins to steadily increase  By 1960, 40%

 Although materialism has increased, quality of life hasn’t really changed  Minority groups are excluded and suffer  Beatniks reject middle-class life  Despite affluence, ¼ of Americans lived in poverty  Cities suffer economically, crime increases- “inner city”  Rural areas suffer-small farms and businesses can’t compete with corporations and large farm owners

 “Other Americans”  Puerto Ricans- American, but discriminated against ▪ No political power, clustered in poor areas, poor education and job opportunities  Mexican Americans- exploited and cheated through the Braceros program ▪ “Legalized slavery”  Native Americans- Termination policy in 1953 ▪ End tribal government and relocate tribes to cities ▪ End federal health and welfare aid ▪ Encouraged assimilation

 Remember, at this time a lot is going on that still affects the economy:  Civil Rights becomes a more solidified and expansive movement  Presidential impacts of Eisenhower, JFK, and LBJ  Vietnam War begins  The Radical 60’s takes off with the resurgence of ideas of feminism and a new “hippie” culture

 Possibility of “The Golden Age”  JFK becomes president, with ideas of the “New Frontier”  a package of laws and reforms that sought to eliminate injustice and inequality in the U.S.  LBJ takes office four years later with similar ideals: “The Great Society”  In which poverty and racial injustice had no place  Both hoped to continue the trend of economic growth