1. The 1950s

2. The Post WW2 Economy Inflation at first because no consumer goods produced = fear of depression But demand still great, so once supply caught up to demand = MORE JOBS! Plus after the G.D. and WW2, people were READY TO SPEND! Next 25 years, America known as the “Affluent Society”

3. Getting Back to a Normal Life G.I. bill helped get veterans back into society –Loans for College, Businesses/Farms, Homes Housing Crisis solved by Mass Produced Homes

5. $7000 to $8000

6. Getting Back to a Normal Life G.I. bill helped get veterans back into society Housing Crisis solved by Mass Produced Homes Many settled down into family life Business sprang up all over, jobs were redefined in America

7. New Businesses Strategies Less jobs in blue collar/industrial jobs, More jobs in higher paid white collar jobs –Clerical, managerial, professional occupations –Sales, advertising, insurance, communications CONGLOMERATE: major corporation that includes a number of smaller companies in unrelated industries –Less Risk!!! Franchises – a company that offers similar products or services in many locations. –Rights sold to an individual to open a business using the parent company’s name/system

9. The Loss of the Individual As Business standardized, so did workers Business did not want creative thinkers or rebels. –Personality tests were given to people applying for jobs Large workplaces were often cold and impersonal Many movies/lit came out describing successful workers who were dissatisfied because of loneliness felt. –Ex. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

11. Suburban Lifestyle Able to provide the good things in life for their families Many worked in cities, but fewer and fewer of them lived there –New highways –Affordability of automobiles/gas made commuting possible Suburbs became extremely popular, embodied the American dream –affordable, single family house, good schools, safe/healthy environment for kids, congenial neighbors

13. The BABY BOOM!!! Generation from 1946 to 1964 – birthrate soared Height of Baby Boom, 1957  one US infant born every 7 seconds Contributing factors of the baby boom: 1.reunion of families after the war 2.decreasing marriage age 3.desirability of large families 4.Confidence in continued economic prosperity 5.Advanced in Medicine Vaccines against diseases, esp. Polio

14. The Baby Boom!!!

15. Dr. Spock’s Babies Dr. Benjamin Spock’s book Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care in 1946. Raising children using guidelines –Don’t spank or scold – Hold meetings where children can express themselves –Encouraged mothers to be back at home with Children Caused huge change in American Market/Education –Toy industry skyrocketed –10 mil new children enrolled –Caused over crowding and teacher shortages

16. Women’s Roles Role of homemaker and mother was glorified in magazines, movies, and on TV Magazine described the homemaker as the “the keeper of the suburban dream.”

18. Was it a Woman’s Dream? Despite the “ideal” in the media, many women felt bored, unfulfilled, isolated More than 1/5 of suburban wives were dissatisfied with lives. Betty Friedan, author of the Feminine mystique described the problem as: “For the first time in their history, women are becoming aware of an identity crisis in their own lives…I think this is the crisis of women growing up- a turning point from an immaturity that has been called femininity to full human identity.”

19. Housekeeping Monthly