1. The 1950s Conformity, Consumerism, and Crisis

2. Focus Question: Describe both positive and negative effects of economic prosperity.

3. Legacies of World War II Increased sense of independence ▫Veterans ▫Women ▫African-Americans ▫Baby Boom

4. Baby Boom Generation Birth rate in the U.S. exploded after the war ▫New births 1945: 2.8 million ▫New births 1946: 3.47 million ▫Peaked between 1957-1961: 4.3 million per year Some 79 million born between 1946 and 1964

6. Role of the G.I. Bill Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 All honorably discharged G.I.s granted money ▫Purchase a home ▫Enter college or trade school ▫Open a business Veterans took advantage of this

7. Growth of the Suburbs G.I. Bill typically used for housing ▫Severe housing crisis in the U.S. after the war ▫Massive expansion of housing ▫Spread to the suburbs

9. Levittown Planned community ▫Pre-fabricated houses ▫Designed to provide inexpensive housing fast! Catered to veterans Started in New Jersey ▫Expanded throughout the U.S.

10. Role of Television Antiseptic world ▫Lacked any real crises of the modern world ▫Set up common stereotypes ▫Reflected conformity of society  “Being ordinary was better” Growth of isolation

11. Impact of Suburbia Women felt isolated ▫Increased opportunities for education ▫Social conformity to become wives and mothers ▫Removed from neighbors Sparked women’s movement

12. Impact of Suburbia Birth of the teen-ager ▫Prosperity sparked a longer childhood ▫Move attended high school, college  Increased consumer spending Alienation ▫Development of the Beat Movement ▫Growth of “punk styles”

14. African-Americans Increased power of the Black community ▫Economic:  Black veterans qualified for the G.I. Bill ▫Political  U.S. government took a more liberal view to Civil Rights Nurtured the seeds of the Civil Rights Movement

16. Interstate Highway System Interconnecting series of highways Massive building program Transformed American society ▫Primacy of the automobile ▫Disrupted existing systems ▫Promoted ex-urban growth

17. “New Look” Idealism American strength arose from the economy ▫Defense spending cut ▫Reliance on atomic weapons and “massive retaliation” Left U.S. unprepared for low-intensity warfare ▫Military draft continued