Chapter 22
Truman to Eisenhower• GI Bill - Provided loans to
veterans to establish businesses, buy homes, and attend college
• Taft-Hartley Act 1947 Curbed the power of
unions Outlawed closed shop States could pass right-to-
work laws Passed by Congress over
Truman’s veto
Truman to Eisenhower
• Election of 1948 Truman attacked “Do
Nothing” Congress Won support of labor,
farmers, and African-Americans
Truman narrowly won election
Truman to Eisenhower
• The Fair Deal Truman domestic
policies Raised minimum wage
to 75 cents an hour Expanded Social Security
Truman to Eisenhower
• Election of 1952 Eisenhower won Vice President Richard
Nixon
• Ike as President Passed Federal Highway
Act – largest public works program in American history
Even numbers go East – WestOdd numbers go North – South
Mile markers count down North to South and East to WestThey count up South to North and West to East
Exits are numbered by the mileage marker
Don’t know which side of the car the gas tank is on?
Affluent Society
• The Spread of Wealth More white-collar jobs
such as sales and management
Rise in income at all levels
Advertising the fastest growing industry
Affluent Society
• The Baby Boom 1945 to 1961 Over 65 million babies
born Boom due to end of
wars, GI Bill loans for houses, popular culture celebrating parenthood
Affluent Society
• Advances in Electronics Transistors – allowed
miniaturization ENIAC – first computer
• Advances in Medicine Polio epidemic killed or
paralyzed thousands First polio vaccine
developed by Jonas Salk
Popular Culture
• Rise of Television New market for
advertising Varied categories of
shows from comedies to westerns
Introduction of TV dinners
Blacks portrayed as one-dimensional characters
Popular Culture
• Impact of TV on Hollywood Movie audiences
declined Introduced 3D films Larger screens/movies in
Cinemascope
Popular Culture
• New Youth Culture Rock and Roll influenced
by rhythm and blues King of Rock and Roll –
Elvis Presley Generation Gap – the
cultural separation between children and their parents
Popular Culture
• Black Entertainers Television tended to
shut out blacks Rock and Roll singers
much more popular Chuck Berry, Little
Richard, the Drifters Women’s groups also
popular – the Shirelles, Supremes
The Other Side
• Poverty Line – a figure set by the government that reflects the minimum income needed to support a family
• Urban Renewal – programs that tried to eliminate poverty by tearing down slums
The Other Side
• Decline of the City Inner cities had mostly
poor populations As middle class moved
to suburbs tax money went with them
Little $ left for city services, housing, etc
The Other Side
• Hispanics Bracero Program
brought ~5 million Mexicans to US
Worked long hours in fields and lived in crude shacks
The Other Side
• Native Americans Termination Policy – US
government withdrew all official recognition of Native American groups as legal entities and made them subject to same laws as whites
This policy resulted in Indians becoming poorest group in America
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