The Fifties – Domestic Social Unit 9.4

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?

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 the right or license granted by a company to an individual or group to market its products or services in a specific territory Conglomerates 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 When mine workers threatened to strike, Truman threaten action Taft-Hartley Act (passed in 1947) Outlawed Closed Shop Permitted states to pass laws to become Right-to-work states Outlawed secondary strikes (strikes by other unions not involved) President could declare 80 day “cooling off period” Truman vetoed bill, but was overridden 1955 AFL and CIO would reunify 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

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

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”

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)

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 3 National networks dominated (ABC, CBS, NBC) “vast wasteland” by FCC Chairman Newton Minnow 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

Reflection Questions How did the Interstates, TV, and business models all contribute to the conformity of the 1950s? What were the effects of the Taft-Hartley Act? How did Americans show their prosperity? What were the critics of the 1950s upset with? What are some similarities that you see with the 1950s and the 1920s?

Links – 1950s commercials tACChkS-vjS1m66Q&index=30 – 20s and 50s comparison 757tACChkS-vjS1m66Q&index=30