50's and 60's test review US H ll

Postwar Trends

Population growth, suburban expansion, and rising consumer spending after WWII

Economic Impacts

A booming economy fueled by manufacturing, credit, and middle‑class growth

Social Impacts

Reinforced traditional gender roles, suburban living, and youth culture

Political Impacts

Cold War tensions influencing domestic policy and loyalty expectations

Pop Culture

Entertainment forms like TV, music, and movies shaping national identity

TV

A dominant medium that transformed news, entertainment, and advertising

Rock & Roll

Youth‑driven music blending Black and white influences, symbolizing rebellion

Beat Culture

A countercultural movement rejecting materialism and embracing artistic freedom

Conformity

Social pressure to follow traditional norms in work, family, and lifestyle

Family Dynamics

Emphasis on nuclear families with male breadwinners and female homemakers

The Company Man

A symbol of loyalty to corporate culture and stable, long‑term employment

The Homemakers

Women encouraged to focus on domestic duties and raising children

Teenagers

A distinct youth group with spending power and cultural influence

Suburbia

Mass‑produced housing developments offering affordable homes outside cities

White Flight/Urban Renewal

Movement of white families to suburbs and redevelopment displacing urban minorities

Consumerism

A culture centered on buying goods to express success and modernity

Advertisements

Marketing that promoted idealized lifestyles and encouraged mass consumption

Planned Obsolescence

Designing products to become outdated to increase sales

Franchises

Standardized businesses expanding nationwide with uniform products and branding

Automobiles

Essential for suburban commuting and symbolic of freedom and status

National Highway Act

1956 law creating interstate highways to support travel, defense, and suburban growth

1950s

Truman

Labor Unrest

Postwar strikes as workers demanded higher wages and better conditions

Taft

Hartley Act

Civil Rights

Truman’s steps toward equality, including desegregating the military

1948 Election

Truman’s surprising victory despite party divisions

Fair Deal

Truman’s plan to expand social programs, housing, and civil rights

1950s

Eisenhower

Political Policy

“Modern Republicanism” mixing conservative economics with selective social programs

Conservatism

Preference for limited government spending and reduced federal intervention

I Like Ike! & Use of Television

Popular campaign using TV to build a positive public image

Red Scare Impact

Anti‑communist fears shaping loyalty checks and political culture

EO 10450

Expanded background checks to remove suspected security risks from federal jobs

Pledge of Allegiance

“Under God” added in 1954 to contrast U.S. values with communism

1960s

JFK

1960 Election

Close race shaped by televised debates and Cold War concerns

Campaign

Emphasized youth, energy, and stronger leadership against the Soviet Union

Result

Kennedy narrowly winning the presidency

Bay of Pigs

Failed U.S.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba bringing the world near nuclear war

Berlin Crisis

Tensions over Berlin leading to the construction of the Berlin Wall

Easing Tensions with the Soviet Union

Steps toward diplomacy including the Limited Test Ban Treaty

New Frontier

Kennedy’s domestic agenda promoting innovation, civil rights, and social progress

Economic

Policies encouraging growth through tax cuts and investment

Foreign Aid

Programs like the Peace Corps expanding U.S. influence abroad

Space

Commitment to landing a man on the Moon to win the Space Race

Domestic Issues

Efforts to address poverty, education, and civil rights

Assassination

Kennedy’s death in 1963, shocking the nation and shifting political momentum

1960s

LBJ

Domestic Policy

Aggressive use of federal power to fight poverty and inequality

1964 Election

Johnson’s landslide victory enabling sweeping legislation

The Great Society

Programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and civil rights laws aimed at improving quality of life

Impacts

Reduced poverty, expanded rights, and increased federal involvement in social welfare