1. The American Middle Class Analysis: Session 1: Rise of the American Middle Class Post War
Guiding Question:
Does globalization improve the “quality of life” for all?

2. Our Guiding Questions:
Essential Question:
Supporting Guiding Questions
To what extent does globalization contribute to sustainable prosperity for all?
This is our overarching or “larger” question we will using to guide our “larger” conversation
How are consumers more connected to the world, due to globalization?
Does globalization improve the “quality of life” for all?
How has globalization impacted the environment?
How has globalization changed life for women, children & workers?

3. What We are Exploring this week…
American Middle Class: An Analysis
Session 1: The Rise of the American Middle Class Post War (WWII)
Speaking the language of Globalization
A historical background into the growth of the middle class in the 1950s-1960s
Defining the concept of “Quality of Life”
Session 2: The Decline of the American Middle Class- A Statistical Analysis
Why the middle class has “shrunk”
Wealth Inequality in the U.S. & Around the World

4. The Language of Globalization
There is a special language to globalization and in order to understand it, you have to speak & read it.
With your partner, take 20 mins to review the Language of Globalization cheat sheet- word- definition- example
Here are the words to know:
Trade Middle Class
Import Working Class
Export Blue Collar
Tariff White Collar
Free Trade Labor Union
NAFTA
Protectionism

5. The American Dream- The Starting Point…?
What is the American Dream?
Take 2 mins to think and write down your interpretation of what that means?
Now, with your partner do the following:
Empire- Share what you wrote down- 30 seconds
Jedi- Once Empire has shared- Ask this question- How does one achieve the dream? – 10 secs
Together discuss possible answers…2 mins
Bringing the ideas out to the floor…

6. Rise of the American Middle Class
Here is a chart of the what the middle class is in the U.S. based on dollar amounts earned…

7. So Where Did This Start?
Life after WWII changed the economic status and landscape for Americans…
The next slides will give the historical context for the rise of the middle class in the U.S.
Take notes on all the ideas that are on the slides
We will stop, process and discuss as we move along to make sure everyone is comfortable

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

9. THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THE FIFTIES
New businesses and technology created opportunities for many
Americans were enjoying the highest standard of living in the world
*Standard of Living- the degree of wealth and material comfort available to a person or community.
Alliances effect
Ozzie and Harriet reflected the perfect American family

10. REDEFINING THE FAMILY Things returned to “normal” post WWII
Men were expected to work
Women were expected to stay home and care for the children
Wages and Earnings (money) increased allowing more flexibility in life

11. THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE
The Move to Suburbs- an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one.
85% of homes were built in suburbs
The suburbs were the “American Dream”

12. NEW JOBS = NEW ROLE FOR MEN…
Businesses expanded rapidly
More and more people held “white-collar” jobs
Sales, advertising, insurance and communications exploded
Thinking Time: With Your Partner
List all the things a “white collar” job provides compared to a “blue collar” job
Out to the floor…
White Collar jobs expanded greatly in the 1950s

13. RISE OF CONSUMERISM 60% of Americans were members of the middle class
Consumerism boombed
Credit was used for 1st time to make purchases
More demand = more supply= more work

14. THE AUTOMOBILE CULTURE
After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful fuel and easy credit led many to buy cars

15. THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
“Automania” spurred the construction of roads linking major cities while connecting schools, shopping centers and workplaces to residential suburbs

16. 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
But…on the flip side
Trucking is the #1 means of moving cargo in the United States today

17. The Rise of Blue Collar Workers
American factory workers found themselves earning more money thanks to growth of manufacturing
“Blue Collar” workers were able to “climb” into the middle class thanks to high paying unskilled-semi skilled factory jobs

18. WOMEN’S ROLES IN THE 1950S HOMEMAKERS HOUSE WIFE HOUSE SLAVE
STAY AT HOME MOTHER

19. HOWEVER… SOME WOMEN WANTED TO WORK…
Women worked in limited fields such as nursing, teaching and office support

20. REMARKABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Experts who predicted a postwar depression were proved wrong as they failed to consider the $135 billion in savings Americans had accumulated from working during WWII, service pay, and investments in war bonds
Americans were ready to buy consumer goods
Sooooooo…everyone is good right??????

21. The U.S. Economic Power
The U.S. is also the leader in Exports around the world
U.S. consumption is growing as people can afford to buy more goods and services
Where are all these goods and services being made???

22. THE OTHER AMERICA
In 1962, nearly one out of every four Americans was living below the poverty level
Most of these poor were the elderly, single women and their children, and/or minorities

23. WHITE FLIGHT
In the 1950s, millions of middle-class white Americans left the cities for the suburbs
At the same time millions of African American rural poor migrated to the cities
The so-called “White Flight” drained cities of valuable resources, money and taxes
*Note- We are coming back to this later in Detroit…Hint Hint

24. How Did All Of This Turn into Middle Class Quality of Life?
With your partner do the following to begin to piece together this “story”
Review all of the main parts and details of this “story”
Anything that is confusing or not clear- help each other clarify and figure it out for yourselves
How did all of this improve the “quality of life” and achieve the “American Dream”?
Bringing This Out to the Floor for final discussion…
Now, go back to your original writing & conversation with your partner about the “American Dream”…
Can you now add more to it based on this conversation?
Write a much more complex answer to what “The American Dream is?