Chapter 27

Return to a Peacetime EconomyEconomy increases =

increased consumer spending

GI Bill –loans to veteransIncreased spending =

increased prices (inflation)

Workers go on strike for higher wages

Taft-Hartley ActOutlawed the closed shopOutlawed featherbeddingAllowed states to pass

right-to-work laws outlawing union shops

Truman’s Domestic PolicyTruman has little

successCongress gets in the way

Truman labels Congress a “Do-Nothing Congress”

Mid-term elections see the Democrats win majorities in Congress

“Fair Deal”Minimum wage

increasedSocial Security expanded

The Eisenhower YearsEisenhower - midway

between conservative and liberal

Dynamic conservatism balancing of economic

conservatism with some activism

Conservative Side: Ended price and rent controls Cut aid for public housing Supported tax reductions

Activist Side: Federal Highway Act –

created 40,000 miles of interstate highways

Provided $25 billion for the construction of these roadways

Wartime to peacetime economy

American Abundance John Kenneth Galbraith – The

Affluent Society: New business techniques and

improved technology White-collared jobs (sales,

management, services) begin to outnumber blue-collared jobs (physical labor industry)

Multinational corporations – located near raw materials, and cheap labor

Increase in franchises Conform to company standards. Advertising: fastest growing

industries Suburbs: Levittown, NY:

become the symbol of the American dream – example of American conformity

The 1950s FamilyFamilies grow larger

and women enter the workforce

1941-1965 – baby boom – more than 65 million children born in the United States

Popular culture embraced and encouraged large families

Women expected to stay home, but many enter the workforce

Technological BreakthroughsENIAC and UNIVAC –

1st computers developed in the US – useful for business data

Development of antibiotics; drugs for arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease; and advances in surgical techniques

Jonas Salk – invented the polio vaccine

Commercial planes made smoother and faster

New Mass MediaTelevision popularity –

advertising and sporting events

Comedy, action and adventure, variety shows, and quiz shows 21 – Cheating scandal

Movie industry losses viewers – innovation of the cinemascope and 3-d glasses Stereotypical roles

Radios expanded their programming: Music, news, talk shows, weather, and public service programming

New Youth CultureYoung Americans look to

break from conformityAlan Freed plays rock ‘n’

roll for the 1st time on the radio

Elvis Presley becomes a hero to teenagers – parents fear music’s influence

Generation gap – cultural separation between children and parents

Beats – group of artists who highlighted the generation gap in the US

Jack Kerouac – On The Road

African American EntertainersFound acceptance as

music performersChuck Berry, Ray

Charles, Little Richard

Women’s groups – The Crystals, the Chiffons, the Shirelles

Poverty Amidst Prosperity1950s – 1 in 5 Americans

lived below the poverty line

Michael Harrington’s “The Other America”Single mothers, elderly,

minority immigrants, rural Americans, Appalachians, and Native Americans

Americans move to suburbs, urban areas become home to poorer, less educated minority groups

Urban renewal programs – tore down slums, built high-rise projects

Minority Ethnic Groups in the 50sAfrican American salaries

were 51% of white salariesNAACP and Congress on

Racial Equality push for equality, but have little success

Bracero program – 5 million Mexican immigrants to come to the US for agricultural needs – struggle with poverty and poor working conditions

Native Americans the poorest group in the country

Termination policy – US government withdraws recognition of Native Americans as legal entities

Juvenile DelinquencyRise in anti-social or

criminal behavior amongst youths

Youths were stereotyped if they did not conform to social norms

As baby boomers enter school, schools suffer building and teacher shortages

Schools criticized for lack of technical education – improvement made in math and science education