the 1950s affluence and anxiety. american society after war… problems of reconversion – defense...
TRANSCRIPT
The 1950sThe 1950s
Affluence Affluence and Anxietyand Anxiety
American Society After War…
Problems of Reconversion– Defense spending drops in ’46, but
consumer spending rises– $6 bill. Tax cut helps, inflation rises
Inflation causes labor unrest Women and minorities pushed out of jobs
Serviceman Readjustment Act (G.I. Bill)– Provided $ and education to veterans
Truman’s Fair Deal
Goal to continue New Deal– More Social security, raise in min. wage,
increased gov. spending, scientific research, public works, national health insurance
1946 Rep. gain control of Congress – conservatives win and Fair Deal fails…– Economy deregulated and inflation soars!
Taft-Hartley Act– Counters Wagner Act of ’35– hurts small unions and minorities the most
Election of ‘48
Dixiecrats leave Democrats because of Civil Rights Bill – form State’s Rights party
Dewey = Republican candidate – expected to win
Fair Deal Revived
-Raises min. wage, expands social securities and National Housing Act
-No progress on education, healthcare, or civil rights
NUCLEAR AGE
Age torn b/t bright future with cheap nuclear power and great fear…
Fear of Fear of the the Bomb…Bomb…
The Red Scare
HUAC and the Hollywood Ten
Spies!
Alger Hiss accused of spying for Soviets, not enough evidence, Hiss convicted of perjury and sent to jail
The Rosenbergs convicted of passing nuclear secrets to Soviets, despite pleas for clemency, they were executed in 1953
McCarthyismMcCarthyismSen. Joseph Sen. Joseph McCarthyMcCarthy
McCarthy’s Downfall
“I speak as a Republican. I speak as a woman. I speak as a United States Senator. I speak as an American…. I am not proud of the way in which the Senate has been made a publicity platform for irresponsible sensationalism. I am not proud of the reckless abandon in which unproved charges have been hurled from this side of the aisle.”
- Margaret Chase Smith
ConformityConformity
Films mimic Films mimic and critique and critique the fears of the fears of the nation…the nation…
Rock and Roll!
Beatniks – non-conformists
Poet Jack Kerouac
Affluence and Family Life
Keynesian Economics: “demand side economics” vary fiscal policy and managing supply of currency = gov. stimulating economy
Lots of corporate consolidation “postwar contract” Workers get good pay and stop
raising hell – give up some rights to keep peace AFL and CIO merge – but still lots of anti-union
sentiment
Growth of Growth of the the SuburbsSuburbs
Federal Federal Highway Act Highway Act ’56’56
Levittown = Levittown = mass-mass-produced produced housinghousing
New Technology!
Antibiotics! Immunization! – Polio vaccine created by
Jonas Salk Pesticides! UNIVAC – first computer able to handle
numbers and letters– IBM begins selling computers to businesses
Space Program!
Sputnik – Soviets earth-orbiting satellite launched in ’57– U.S. launches own in ’58
NASA formed in ’58– Mercury – orbit Earth (Alan Shepard = first guy in
space, Cosmonaut first to orbit earth…_– Gemini – 2 men at once!– Apollo – moon! (1969 moon landing)
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