1. Post-War America  GI Bill of Rights allows returning Vets to buy a home, go to college or start a business  Housing shortage will be temporary problem  Suburbs begin to pop up  Levitt and Kaiser make “assembly line” homes affordable

2. New American Family  Divorce rate in US skyrockets  New roles women assumed during war change the family dynamic

3. Post War Economy  Transition from war to peace time economy causes some problems  Consumer prices jump, supply cannot keep up with demand, and unemployment are problems that will be quickly solved  By 1946, US economy is growing

4. Truman, strikes and 1946 Election  Truman supported unions and workers, however a series of strikes threaten to cripple US  He threatens drafting workers  Economic problems weren’t solved by Fall 1946, so Republicans win majority in House and Senate  Truman and Congress WILL NOT get along at all

5. Social Problems emerge in Post War Era  Barriers were broken by minorities during the war  Truman supports Civil Rights and makes progress  Jackie Robinson breaks color barrier in baseball  Truman issues executive order to de-segregate the US military

6. 1948 Election  Despite being blamed for remaining economic issues, Democrat nominate Truman  Truman demanded Civil Rights platform, Southerners disagreed  They break away and create States’ Rights Party  Republicans make can’t miss team of Dewey and Warren  Wallace forms Progressive Party (Socialist ties)

7. Campaign and results  Truman attacked Congress and went on furious campaign tour  Truman wins narrow victory  Due to conflict with Congress not much of Truman’s Fair Deal will be implemented

8. 1952 Election and Ike  By 1952 Truman had lost public support due to Korean War and McCarthyism  Republicans go with marketable commodity in Eisenhower and Nixon  Republicans also take control on Congress as well

9. Ike on the Homefront  Ike tried to avoid controversial issues early on  By 1954 he is forced to act on Civil Rights due to landmark Supreme Court ruling Brown v. BOE  Other Civil Rights events like Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Crisis at Little Rock Central HS  Ike did not take the lead on Civil Rights, however he remained popular and easily wins re-election