By Ariana Martin, Austin Jones, Haley Hurlbert

Impact of the GI Bill  When World War II was over, men and women from the armed forces rebuilt their lives at home.  GI Bill of Rights (Servicemen’s Readjustment Act)- help ease veterans’ return to civilian life -guaranteed veterans a year’s worth of unemployment benefits while job hunting -offered low interest, federally loans -families used these rights to buy homes and farms to establish businesses

FDR signing GI Bill of Rights

Redefining the Family  Returning veterans faced a severe housing shortage. -families lived in cramped apartments or moved in with relatives  Suburbs- a residential town or community near a city  8 million women entered the paid work force  Divorce rate rose -by 1950 more than a million war marriages ended in divorce

Economic Readjustment  Rising unemployment = postwar economic problem. -March 1946, 3 million people were seeking work  Cost of consumer products soared 25% -American workers earned less than they earned during the war  $135 billion in savings from defense work, service pay, and investments in war bonds, Americans suddenly had money to spend - Economists who had forecast a postwar depression were proved wrong because consumers had needs and wants for goods

Meeting Economic Challenges  Harry S. Truman- became president after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death in Dealt with the threat of communism and restored the economy after the war -Controlled strikes from laid off workers by threatening to draft them as soldiers  Truman banned racial discrimination in hiring employees and in armed forces  Dixiecrats-one of the Southern delegates who, to protest Truman’s civil rights policy, walked out of the 1948 Democratic National Convention and formed the States’ Rights Democratic Party.

Republicans Take the Win  Truman won his second term in election over Republican candidate, Thomas E. Dewey  Fair Deal-extension of FDR’s New Deal, included proposals for a nationwide system of health insurance and a crop-subsidy system to provide a steady income for farmers.  In 1951 Truman’s approval rate sunk to 23%  Democrat Adlai Stevenson vs. General Dwight D. Eisenhower “Ike”  Eisenhower won -made government conservative -raised minimum wage, extended social security/unemployment benefits, increased funding for public housing, and backed the creation of interstate highways.

1.Who became president after Roosevelts death in 1945? : A. Eisenhower B. Truman C. Nixon D. Kennedy 2.What was the name of the plan that included proposals for a nationwide system of health insurance and a crop-subsidy system to provide a steady income for farmers? : A. the new deal B. the new proposal C. extended wage effort D. the fair deal 3.How did Truman control strikes from laid-off workers? : A. by threatening to draft them as soldiers B. by putting them in jail for extended periods of time C. by using mustard gas in the areas of strikes D. by taking away their rights as citizens of the U.S. 4.Which of the following statements is untrue about post-war life? : A. American workers made more money than during the war. B. American workers made less money than during the war. C. Unemployment rose D. Unemployment lowered 5.The GI Bill of Rights guaranteed veterans what? : A. a year’s worth of unemployment benefits while job hunting B. a job as soon as returning home from war C. a higher salary than co-workers who weren’t in the war D. a quicker retirement