1. Chapter 26 Questions
Mr. Perry
US 2

2. Demobilization
Period of transition from war economy to peacetime economy
Usually a period of high unemployment and low production

3. GI Bill Of Rights Year of unemployment for veterans
Financial aid for veterans to attend college
Low interest loans for vets to buy homes or start businesses

4. Baby Boom Birthrate had declined due to the depression and WW2
Following the war adults in there 20’s, 30’s and 40’s looked to start families
is the largest increase in population in history

6. US Production in 1950’s
The US made up only 6% of worlds population but produced 50% of its goods

7. Taft-Harley Act
Outlawed closed shops, placing where only union members could be hired
Passed to slow the number of strikes occurring nationwide
Law was vetoed by Truman but overrode by Congress

8. Election of 1948
Truman had become unpopular in his own party because Southerners disagreed with him on Civil Rights
It seemed certain Thomas Dewey of NY would defeat Truman, but Truman campaigned across country and scored an upset win
One of the few political upsets of the century

10. Fair Deal Truman’s plan to strengthen the New Deal
Included national healthcare and civil rights reform
Was not a success because Congress would not pass most of the legislation

11. Section 2 Suburban America
Affordable homes, low-interest loans and a desire to return family life to normal led to suburban growth in the 1950’s
With people moving from cities to suburbs highways were needed for people to travel to cities to work

15. Highway Act
Federal government built 41,000 miles of highway connecting cities with wide open multi-lane highways
It was the biggest expenditure on public works in the country's history
Perhaps Eisenhower’s greatest accomplishment

17. Sunbelt Name given to Southern and Western states
Large number of available jobs
Appealing climate
Air conditioners were now available for homes
Large numbers of new immigrants also settled in these areas

19. Women from 1940-1960 Number of women in the workforce doubled
Most did not pursue careers but for women played a vital role in helping middle class families

20. Labor Unions Unions tended to gravitate toward the Democratic Party
Labor unions lost power in the 1950’s
White-collar workers stopped joining unions and corruption hurt public opinion

21. National Defense Education Act
$1 Billion program aimed at producing scientist and science teachers
Authorized loans for high school and college age students to continue scientific education

22. Brown v Board of Education
Declares school segregation unconstitutional
Would take years before schools would be desegregated, 1st step in Civil Rights education

24. Section 3 Consumerism
Purchasing materialistic things, sometimes on credit
Occurs in postwar US thanks to new forms of advertising

25. Jonas Salk
Develops a vaccine for polio, ordered to be given to all American children

26. TV in the 1950’s Beginnings of mass culture
Americans from all regions saw same shows and advertising
TV changed political campaigns

27. Rock and Roll Viewed as a cultural revolution
Elvis Presley offended mainstream America with his music and dance moves
Rock became the symbol of youth and some feared it would lead to rebellious youth

28. Section 4 Cities in the 1950’s
Middle class Americans moved from cities to suburbs and were replaced by groups looking for jobs
This created fewer tax dollars for cities which eventually led to dirty crime ridden cities
Eventually cities became plagued with poor housing and education

29. New York City: 1950’s

30. Yankee Stadium: 1950

31. Urban Renewal
Refers to the tearing down of old neighborhoods in favor of “revitalizing” bad areas
Leads to large numbers of poor moving to already overcrowded areas
Public housing led to poor neighborhoods and crime

32. Farmers in the 1950’s
Corporations and large farmers dominated the industry
Small farmers left and followed urban poor to the cities

33. Puerto Ricans Went to NYC in large numbers
Most spoke no English and enjoyed no political power
Most received poor services and education

34. Mexicans
Braceros were setup for Mexican workers to temporarily come to the US to work on farms
Many were mistreated and some called the program “legalized slavery”

35. Native Americans
The termination policy would have ended tribal governments
Was supposed to free Native Americans to assimilate into society
Native Americans argued that it was an attempt to ruin their culture