Postwar America at Home 1945-1960

I. Economic Boom

The Thriving Peacetime Economy The years following World War II saw one of the longest sustained economic expansions in the history of the U.S. During the postwar period, the Gross National Product and the Per Capita Income in the U.S. doubled. The automobile industry played a key role in the expansion with millions of cars quickly produced and the steady construction of the interstate highway system

Changing Work Patterns At this point in history, the United States stopped being primarily a goods producer and began a new path as a service provider People enjoyed the leisure resulting from work which was characterized by conformity and “belongingness.” White-collar and blue-collar workers enjoyed a higher standard of living than ever before. The expansion of business leads to shift in the workforce from blue collar to white collar work.

Change in Businesses Conglomerate – a large corporation that owns varied companies. This process led to major expansion in the business industry. Franchise – the right to own a small business that is supported by a large parent company. Often replaced locally owned unique stores and restaurants.

What other businesses can you think of that got their start during this period?

Demographic and Technological Shifts

Population Growth During the Great Depression, the birthrate had dropped to an all-time low. (The Grapes of Wrath) The birth rate exploded as millions of postwar Americans began families. (Baby Boom) The death rate was also declining due to peacetime and new medical breakthroughs.

Movement West Postwar American became more mobile than ever before; most headed west Cities throughout the Sunbelt South and West coast saw enormous growth as Americans who had been stationed in these areas returned after the war. Population also shifted away from the traditional city centers to outlying suburbs where housing was cheaper

Technology A technological revolution transformed the war efforts of the Atomic Commission into a collection of scientist hard at work to improve transportation, satellites, and other consumer goods that were often the byproducts of military research The new field of computers also reflected the technology of the era; tiny transistors would help miniaturize computers for use in many items from ovens to vacuum cleaners

Consensus and Conformity

Traditional Roles for Men and Women The necessities of World War II had interrupted the natural progression of social roles for men and women Postwar, men and women had different expectations: education and business for men and homemaking and childrearing for women

BABY BOOM Baby Boomers would set trends for the rest of their lives… starting with new toys, not enough schools, clothing fads, music, cars, new heroes…

Cultural Rebels Influences of mysticism and Buddhism Writers of the “Beat Generation” (Beatniks) Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: developed new styles of writing; introduction of the paperback novel. Elvis Presley and new rebellion of Rock-n-Roll Art experimentation: Jackson Pollock

Origins of the Welfare State

Harry Truman America’s first postwar president. Believed the federal government held the responsibility of ensuring social welfare of Americans. His liberal program of social reform was rejected by Congress, but he was elected to his first stand-alone term (Truman replaced Roosevelt after his death) despite a split within the Democratic Party.

The Fair Deal With a new national mandate as a result of the election, Truman again tabled his liberal social program which would be known as the “Fair Deal”. Despite mixed results and some failures, Truman was responsible for keeping the Democratic Party alive after its near collapse.

Ike Truman’s popularity fell drastically during his term. Former General Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected the next Republican president. The opposite to Truman in almost every way, Eisenhower was a restrained president and desired a limited role of the presidency in national affairs.

V. The Other America

Poverty Amid Affluence Economic growth of the era favored the middle and upper classes Fully one third of the population lived substandard existences, usually along the lines of race African Americans continued to be this country’s least prosperous group of citizens

African Americans who led the way for the Civil Rights Movement: Rosa Parks – initiated the Montgomery bus boycott by refusing to give up her seat on a bus. Jackie Robinson – First African American major league baseball player. Martin Luther King Jr. – spoke out for the bus boycott and other civil rights acts. Thurgood Marshall – Led the NAACP in breaking down separate but equal legislation in regards to education.

Other Significant People of the 1950’s Betty Friedan – Feminist author; criticized limited roles for women in her 1963 book The Feminine Mystique. Benjamin Spock – Pediatrician and author of The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946), which encouraged mothers to stay home with their children rather than work. J.D. Salinger – Author of the 1951 novel The Catcher and the Rye, which criticized 1950’s pressure to conform.

Adlai Stevenson – Senator from Illinois and Democratic candidate for President in 1952 and 1956 against Eisenhower. Richard M. Nixon – Thirty-Seventh President; known for his foreign policy toward the Soviet Union and China and for illegal acts he committed in the Watergate affair that forced his resignation. Vice Presidential Candidate with Eisenhower. William J. Levitt – Built new communities in the suburbs after World War II, using mass-production techniques. Dwight D. Eisenhower – Thirty-Forth President; Allied forces leader in WWII; as President, he promoted business and continued social programs.