1. 1950s-JFK-Johnson

2. Rapid Expansion of the Middle Class
growth of consumer products at affordable prices-consumer culture, ads, credit
massive migration from cities to the new suburbs
homogeneity of the middle class, standardization of life

3. Suburban Nation single family affordable housing (i.e. Levittown)
Baby Boom ( , 1957 peak year), G.I.’s reuniting with wives, starting families, economic prosperity, people marrying at young ages, curing of childhood diseases (Dr. Jonas Salk-Polio)
Dr. Benjamin Spock: wrote the book on child centered child rearing
Women, encouraged to stay home and work, those who worked-teachers, nurses, secretaries, paid less than men
Social Conformity and the suburban dream

4. Mass Media/Rise of Youth Culture
creation of television, portrayed “idealized white America”, stereotypes
Rock n’ roll-sound and message in music appalled parents, ministers, teachers, Elvis
suburban children began defying their parent’s conformity, created their own style
movies about teenage rebellion

5. “Other America”
40 million Americans lived in poverty: growth of black ghettos, “white flight”, migration from farms to the urban areas
urban renewal program
bracero program
Longoria incident
Termination Policy of Native Americans

6. JFK 1960 election-TV played a big role civil rights supporting MLK Jr.
JFK First Catholic President
JFK Family Life compared to “Camelot”, mystique
Young, attractive, Speed reader, Jackie’s fashion, elegance

7. Many East Germans escaping to West Berlin
Berlin Wall built in 1961 separating West and East Berlin
New Frontier- Explore space, investigate science
Alan Shepard: First American in Space
Peace Corps created

8. Bay of Pigs Incident
1960: CIA planned an invasion, trained anti-Castro exiles, landed at the Bay of Pigs-1961
Kennedy approved invasion, but wouldn’t send US planes, easily stopped, embarrassing

9. Cuban Missile Crisis
Khrushchev secretly built 42 missile sites in Cuba
JFK said that Soviet missiles so close to US a threat, demanded they be removed, instituted a blockade
US troops assembled in Florida, almost led to WWIII!
Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles if the US promised not to invade Cuba, Armageddon averted!

10. LBJ
JFK assassinated in Dallas Texas, November 22, 1963, LBJ becomes President
War on Poverty- Head Start, VISTA, Economic Opportunities Act
The Great Society-series of legislative reforms to end poverty and racial injustice
Civil Rights Act (1964)- no discrimination/segregation based on race, religion, sex, nationality in public places and workplace

11. 24th Amendment-eliminated poll tax
Creation of Medicare/Medicaid
Voting Rights Act 1965 
Environment-investigate sources of chemical pollution and toxic waste