Life in the 1950s

1
Life in the 1950s

• US History Spiconardi

2
Consumer Spending

• After World War II, Americans were ready, able,
  willing to spend their money
• Factories had converted from producing military
  supplies to consumer goods
• Many had saved up from wartime jobs

3
Consumer Spending
4
Consumer Spending
5
Suburbanization

• Thanks to baby boom GI Bill there was a rise
  in new homes
• Building outside of major cities begins
• Levittowns ? nearly identical homes built on
  treeless lots mass production of houses
• Impact
• Decline of the Cities
• Fewer taxpayers ? not enough funds for services
• Greater concentration of poor in the cities puts
  a strain on cities due to demand for social
  services

6
Suburbanization
7
Automobile

• Cars made growth of suburbs possible and in turn
  caused greater demand for cars
• Helped steel, rubber, glass industries
• Caused Americas dependence on oil pollution

8
Automobile

• Federal Highway Act of 1956
• Largest public works program in US History
• 31 billion dollars to construct over 40,000
  miles of roadways
• Intended to facilitate commerce allow military
  to move about the country
• Helped integrated South into national economy
• Expands metropolitan areas (suburbanization)

9
Television

• Impact
• Education/News
• Homogenized culture
• Increases consumerism via advertising
• Alters sense of reality?
• Less socialization?
• Hurt movie industry?

10
Rock-n-Roll

• Seen as the music of the devil
• Associated with rebellious teens
• Led to moral depravity (Elvis hip swivel)

11
Education

• After Sputnik, US makes education a matter of
  national security
• National Defense Education Act (1958)
• Funded programs in math, science, and foreign
  language

12
Bomb Shelters Air Raid Drills
13
Bomb Shelters Air Raid Drills
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)