Postwar America: Economic Growth, Civil Rights, and Cold War Policies

What did the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 create?

A network of interstate highways modeled after the German autobahns.

How was the interstate highway system funded?

Largely by federal gasoline taxes.

What was the economic impact of highway construction in the 1950s?

It generated a 'multiplier effect' by creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and spurring tourism.

What was a significant cause of American prosperity in the 1950s?

The U.S. was the only industrialized nation not ravaged by WWII.

What was the increase in real income from 1945 to 1960?

Real income adjusted for inflation increased by 25%.

What was the home ownership rate in the U.S. in 1960?

62% of American families owned their homes.

What role did television play in American society during the 1950s?

It popularized consumer products and became a mediator of consumer culture.

What benefits did veterans receive from the GI Bill?

Money for higher education and low down payments on homes.

What demographic shift occurred due to the invention of air conditioning?

Population growth in the warmer states of the Sunbelt.

What characterized the Baby Boom from 1946 to 1964?

An average family size of 3.2 children and stable marriages.

Who were the leaders of the Beat movement?

Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.

What was a major cause of suburbanization in the 1950s?

The mass production of housing and the availability of GI Bill benefits.

What was the Bracero Program?

A program allowing Mexican citizens to work in the U.S. during WWII due to labor shortages.

What was the outcome of Mendez v. Westminster School District (1947)?

California school segregation was ruled unconstitutional.

What was the significance of Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

Educational segregation was ruled unconstitutional.

What event sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955?

Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat.

What was the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement?

He preached nonviolent civil disobedience and led the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

What was the U.S. strategy of Massive Retaliation during the Cold War?

A promise that any attack on NATO or the U.S. would be met with massive nuclear retaliation.

What does the Domino Theory refer to?

The belief that the fall of a non-communist government in Southeast Asia would lead to the spread of communism to neighboring countries.

Who was Mohammad Mossadegh?

The Prime Minister of Iran who was overthrown in a coup supported by the U.S.

What was the significance of the Little Rock Nine in 1957?

Nine African American students were barred from attending a segregated school, leading to federal intervention.

What was the impact of the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act?

It built freeways connecting urban areas to suburbs, facilitating suburbanization.

What was the average marriage age during the Baby Boom?

22 for men and 20 for women.

What was the cultural impact of television in the 1950s?

It perpetuated social stereotypes and consumer culture.

What was the economic condition of the U.S. by 1960?

The economy had doubled in size from $213 billion in 1945 to more than $500 billion.

What was the significance of the GI Bill in post-WWII America?

It enabled millions of veterans to access education and home ownership, contributing to economic growth.