APUSH Chapter 35+36 Domestic Policy

G.I. Bill

This assisted veterans with low-interest home loans, college tuition, and unemployment benefits.

Employment Act of 1946

This act declared it government policy "to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power". It also created a three-member Council of Economic Advisers to advise the president.

Taft-Hartley Act

Passed in 1947 over President Truman's veto, this act was condemned by labor leaders as a "slave-labor law". It outlawed the "closed" shop, made unions liable for damages from jurisdictional disputes, and required union leaders to take a non-communist oath.

Growth of Suburbs

Postwar prosperity led to increased homeownership and the expansion of suburban communities like Levittown. The expansion of highways facilitated suburbanization and a car-dependent culture.

Baby Boom

From 1946-1964, a sharp increase in population further drove economic growth and demand for goods and services.

Fair Deal

Truman's program called for improved housing, full employment, a higher minimum wage, better farm price supports, new TVAs, and an extension of Social Security.

Second Red Scare

Dominated American politics in the late 1940s and 1950s. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated suspected communist influence. The McCarthy era saw widespread accusations of communist infiltration, often without evidence. Loyalty programs were implemented to root out suspected communists in the government.

McCarran Internal Security Act

Truman vetoed this in 1950; it authorized the president to arrest and detain suspicious people during an "internal security emergency," but Congress enacted it over his veto.

Interstate Highway System

The Federal Highway Act of 1956 initiated the largest road system in the world, with over 40,000 miles, originally for defense purposes but enabling the expansion of commerce, industry, and the growth of suburbs.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Ruled segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson.

Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)

Sparked by Rosa Parks' arrest, leading to the desegregation of buses in Montgomery.

The Feminine Mystique

Betty Friedan's 1963 book identified the stifling boredom of suburban housewifery and helped launch the modern women's movement.

Rock 'n' Roll

Elvis Presley fused black rhythm and blues with white bluegrass and country styles, creating a new musical idiom known as rock 'n' roll.

Harry Truman

President after FDR; faced the challenge of transitioning the U.S. to a peacetime economy. He outlined the Fair Deal program. He launched a massive "loyalty" program in 1947.

Richard Nixon

As a member of HUAC, he led the chase after Alger Hiss, who was accused of being a communist agent.

Joseph McCarthy

Led widespread accusations of communist infiltration, often without substantial evidence. His tactics, known as ________ism, damaged American traditions of fair play and free speech.

Betty Friedan

Author of The Feminine Mystique, which gave focus and fuel to women's feelings.

Elvis Presley

Revolutionized popular music in the fifties with rock 'n' roll.

Rosa Parks

Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Martin Luther King Jr.

A key leader of the Civil Rights Movement, he helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott and formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Dwight Eisenhower

President after Truman; shifted U.S. Cold War strategy to focus on "New Look" policy, emphasizing nuclear deterrence over conventional military forces to reduce costs.