A Time of Peace and Conflict THE 1950s: A Time of Peace and Conflict

Postwar Politics: Readjustments and Challenges A Rocky Transition to Peace Truman’s “Fair Deal” Tried to help society by increasing minimum wage, aid to farmers and education Inflation War contracts are over, unemployment rises Price controls are over, prices rise

Postwar Politics: Readjustments and Challenges Truman battles the Republican Congress 22nd Amendment: presidential term limits Taft-Hartley Act: reduced the power of labor unions Congress resists civil rights changes Truman fights back by desegregating the military Election of 1948 Truman narrowly wins (huge surprise)

Eisenhower’s “modern Republicanism”

Economic Growth Creates an Age of Affluence Americans saved a lot of money during WWII, leads to: Consumer demand ↑ Production ↑ Advertising ↑ Buying on Credit ↑ “Planned Obsolescence” Ex. Seasonal fashions The Economy Begins to Shift from Goods to Services New Vocab: Service Sector Ex. Motels and Fast food franchises

“Planned Obsolescence”

1950  Introduction of the Diner’s Card Consumerism 1950  Introduction of the Diner’s Card All babies were potential consumers who spearheaded a brand-new market for food, clothing, and shelter. -- Life Magazine (May, 1958)

Consumerism

A Changing Workplace New Corporate Culture: Blue Collar to White Collar Jobs “The Company Man” 1956  Sloan Wilson’s The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

Marriage, Families, and a Baby Boom Increase in marriages (Decrease in marriage age) “Baby Boom” Results: ↑ in consumer spending ↑ in home sales ↑ in schools

Average age of first marriages

1957  1 baby born every 7 seconds Baby Boom It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant. -- British visitor to America, 1958 1957  1 baby born every 7 seconds

Well-Defined Gender Roles The ideal modern woman married, cooked and cared for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the local PTA and leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her family’s suburban house and worked out on the trampoline to keep her size 12 figure. -- Life magazine, 1956 The ideal 1950s man was the provider, protector, and the boss of the house. -- Life magazine, 1955 1956  William H. Whyte, Jr.  The Organization Man a middle-class, white suburban male is the ideal.

$7,990 or $60/month with no down payment. Suburbia Levittown, L. I.: “The American Dream” 1949  William Levitt produced 150 houses per week. $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

Suburban Living: The New “American Dream” 1 story high 12’x19’ living room 2 bedrooms tiled bathroom garage small backyard front lawn By 1960  1/3 of the U. S. population in the suburbs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mGTLrI8rxQ&feature=related

SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1940-1970 Suburban Living SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1940-1970 1940 1950 1960 1970 Central Cities 31.6% 32.3% 32.6% 32.0% Suburbs 19.5% 23.8% 30.7% 41.6% Rural Areas/ 48.9% 43.9% 36.7% 26.4% Small Towns *Population also shifts to the “Sunbelt” states.

SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1940-1970 Suburban Living SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1940-1970 1940 1950 1960 1970 Central Cities 31.6% 32.3% 32.6% 32.0% Suburbs 19.5% 23.8% 30.7% 41.6% Rural Areas/ 48.9% 43.9% 36.7% 26.4% Small Towns *Population also shifts to the “Sunbelt” states. Like California

White Flight (from the city to the burbs) Houses were only sold to whites Blockbusting of City Neighborhoods Whites sold houses at a loss when neighborhood changed

Suburban Living: The Typical TV Suburban Families http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbkTmvz0q7E The Donna Reed Show 1958-1966 Leave It to Beaver 1957-1963 Father Knows Best 1954-1958 The Ozzie & Harriet Show 1952-1966

Juvenile Delinquency? Rock and Roll, Greasers, James Dean “Rebel without a Cause”

The Culture of the Car America became a more homogeneous nation because of the automobile. First McDonald’s (1955) Drive-In Movies Howard Johnson’s

1950’s Gender Roles

Think about it What do you think caused the conformity of the 1950s How is the 1950s like the 1920s?

To sum up We haven’t even gotten to civil rights yet!