2. Modern United States 1945-1979 US 82-103

3. Modern United States 1945-1979 In this section, we will look at:
1. consumerism, baby boom
2. mass media
3. youth culture
4. Space Race
5. civil rights
6. Martin Luther King, Jr.

4. Modern United States

5. Modern United States Consumerism in the 1950’s (US.82)
Diner’s Card was introduced in 1950.
All babies were potential consumers who spearheaded a brand new market for food, clothing, and shelter. (Life Magazine, May 1958)

6. Modern United States Consumerism in the 1950’s (US.82)

7. Modern United States white-collar jobs (US.82)
New corporate culture of the company man. College educated, suburban living, corporate workers for the first time made up the majority of the population, rather than  farming and entrepreneurship.

8. Modern United States suburban ideal (US.82)
Houses were built outside of cities that were made in great numbers: assembly line.
Floor plans were generally the same, and basements were not planned. This enabled a large number of American families to afford housing.

9. Modern United States suburban ideal (US.82)
$7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

10. Modern United States suburban ideal (US.82)
Levittowns – Huge suburbs of single-family homes started in New York and spread throughout the country. 4 room 25 X 32 $6,999 (0 down, and government financed) 100 houses built at a time

11. Modern United States suburban ideal (US.82)
SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION,
Central Cities % % % %
Suburbs % % % %
Rural Areas/ % % % %
Small Towns
U. S. Bureau of the Census.

12. Modern United States suburban ideal (US.82)
By 1960, 1/3 of all American families lived in suburbs.
Leave it to Beaver
Father Knows Best

13. Modern United States G.I. Bill (US.82)
The government provided a range of benefits for returning soldiers from WWII.
- low cost mortgages,
- low interests business loans,
- tuition and living expenses to attend university,
- one year of unemployment.

14. Modern United States G.I. Bill (US.82)
2.2 million soldiers would take advantage of this offer.

15. Modern United States Reliance on Foreign Oil (US.82)
Following WWII, the U.S. reliance on foreign oil began to grow. During the Industrial Revolution, we had been self-sufficient.

16. Modern United States Reliance on Foreign Oil (US.82)
1945 – FDR promises protection to Saudi Arabia in exchange for access to oil – OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) is established to control world oil prices.

17. Modern United States baby boom – economy & culture (US.83)
Social pressure to have children during this period; growth of suburbs, consumers goods available, American dream…

18. Modern United States baby boom – economy & culture (US.83)