Americans emerged from World War ll elated, justifiably
proud of their military strength and industrial might.
·
1952
o
Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 is signed
§
Removed racial and ethnic barriers to becoming a citizen
·
1954
o
Racial segregation ruled unconstitutional in public schools by
U.S. Supreme Court
·
Growing America
o
1956
§
Federal Highway Act is signed
·
Work begins on interstate highway system
o
Helped create central shopping malls
o
1958
§
Explorer 1, first U.S. satellite, successfully orbits Earth
o
1959
§
Alaska and Hawaii become 49th and 50th states
·
Television
o
Wanted to be like TV families
o
Women’s roles
§
Cook, clean, dress in pearls and high heels
§
Waited for husband to arrive from work
·
Music
o
Optimism in America
o
Rock and Roll
§
Feel good music
·
Reflected post WW 11
mood
§
Exciting for teenagers
·
Fashion
o
Conservative
§
Men
·
Gray flannel shirts
·
Blue jeans
§
Women
·
Dresses with pinched in waists
·
High heels
·
Poodle skirts
·
Fads
o
Strong family life
§
Working, playing, and vacationing together
§
Family themed entertainment
·
Disneyland
o
Drive-in movies
o
Cars
o
Toys
§
Hula hoops
§
Coon skin hats from Davy Crocket
§
Silly putty
·
Increasing enrollments
o
Before WWll
§
160,000 Americans graduated each year
o
After WWll
§
Figure rose to 500,000
o
U.S could boast world’s best-educated workforce
·
“Separate But Equal”
o
1954-Integration is begun across the nation
·
Economic expansion
o
Consumer demand
§
GNP doubled between 1945-1960
§
America produced & consumed two-thirds world’s goods
o
Purchases
§
Had been postponed during the war
·
Cars
·
Houses
§
Americans eager to buy
·
Purchasing frenzy
o
Financed by federal government
·
International trade
o
Other major industrial nations suffered great loss in war
o
American manufactures took monopoly
·
Productivity
o
More efficient machinery & computers
§
35% more worker productivity between 1945-1955
§
1945-took 310 hour to make a car; 1960-only 150
·
Population: 1,491,888,000
·
Unemployed: 3,288,000
·
Life expectancy: women 71.1, men 65.6
·
Car Sales: 6,665,800
·
Average salary: $2,992
·
Labor force male/female: 5/2
·
Cost of a loaf of bread: $0.14
·
Bomb shelter plans, like the government pamphlet You Can
Survive, become widely available
