20th Century Unit 4

Demobilization

12 million men and women involved in the WWII war effort, 7.6 million of them stationed abroad 

-All of them had to rapidly shift back into normal life, men take back jobs

GI Bill

Technically called the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944  

-Biggest parts were zero interest home loans, job placement, farm assistance, and tuition payments 

-Returning soldiers could get educated/find a job and buy a home  

-Contributed to the post WWII economic BOOM 

Middle Class

-The G.I. Bill and the economic boom put money in people's pockets   

-Middle Class: stable, not in poverty but not ultra rich 

-The G.I. Bill allowed returning servicemen to own homes and live comfortable lives, disposable income brought consumerism roaring back once again 

Levittown

-Concept of the modern suburb 

-Levitt & Sons, William Levitt came up with the idea and built in 1947 outside of NYC

-Cheap, mass produced housing, could be built in at a rate of one per day utilizing pre planned techniques and built materials 

-Perfect place for returning servicemen to live, idea copied all over the US 

Interstate Highway Act

authorized the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways, creating the largest public works project in U.S. history.

Rural Poverty

Rural poverty refers to situations where people living in non-urban regions are in a state or condition of lacking the financial resources and essentials for living

Restrictive Covenants

-Developers and real estate companies wrote racial restrictive covenants into deeds (legal document transferring ownership)

-Supreme Court ruled unenforceable in 1948 and were made illegal in 1968 under the Fair Housing Act

-Levittown had one, there from the beginning

Redlining

-Banks refusing to gives home loans to people who lived in neighborhoods designated as “red” on maps they drew 

-These “red” areas were often majority minority populations or what were called at the time “ghettos”

White Flight

the massive postwar migration of white residents from U.S. cities to suburbs, driven by racial prejudice, fear of urban decline, and the pursuit of segregated housing.

Consumerism

materialism, commercialism, and high consumption, reflecting a culture centered on acquiring goods.

Rock n’ Roll

-Born out of the southern Black community, mixture of jazz, rhythm & blues, and country music 

-Fats Domino released the first Rock ‘N Roll record in 1950 (yes, this is debatable) 

-Young folks, particularly white ones, began to vehemently consume this new style of music

Advertisement

a paid, public message—such as a video, image, or text—designed to persuade an audience to buy products, use services, or support causes

Ads target women, men, and even children which is a new concept

Television

-TV purchases and usage skyrockets 

-Can you imagine life without TV? 

-News, Sports, Politics, Nature, Entertainment, Games, etc. 

-The role of TV in society was hotly debated, would it be a fad or take over the radio?

Car Culture

• Widespread consumption of goods and entertainment spawn a mass culture

• Car embodied that culture 

• Economic prosperity, suburbanization, and the interstate highway system promoted

• “Homemakers” and kid culture led to greater need for non-school related transportation - Girls Scouts and Little League

American Dream

The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life.

Commuter

a person who regularly travels between their residence and workplace or school, often from a suburb to a city

Service Sector

the portion of the economy that produces intangible goods—services rather than physical products

Franchise Businesses

• Customers sought affordability and predictable quality

• McDonalds - fast, clean and cheap - for travelers, tired housewives and teenagers

• Holiday Inn - motel chain grew to accommodate middle class travelers

• which allow entrepreneurs to operate under established brands with training and support. They offer faster market entry across sectors like food, home services, and senior care.

Baby Boom

-US birth rate explodes for nearly two decades after WWII  

-1950s Total Fertility Rate: 3.31 

-Today: 1.78

-Having a family was more affordable due to education and housing 

Gender Roles

societal norms defining acceptable behaviors, attitudes, and activities for individuals based on their gender.

Benjamin Spock

-American pediatrician

-Wrote the best selling book "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care in 1946"

-Educated parents on how to change the ways in which they raised their children.

Nuclear Family

a household unit comprising two parents and their children (biological or adopted) living in one dwelling, often considered the core social unit