Rockin’ and Rollin’ through the 1950s

What did postwar America look like?

GI Bill of Rights (1944) Provided tuition

reimbursement for education

One-year’s worth of unemployment benefits

Guaranteed low interest federal loans

Rising unemployment

Inflation Decrease in wages Shortage of goods Striking Workers

Transitions

“Give ‘em Hell Harry!” 1946 - 80th Congress “I am asking for equality of opportunity for

all human beings…and if that ends up in my failure to be re-elected, that failure will be in good cause.” Harry Truman

Executive Order 9981 – splits party Wins election anyway “Fair Deal”

Increase in hourly wages Extension of Social Security Creation of low income housing

“I like Ike!” Republican Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower

and Richard Nixon “Checkers” Incident https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhQD2UFCIbY

Ike snags Presidency – 55% of popular vote

Middle of the road - Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

Accomplishments: Passed the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 –

Why?

Rise of Suburbia Housing crisis William Levitt

Assembly line theory Suburbs exactly the same New York’s Long Island – first Levittown -

$7,900 ($60/month)

Women take Charge During war - Independent Made important household decisions AND

brought home the bacon After war – resisted regression 1950 – 1 million wartime marriages ended

in divorce Baby Boom Jonas Salk

“Affluent Society”(Throw away society)

Americans have money to spend New type of jobs created Automobiles TV ownership increases Beatnik – nonconformist movement Rock and roll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf55gHK48VQ

Explain two issues Truman faces during his postwar presidency

Who are the Dixiecrats? What are some of the changes that occur

in the economy after the war? How does the automobile change the

American lifestyle?