1. Postwar American Society

2. GI Bill Serviceman Readjustment Act
Increases the number of college educated in workforce
Boosts the economy and Increases Suburbs
Paid for College and Provides low interest loans for
Education
Home loans
Businesses

3. Baby Boom Birthrate explodes after WWII
65 million children born between
Reasons
Many had delayed marriage until after the war
GI Bill
Family life celebrated in popular culture

4. Famous Baby Boomers

5. Suburbia Suburbs grown on the outskirts of town Causes Effects
Escape Crime
Seen as cleaner
Affordability
Effects
Helps economy grow
Infrastructure improved
Automobile industry thrives

6. Suburbia
Before
After

7. Science and Technology
Computers
ENIAC – one of the nations first computers
UNIVAC – launches the computer revolution
Defense and business related systems
Medicine
Polio Vaccine
Developed by Jonas Salk
Ends epidemics of Polio

8. Computers
ENIAC
UNIVAC

9. Science

10. Popular Culture Television Developed during the 1940’s
Becomes affordable in 1950s
Popular shows include
I Love Lucy
The Lone Ranger
Gunsmoke
Ed Sullivan Show

11. Television

12. Popular Culture Movies Television seen as a threat
Films struggle to find an audience
3-D movies developed
Blockbuster films
Science fiction films

13. Movies

14. Popular Culture “Rock N Roll”
Teenagers embrace the new sound “Teen Culture”
African American rhythm and blues performed by white artists
Elvis Presley - “King of Rock N Roll”
Chuck Berry and Little Richard
Parents worry Rock n Roll is dangerous, because it causes independent thinking (Beat Generation)
Helps create the Generation Gap

15. Popular Culture Chuck Berry Little Richard Elvis
Elvis
w&spfreload=1#t=136
Anti rock and roll
<iframe width="560" height="315" src=" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>