1. The 1950’s

2. Postwar issues Returning Vets need jobs/schooling
GI Bill of Rights save’s the day
Housing shortage
Cheap homes in William Levitt’s new suburbs- identical homes for $7,000
Small town feel to planned suburb living
Marriage- 1 million war marriages end in divorce over who works

3. Bye-Bye War Production Jobs
By million unemployed
The price ceiling is lifted-prices sky rocket
25% increase in cost of some products
Congress would reinstate such price controls shortly

4. When is this ‘boom’ coming?
Why would a depression not occur?
Pent up consumers are ready for lives of luxury.
Graphs on 636 show the massive increases in consumer purchases
Cold War positive-all the fear pays off in defense spending
Not this boom 

5. Still some ‘Harry’ situations
1946-strikes in coal, steel, and rail workers
Truman plays hardball and threatens govt takeover of the industries and a peacetime draft-the unions give in
Civil Rights
Truman asks for anti-lynching, ban on poll tax, and civil rights commission, but gets none of it.

6. Truman cont.
So, he issues an executive order for integration of armed forces in 1948
Supreme Court stops ban of African Americans from residential neighborhoods
Truman stops discrimination in hiring of government employees.

7. Politics
“Had Enough?” – Republicans control both House and Senate in 1946
1948 election
Dixiecrats emerge and nominate Strom Thurmond. Reps nominate Thomas Dewey
No match for “Give ‘em hell, Harry”

8. Fair Deal
Tough fighting against the Rep. Congress, but Truman wins some:
Increase in minimum wage 40 to 70 cents
Extended Social Security
Initiated flood control and irrigation projects
All time low in ’51 would lead to emergence of Ike, however.

9. I Like Ike! Plunder at home and blunder abroad.
Checkers speech- ‘we’re going to keep it.’
Saved face and went on to win in ’52.
Dynamic conservatism
Conservative when it comes to money, liberal when it comes to people

10. Middle of the road Walks around civil rights
1954-Brown vs. Board of Ed
Rosa Parks sparks a bus boycott in 1955
Raised minimum wage, extended SS, increased spending for housing, backed creation of interstate highways and departments of Health, Ed, and Welfare.

11. The American Dream Changing our collars from blue to white
Clerical, managerial, or professional occupations
Even businesses change
ITT-communication giant, buys car rental and insurance companies and hotel chains
These company expansions form conglomerates

12. Standardized Lives Franchises are born
McDonald’s- multiple locations of business
The Organization Man-social conformity and personality tests to make sure people fit the corporate scheme.

13. New Ideas Jonas Salk Interstate Highways Consumerism
Developed vaccine for polio
Interstate Highways
Consumerism
Buying material goods
60% Americans middle class
Planned obsolescence
Purposely design products to become obsolete

14. The Woman’s Role
Glorified roles as homemaker led to pictures and imagery like this.