ThePostwarBoomWhatistheAmericanDreamofthe1950?ExaminetheIssuesHowdoespressuretoconformaffecttheAmericandream?Whomightbeexcludedfromthenewprosperity?Howdoesadvertisingpromotecertainlifestylesandideals?PostwarAmericaMainIdeaTheTrumanandEisenhoweradministrationsledthenationtomakesocial,economic,andpoliticaladjustmentsfollowingWorldWarII.WhyitMatterTodayIntheyearsafterWWII,theU.S.becametheeconomicandmilitarypowerthatitstillistodayReadjustmentandRecoveryBythesummerof1946,about10millionmenandwomenhadbeenreleasedfromthearmedforces.ImpactoftheGIBillEncouragedveteranstogetaneducationLoansforhousingHousingCrisis1945-1946-housingshortageWilliamLevitt&HenryKaiserSuburbs-smallcommunitiessurroundingcities.LeviitownRedefiningtheFamilyWomenwerereluctanttogiveuptheirjobsEconomicReadjustmentUnemploymentontheriseJune30,1946-pricesskyrocketedCongressreestablishedcontrolssimilartothewartimecontrolsonprices,wages,andrents.RemarkableRecoveryThedemandforgoodsandservicesoutstrippedthesupplyandincreasedproduction,whichcreatednewjobs.MeetingEconomicChallengesDespiteandimpressiverecovery,Americansfacedanumberofeconomicproblems.“HadEnough”TrumanFacesStrikesTruman’sInheritanceEconomicChallengesSocialUnrestPersistsProblemsarosenotonlyintheeconomybutintheveryfabricofsocietyAfterWWII,awaveofracialviolenceeruptedintheSouth.SocialUnrestTrumanCivilRights1948ElectionTheFairDealJuly1948IntegrationofArmedForcesDixiecratsGov.StromThurmondThomasDeweyExt.ofRoosevelt’sNewDealMin.wageraisedSocialSecurityRepublicansTaketheMiddleRoadDespitethesesocialandeconomicvictories,Truman’sapprovalratingsanktoanall-timelowof23%in1951.Dem.AdlaiStevensonRep.GeneralDwightD.EisenhowerILikeIke!Runningmate-RichardNixon“CheckersSpeech”1stspeechdeliveredontelevisionWalkingtheMiddleoftheRoad“DynamicConservatism”-conservativewhenitcomestomoneyandliberalwhenitcomestohumanbeings.1954Brownvs.BoardofEducationofTopekaPublicschoolstobeintegratedRosaParksRefusedtogiveupherseattoawhiteman(Montgomery,AL)PostwarAmericaReviewHowdidtheGIBillofRightshelpWorldWarIIveterans?Tuitionreimbursementsprovidedanincentiveforeducation;ayear’sunemploymentbenefitsgavefinancialsupportforjobsearches;loanshelpedthembuyhomesorfarmsorestablishbusinesses.Whatdomesticandforeignissuesconcernedvotersduringthe1952presidentialelection?TheKoreanWarstalemate,theriseofMcCarthyism,thethreatofcommunism,theexpandingpowerofthefederalgovernment,allegedcorruptionamongTruman’spoliticalallies,inflation,andlaborunrest.TheAmericanDreamintheFiftiesMainIdeaDuringthe1950’s,theeconomyboomed,andmanyAmericansenjoyedmaterialcomfort.WhyitMattersTodayThe“Americandream”anotionthatwaslargelyshapedbythefifties,isstillpursuedtoday.TheOrganizationandtheOrganizationManDuringthe1950’s,businessesexpandedrapidly.Morepeoplebegantoworkinhigher-paid,white-collarpositions-clerical,managerial,orprofessionaloccupations.ConglomeratesFranchisesSocialConformityTheSuburbanLifestyleMostAmericansworkedincities,butfewerandfewerofthemlivedthere.Newhighways,affordablecars,andgasolinemadeiteasytocommutetothecity.13millionshomesbuiltinthe1950’s,85%werebuiltinthesuburbs.SuburbanLifestylesTheBabyBoom1957-1infantbornevery7seconds1957-4,308,000AdvancesinMedicine&ChildcareDr.JonasSalkCureforPolioDr.BenjaminSpockCommonSenseBookofBaby&ChildCareWomen’sRolesBettyFrieden-TheFeminineMystiqueLeisureinthe50’sFishing,Hunting,Bowling,attendedbaseball,footballgames.Magazines-SportIllustrated,Reader’sDigestTheAutomobileCultureConsumerismUnboundBythemid-1950’s,nearly60%ofAmericansweremembersofthemiddleclass.Moremoneytobuyandmoreproductsonthemarket.Consumerism-buyingmaterialgoods.NewProductsAppliances-washingmachines,dishwashers,blenders,etc.Recreationalitems-televisions,taperecorders,hi-fi’sPlannedObsolescenceManufacturerspurposelydesignedproductstobecomeobsolete-thatis,towearoutorbecomeoutdated.Buynow,PaylaterTheAdvertisingAgeNewspapers,magazines,billboards,radio,andtelevision1941-$9fora30secondspot2001Superbowl-$2.2millionTheAmericanDreamintheFiftiesReviewWhatshiftinemploymenttrendshadoccurredbythemid-1950’s?By1956,themajorityofAmericansheldwhite-collarjobs.HowdidlifeinthesuburbsprovidethemodelfortheAmericandream?Suburbiaofferedaffordablesingle-familyhouses,goodschools,asafeenvironmentforchildren,andneighborslikethemselves.PopularCultureMainIdeaMainstreamAmericans,aswellasthenation’ssubcultures,embracednewformsofentertainmentduringthe1950’sWhyitMattersTodayTelevisionandrock‘n’roll,integralpartsofthenation’sculturetoday,emergedduringthepostwarera.NewEraoftheMassMediaComparedwithothermassmedia-meansofcommunicationthatreachlargeaudiences-televisiondevelopedwithlightningspeed.1948-9%hadtelevision1950-55%hadtelevision1960-90%hadtelevisionMassMediaRiseofT.V.SterotypesRadio&Movies1949-1stbroadcastFCCFatherKnowsBestMainlyWhiteActorsWesternsRadioAdvertising1954-Color1953-CinemaScopeASubcultureEmergesAlthoughthemassmediafoundawideaudiencefortheirportrayalsofmostlywhitepopularculture.TheBeatMovementExp