1. Chapter 27 Section 2 Notes

2. Organization and the Man  Conglomerates – major corporation that includes a number of smaller companies  Franchises – company that offers similar products or services in many locations

3. Organization and the Man  Social Conformity: –McDonald’s helped standardize what people ate –Workers standardized as well –Businesses did not want creative thinkers, rebels, or anyone who would “rock the boat” –Companies gave personality tests to ensure they would “fit” into the corporate culture –Rewarded teamwork, cooperation, and loyalty –Conformity replaced individuality

4. Suburban Life  Job Security = money for families  Suburbs = living away from jobs  Baby Boom – birthrate soared in late 40’s and early 50’s –Returning soldiers –Decreasing marriage age –Want of large families –Confidence in economy

5. Suburban Life  Advances in Medicine and Childcare –Drugs invented to prevent many diseases –Polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk –Dr. Spock’s childcare books  Don’t spank  Have meetings to hear child out  Suggested government pay stay at home moms –Baby boom impacted the economy and education (how?)

6. Suburban Life  Women’s Roles –Mother/housekeeper glorified in magazines, movies, TV –Not all happy in these roles –Women’s jobs paid less (women working steady) –Received little financial aid for school or any education

7. Suburban Life  Leisure in the Fifties –Had more time than before –Earned vacation time –Owned labor saving devices (like what) –Spent $30 billion on leisure activities and goods –Participated in sports as well as were fans –Became readers (of what?) –Magazines and comics peaked in sales

8. Automobile Culture  Gasoline now abundant  New Car sales rose  Automania –Suburban living made cars necessity –Neighborhoods did not have public transportation –Not all needs not within walking distance

9. Automobile Culture  The Interstate Highway System –Needed more roads to link cities –Connected schools, shopping centers, and workplaces to suburbs –Interstate Highway Act – authorized building of a nationwide highway network and miles of expressways –Towns along highways prospered while small towns away from highways suffered –Unified and homogenized the nation –People now traveling to see the country –Vacation hotspots popping up

10. Automobile Culture  Mobility takes its Toll –Noise and pollution –Accidents claim lives –Traffic jams –Damaged roads –Jobs/businesses followed suburbs –Public transportation declined –Poor left in cities without jobs and vital services –Economic gulf between city and suburb dwellers –Gap between poor and middle class widened

11. Consumerism Unbound  New Products –Emerged daily –Free time gave way to TV, tape recorders, record players, casual clothing, lawn mowers, BBQ grills, swimming pools, and lawn decorations

12. Consumerism Unbound  Planned Obsolescence –Encouraged consumers to purchase more by designing products to become obsolete in short period of time –Carmakers brought new models every year –Americans came to expect better products –“throwaway” or wasteful culture emerged

13. Consumerism Unbound  Buy Now, Pay Later –Credit used often –Diner’s Club was first credit card followed by American Express –People bought a lot on the installment plan and made regular payments over fixed time –Home mortgages and automobiles worked the same way

14. Consumerism Unbound  The Advertising Age –Advertising industry capitalized on consumerism and encouraged more spending –Ad everywhere (where?) –Psychology used to sale goods (how?) –TV became powerful selling tool