1. Big Idea Packet Questions
Chapter 27
Big Idea Packet Questions

2. Section One Questions

3. 1. What happened to the American economy between 1945 and 1960?
Enjoyed great prosperity
Per capita income average income per person nearly doubled

4. 2. What was an important part of American business during the 1950s?
Rise of National restaurants and store chains
Giant corporations expanding by buying up smaller business
New type of business franchise-helped change the country (McDonalds)

5. 3. What was one result of the growth of the suburbs?
Growth in automobile industry
People moved families outside city and needed cars to get to work

6. Video Clip: Consumerism, Company men and culture

7. 3. What was one result of the growth of the suburbs? (continued)
Baby boom- higher rate in the birth rate after WWII

8. Video Clip: Home life

9. TV-average American family was watching 4 to 5 hours of TV a day
4. What are two ways that technology changed people’s lives during the 1950s?
Improved products such as dishwashers and lawnmowers saved consumers time and money
TV-average American family was watching 4 to 5 hours of TV a day

10. Video Clip: TV and Cold War fears

11. Section 2 Questions

12. 5. What did most Americans want to do in the 1950s?
Enjoy the prosperity of the times
Look to providing their children with even better opportunity
Young people were able to stay in school rather than leave early to find jobs

13. 6. What was expected of women in the 1950s?
Women: work at home and raise children
Supportive role to men who worked and made money to provide for family
Keep house, cook meals, raising children

14. 7. What was seen as a challenge to the values of the 1950s?
Rock and Roll was popular with teenagers across the nation
Adults saw music as a challenge to their values

15. Video Clip: Age of teenagers

16. Prosperity and security Women at home Children educated
8. Using diagram on page 147, what did most Americans seem to value during the 1950s?
Entertainment and fun
Prosperity and security
Women at home
Children educated

17. Section 3 Questions

18. 9. What was Truman’s Fail Deal designed to do?
Continued policy of New Deal

19. 10. Name one of Eisenhower’s main goals
Slow growth of federal gov’t (reduce size of gov’t)
Tried to cut gov’t spending and reduce taxes
Supported big business

20. 11. How did Truman work to continue pursuing the goals of the New Deal
Higher minimum wage
More help to unemployed worker

21. Continued New Deal era commitment to helping people
12. Using the chart on page 148, Identify one common aspect of the presidencies of Truman and Eisenhower
Continued New Deal era commitment to helping people
Opposed Communist expansion around the world

22. Video Clip: Eisenhower’s Waterway/NASA/Federal Highway video Clip