Studied by 11 people
What was initially difficult after WWII?
the transition from wartime to peacetime economy
What caused inflation after WWII?
lifting of price controls
What limited spending and investment WWII?
the high tax rates
Why did unions lose bargaining power after WWII?
due to the Taft Hartley Act
What canceled out factory workers’ efforts to get pay increases?
the Taft Hartley Act, which was anti-labor union and limited workers’ ability to get higher salaries
How did the U.S. fare during WIWII in comparison to Europe?
U.S. war industries made factories prosperous, while European economies and infrastructure were severely damaged
Why did the U.S. economy prosper after WWII?
U.S. technology in aerospace, plastics, automobiles, and electronics dominated foreign completion
women (mostly young and single) continued to contribute in the workforce
the Korean War (1950) enriched war industries once again
Why did the demographics of Sunbelt states change?
due to climate and job opportunities
What did the G.I. Bill have a major positive impact on?
the economic lives of returning veterans
Why were Americans ready to spend in the late 1940s and 1950s?
they had suffered through sacrifice and attempted savings throughout the Great Depression and WWII
What caused the baby boom generation?
soldiers returning home and starting families
How did the baby boom help the economy?
it created more workers and raised GDP
What led to higher home ownership?
low unemployment, higher wages, and expanded federal programs
Why were consumers seen as patriotic citizens?
post war economic recovery depended on dynamic mass consumption
What were examples of desirable products in the 1950s?
automobiles, TVs, toys, home appliances, fashion and music
What did the rise of suburbs lead to?
a rise in automobiles and latest technology appliances for homes
What is an example of how aggressive advertising fueled consumerism?
advertisements targeted women for household appliances and child-related goods
What became the most desired consumer product in the 1970s?
the automobile
What did the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (G.I. Bill) do?
gave financial aid to returning soldiers for college tuition, home loans and business loans, creating a large and prosperous middle class for generations
What did the Department of Research and Development do?
invested in science and new technology, creating a massive increase in patents after WWII
How did GNP double between 1940-1950?
mobilization of peacetime factories benefitted workers and consumers
How did wartime savings and cashed-in war bonds benefit the economy?
they encouraged spending
What did the Cold War start that employed millions of defense industry workers?
peacetime military-industrial complex
How did tax reform and the Revenue Act encourage spending and investment?
they lowered taxes significantly for individuals and corporations
What was the Federal Highway Act (1956)?
a huge infrastructure project that built major highways, employed thousands, and led to a rise in auto sales and related businesses as well as suburban housing and related necessities
What skyrocketed during WWII?
industrial productivity and corporate profits
Why did wages and benefits increase?
due to increased demand for workers and high business profits
What did labor unions gain?
more power to negotiate with employers
How did minorities advance during WWII?
they were employed more than any time prior to that point in history
What was the rise of the middle class greatly affected by?
high employment rates
Why were childcare workers in demand during WWII?
women worked in wartime factories
How were women vital to the war effort on the home front?
they worked in the factories and in clerical positions
Why did women leave the workplace after WWII?
men returned and took their jobs back, and many women had children to raise during the baby boom
How did African Americans advance during WWII?
they fought a Double V campaign, which was a victory against Nazis in Germany and racism in the U.S.
Why did African Americans threaten to march on Washington in 1941?
to protest discrimination in the defense industry; was successful as FDR passed an executive order
What civil rights organization was founded during WWII?
CORE
How did the G.I. Bill help African Americans?
it allowed more black mobility into the middle class
How did Native Americans contribute to the war effort?
code talkers helped defeat Japan in the Pacific
How did Mexicans and Puerto Ricans contribute to the war effort?
they fought and migrated to war factories on the home front
How were Mexicans and Puerto Ricans mistreated despite their war contributions?
they faced discrimination over job competition during and after the water (zoot suit riot)
What did the Bracero program do?
it recruited Mexican migrants for agricultural work but then deported them through “operation wetback” in the mid-1950s
Why did the white middle class grow?
because of higher wages and the G.I. bill
Who became the new urban poor?
blacks that moved North to take open factory jobs during WWII and ended up staying there
What required men to move to the Sunbelt states?
jobs in the defense industries
Why was the post-WWII demographic shift the largest ever?
women followed their husbands to their new jobs, which included moves from farms and cities to suburbs
What was the distinct youth culture a direct result of?
the baby boom, which created the largest demographic in U.S. history
How did advertisers and Hollywood films target a young audience?
by using stars such as James Dean, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe
What became the biggest cultural change of the 1950s?
TV
What were popular children’s TV shows of the 1950s?
Mickey Mouse Club, Captain Kangaroo, Howdy Doody
What did TV comedies focus on?
white traditional families – working father and stay-at-home mother
How were people of color usually presented in TV?
as stereotypes
What was the distinct youth culture seen a backlash to?
the consumerism and conformity of the 1950s
What behaviors did rebellious teens engage in?
smoking, using slang, and adopted a hot rod culture (fast cars)
What were “squares”?
teens (or older people) that conformed to accepted 1950s values
What was rock and roll?
a new mix of country / African American blues that morphed into popular teen music hated by parents
What was rock and roll popularized by?
radio DJs
What did rock and roll become a major component of?
teen culture
What was race music?
music made by and for African Americans, typically of the blues of jazz genre
What is social mobility?
the movement of a person or a group of people between different social classes or statues in a society
What is the opposite of social mobility?
a caste system
What is intragenerational mobility?
how a person’s social mobility changes during their lifetime
What is intergenerational mobility?
how social mobility changes across generations
How was the G.I. Bill a major factor in social mobility?
it provided monetary assistance to create a larger middle class
How did the government help the upper class earn more?
it invested in technology and education
Why did blacks have to struggle to make the same gains as whites?
they benefitted from the prosperous economy but to a lesser degree
What limited women’s social mobility?
women were forced out of their jobs during WWII and a women’s social mobility was usually tied to her husband’s
Note 
Flashcard (35)