1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S
THE POSTWAR BOOM
THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE 1950S

2. SECTION 1: POSTWAR AMERICA
I. Readjustment and Recovery
A GI Bill of Rights , Servicemen's Readjustment Act, eases veterans’ return to civilian life
1. Pays tuition, unemployment benefits; provides loans
B. Housing Crisis
1. After WWII, severe housing shortage
2. In response to the crisis, developers used assembly-line methods to mass-produce houses
3. Developer William Levitt bragged that his company could build a home in 16 minutes for $7,000- Levittown
4. Suburbs were born—small residential communities around cities
See page 634
With the help of the GI Bill, many veterans moved into suburbs

3. GI Bill
Money from the government to WWII veterans for college.

4. Growth of Suburbia Suburbs that began to grow around U.S. cities.
Housing was affordable to veterans.
Levittown

5. Growth of Suburbia

8. C. REDEFINING THE FAMILY
1. A return to traditional roles after the war was the norm
2. Gender Roles = Men were expected to work, while women were expected to stay home and care for the children
3. Conflict emerged as many women wanted to stay in the workforce
4. Tensions from changed gender roles during war =Divorce rates increase

9. Women in the 1950s
Many suburban women focused on the role of homemaker and raising families.
Many still went to work.

10. Women’s Fashion in the 1950s

11. D. REMARKABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
1. Experts who predicted a postwar depression were wrong.
a. they failed to consider the $135 billion in savings Americans had accumulated from defense work, service pay, and investments in war bonds
2. Americans were ready to buy consumer goods
3. Cold War keeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets

12. DESPITE GROWTH, ISSUES PERSIST
II. Meeting Economic Challenges
A. Defense workers laid off; Compete with returning veterans for jobs
B. Office of Price Administration ends price controls= inflation skyrockets
1. after conversion to consumer economy supply caught up with demand.
C. One persistent postwar issue involved labor strikes

13. D. TRUMAN TOUGH ON STRIKERS
Truman refused to let strikes cripple the nation
1. He threatened to draft the striking workers and then order them as soldiers to return to work
2. The strategy worked as strikers returned work
unions give in

14. III. SOCIAL UNREST PERSISTS
Truman Supports Civil Rights
A. African Americans deserved equal rights, especially after hundreds of thousands served in WWII
1. Truman took action in 1948 by desegregating the armed forces
a. integrates armed forces
2. Truman ordered an end to discrimination in the hiring of governmental employees

15. B. THE 1948 ELECTION
Dewey
1. The Democrats nominated President Truman in 1948
2. Southern Democrats —Dixiecrats —protest civil rights, form own party
3. Republicans nominated New York Governor Thomas Dewey
Polls showed Dewey held a comfortable lead going into election day

16. TRUMAN WINS IN A STUNNING UPSET
4. Truman’s “Give ‘em heck, Harry” campaign worked - “whistlestop campaign”
5. Truman won a very close race against Dewey
Truman holds a now infamous Chicago Tribune announcing (incorrectly) Dewey’s victory

17. To protest Truman’s emphasis on Civil Rights, the South opted to run a third candidate, South Carolina Governor Strum Thurmond

18. The Fair Deal
C. Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes:
(Extension of the New Deal)
1. higher minimum wage, flood control projects, low-income housing
2. Congress passes parts of Fair Deal

19. IV. REPUBLICANS PLAN FOR 1952 ELECTION
A. By 1951 Truman’s approval rating sank to an all-time low of just 23%
1. Why? Korean War, rising tide of McCarthyism, and a general impression of ineffectiveness
Truman doesn’t run
The Republican (right) were chomping at the bit in the ’52 election

20. STEVENSON VS. IKE 1952 ELECTION
B. The Democrats nominated Illinois Governor Stevenson; Republicans nominated Dwight David Eisenhower
Ike
Stevenson

21. “I LIKE IKE”
C. Eisenhower used the slogan, “I Like Ike” for his presidential campaign
Republicans used Ike’s strong military background to emphasize his ability to combat Communism worldwide

22. Nixon and his dog Checkers
IKE’S VP SLIP-UP
D. Newspapers accuse VP candidate Richard M. Nixon of corruption
1. defends himself in televised “Checkers speech” emotional speech admitting taking a dog for his daughter.
One potential disaster for Ike was his running mate’s alleged “slush fund”
Richard Nixon responded by going on T.V. and delivering an emotional speech denying charges but admitting to accepting one gift for his children –dog named Checkers
The “Checkers speech” saved the ticket
E. Eisenhower wins; Republicans narrowly take Congress
Nixon and his dog Checkers

23. IKE WINS 1952 ELECTION

24. SECTION 2: THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE FIFTIES
I. The Organization and the Organization Man
A. After WWII ended, Americans turned their attention to their families and jobs
New businesses and technology created opportunities for many
B. By the end of the 1950s, Americans were enjoying the highest standard of living in the world
Ozzie and Harriet reflected the perfect American family

25. THE ORGANIZATION AND THE ORGANIZATION MAN
C. By 1956, majority of Americans not in blue-collar (industrial) jobs
D. More in higher-paying, white-collar (office, professional) positions
clerical, management, or professional jobs
The fields of sales, advertising, insurance and communications exploded
1. Many white collared jobs in Conglomerates —corporation that owns smaller, unrelated companies
Diversify to protect from downturns in individual industries
White Collar jobs expanded greatly in the 1950s

26. CONGLOMERATES EMERGE
Conglomerates, major corporations that include a number of smaller companies in unrelated fields, emerged in the 1950s
One conglomerate, International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT), bought rental car companies and hotel chains

27. McDonald’s is one of the leading franchises in the world
FRANCHISES EMERGE
Another strategy for business expansion was franchising
E. Franchise is a company that offers similar services in many locations - also the right to use company name and system
1. Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises
McDonald’s is one of the leading franchises in the world

28. F. SOCIAL CONFORMITY
1. American workers found themselves becoming standardized – to conform to standard or becoming the same
2. Called the “Organization Man,” the modern worker struggled with a loss of individualism
3. Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs lose individuality
Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage conformity

29. Despite their success, some workers questioned whether pursuing the American dream exacted too high a price, as conformity replaced individuality

30. II. THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE
A. Most Americans worked in cities, but fewer lived there
B. New highways and the affordability of cars and gasoline made commuting possible
C. Of the 13 million homes built in the 1950s 85% were built in suburbs
For many, the suburbs were the American Dream
The American Dream complete with a white picket fence

31. THE BABY BOOM
late 1940s through the early 1960s the birthrate in the U.S. soared
D. 1945–1965 baby boom —soaring birth rate after soldiers return
At its height in 1957, a baby was born in America every 7 seconds (over 4.3 million babies in ’57 alone)
Baby boomers represent the largest generation in the nation’s history

32. What are the official years of the Baby Boom Generation?
saw a marked increase in the number of births in North America.
How did the birthrate rise and fall during the baby boom years in the US?
1940
2,559,000 births per year
1946
3,311,000 births per year
1955
4,097,000 births per year
1957
4,300,000 births per year
1964
4,027,000 births per year
1974
3,160,000 births per year

33. WHY SO MANY BABIES? Why did the baby boom occur when it did?
1. Husbands returning from war
2. Decreasing marriage age
3. Desirability of large families
4. Confidence in economy
5. Advances in medicine

34. WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO YOU
Your generation will be supporting an increasingly aging American population

35. ADVANCES IN MEDICINE AND CHILDCARE
New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseases
E. Dr. Jonas Salk develops vaccine for polio
Dr. Salk was instrumental in the eradication of polio

36. Scientific Advances
Polio vaccine discovered by Jonas Salk- to prevent Polio

37. DR. SPOCK ADVISES PARENTS
F. Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular guide for parents
Many parents raised their children according to the guidelines of pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock
He thought children should be allowed to express themselves and parents should never physically punish their kids
Dr. Spock’s book sold 10 million copies in the 1950s

38. IMPACT OF BABY BOOM Baby boom impacts economy, educational system
result of the baby boom 10 million students entered elementary schools in the 1950s
California built a new school every 7 days in the late ’50s
Toy sales reached an all-time high in 1958 when $1.25 billion in toys were sold

39. Fads of the Baby Boomers
Hula Hoops
Frozen Foods
Poodle Skirts and Saddle Shoes
Panty Raids
Barbie and GI Joe Dolls
Bikinis
Frisbees
Yo-yos
Ouija Boards
Dune Buggies
What celebrity deaths have most affected the Baby Boomers?
John F. Kennedy
Marilyn Monroe
Martin Luther King
John Lennon

40. WOMEN’S ROLES IN THE 1950S
G. 1950s, the role of homemaker and mother was glorified in popular magazines, movies and television

41. WOMEN AT WORK
women who did work were finding job opportunities limited to fields such as nursing, teaching and office support
Women earned far less than man for comparable jobs

42. LEISURE IN THE 1950s
H. Americans experienced shorter work weeks and more vacation time than ever before
1. Leisure time activities became a multi-billion dollar industry
Labor-saving devices added more spare time
Labor-saving devices provided more leisure time for Americans

43. POPULAR LEISURE ACTIVITES
In 1953 alone Americans spent $30 billion on leisure
Popular activities included fishing, bowling, hunting and golf
Americans attended, or watched on T.V., football, baseball and basketball games
Bowling remains one of the top leisure activities in the U.S.

44. III.THE AUTOMOBILE CULTURE
After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful fuel and easy credit led many to buy cars
By 1960, over 60 million Americans owned autos
No public transit in suburbs; cars necessary

45. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ACT 1956
A. In 1956 Ike authorized Interstate Highway Act— nationwide highway network unites country
41,000 miles of road linking America

46. THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
“Automania” spurred the construction of roads linking major cities while connecting schools, shopping centers and workplaces to residential suburbs
Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacations
Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline

48. Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today
IMPACT OF THE HIGHWAY
The Interstate Highway system resulted in:
More trucking
Less railroad
More suburbs, further away
Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today

49. HIGHWAYS “HOMOGENIZE” AMERICA
B. Another effect of the highway system was that the scenery of America began to look the same
Restaurants, motels, highway billboards, gas stations, etc. all began to look similar
1. The nation had become “homogenized”
Anytown, USA

50. John Keats, The Insolent Chariots 1958
“Our new roads, with their ancillaries, the motels, filling stations, and restaurants advertising eats, have made it possible for you to drive from Brooklyn to Los Angeles without a change of diet, scenery, or culture.”
John Keats, The Insolent Chariots

51. MOBILITY TAKES ITS TOLL
While the car industry boom stimulated production, jobs, shopping centers, and the restaurant industry, it also had negative effects
Noise
Pollution
Accidents
Traffic Jams
Stress
Decline of public
transportation
Money leaves
the cities

52. IV. RISE OF CONSUMERISM
A. By the mid-1950s, nearly 60% of Americans were members of the middle class
B. Consumerism (buying material goods) came to be equated with success and status

53. NEW PRODUCTS One new product after another appeared in the marketplace
Appliances, electronics, and other household goods were especially popular
The first credit card (Diner’s Club) appeared in 1950 and American Express was introduced in 1958
C. Numerous new products appear on market in response to demand
Personal debt increased nearly 3x in the 1950s

54. Advertising is everywhere today in America
THE ADVERTISING AGE
Most people have satisfied basic needs; ads encourage extra spending
Psychological appeals in ads lure consumers to particular products
1. Ads appear in all media; television emerges as powerful new tool
Advertising is everywhere today in America

55. G. The Sunbelt
1. Many people migrated to the Sunbelt to in the defense, aerospace, electronics, and petrochemical industries.
Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, roughly half of California 55

56. SECTION 3: POPULAR CULTURE
I. Mass Media
A. A new era of mass media led by television emerged in the 1950s
In 1948, only 9% of homes had T.V
In 1950, 55% of homes had T.V.
1. By 1960, 90% of American homes had T.V.
B. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communications

57. THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION
C. The 1950s was known as the “Golden Age of Television”
1. Comedies were the main attraction as Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were very popular
Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball starred in I Love Lucy

58. TELEVISION EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS FORMATS
Television innovations like on-the-scene-news reporting, interviews, westerns and sporting events offered the viewer a variety of shows
Kids’ shows like The Howdy Doody Show and The Mickey Mouse Club were extremely popular

59. 1950s Television

60. Leave it to Beaver

61. Ed Sullivan Show

62. I Love Lucy

63. Howdy Doody

64. Elvis Presley

65. TV ADS, TV GUIDES AND TV DINNERS EXPAND
D. TV advertising soared from $170 million in 1950 to nearly $2 billion in 1960
1. TV Guide magazine quickly became the best selling magazine
Frozen TV dinners were introduced in 1954 – these complete ready-to-heat meals on disposable aluminum trays made it easy for people to eat without missing their favorite shows

66. II. A SUBCULTURE EMERGES
A. Although mass media and television were wildly popular in the 1950s, dissenting voices emerged
B. The “Beat Movement” in literature and rock n’ roll clashed with tidy suburban views of life

67. BEATNIKS FOLLOW OWN PATH
Centered in San Francisco, L.A. and New York’s Greenwich Village
C. the Beat Movement expressed social nonconformity
Followers, called “beatniks”, tended to shun work and sought understanding through Zen Buddhism, music, and sometimes drugs
Beatniks often performed poetry or music in coffeehouses or bars

68. Beat Movement

69. III.MUSIC IN THE 1950s
A. African American musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and blues
B. Rock ‘n’ roll —mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop(Youth Culture)
Cleveland DJ Alan Freed was the first to play this music in 1951– he called it “rock and roll”
FREED

70. ROCK N’ ROLL
In the early and mid-fifties, Richard Penniman, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, and especially Elvis Presley brought rock and roll to the forefront
The driving rhythm and lyrics featuring love, cars, and problems of being young --- captivated teenagers across the Country
Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns
Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy records
Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality

71. C.THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL
Elvis Presley’s rebellious style captured young audiences
Girls screamed and fainted, and boys tried to imitate him

72. Entertainment in the 1950s Television Hollywood radio Rock ‘n’ Roll
Beat Movement.

73. SECTION 4: THE OTHER AMERICA
I. Urban Poor
A. In 1962, 25% Americans living below the poverty level
B. Post WW II–1960, 5 million African Americans go from rural South to urban North

74. Urban Decline
C. In the 1950s, millions of middle-class white Americans left the cities for the suburbs
1. White flight results in loss of businesses, tax payers to cities
D. Cities can no longer afford to maintain or improve:
1. schools, public transportation, police and fire departments
E. Urban renewal —replace rundown buildings with new low-income housing

75. The 1950s
Who were the two presidents during the 1950’s?
Truman and Eisenhower
What bill of Congress gave veterans money to go to college?
GI Bill
What types of communities were built around large US cities?
Suburbs
What Eisenhower program improved transportation?
Interstate Highway System

76. What new type of home entertainment became common in the 1950’s?
Television
163. What new type of music became common in the 1950’s?
Rock ‘n Roll
164. What was the time of high birthrates from ?
Baby boom

77. The Inner Cities Poverty grows rapidly in decaying inner cities
Poor economic conditions lead to illness and terrible conditions

78. Urban Renewal
• Urban renewal—replace rundown buildings with new low-income housing
• Housing and Urban Development Dept. created to improve conditions
• Not enough housing built for displaced people

79. Warsaw Pact

80. What line divided Korea?
38th parallel

81. Why did Truman fire MacArthur?
Insubordination, argument over limited war

82. Who was the Senator that accused government officials of being Communist?
McCarthy

83. Who was elected president in 1952?
Eisenhower

84. What government agency conducted covert missions to prevent other nations from falling to Communism?
CIA