Post WWII Society
Goal 10
Returning Home
 GI Bill of Rights
 Up to 1 year of unemployment benefits
 Paid college education
 Housing shortages
 William Levitt begins suburban mass produced homes
(Levittown)
 Mass produced suburbs popup all over US
 Baby Boom
 US population dramatically increases
 Economic Boom
 After slight dip, economy booms
 GNP doubles by 1960 (US Market Economy)
 US gains nickname “Affluent Society”
Truman’s Presidency
 Early in office had trouble w/ unions
 Threatens to draft striking workers
 Truman supports equal rights for African Americans
 No cooperation from Congress
 Passes executive order integrating military
 Close election in 1948
 Truman runs on an anti-Congress platform
 Wins by slightest of margins (“Dewey Defeats Truman”)
 Becomes unpopular due to Korean War
 Does not run for re-election in 1952
 Dwight D. Eisenhower easily wins 1952 election
 Nixon was VP candidate
 “Checkers speech”
Society Changes
 New technologies (TVs, computers, nuclear power plants, etc.)
 Jobs shift more towards white collar
 Emphasis on social conformity
 Franchising becomes popular (ex – McDonalds)
 Automotive society
 More people live in suburbs; drive to work
 Interstate Highway Act (1956) 41,000 miles of roads created
 Consumerism
 Manufacturers begin planned obsolescence (US becomes known as
throwaway society)
 Increased spending on credit
 Americans bought cars, gadgets for their homes, vacations, etc. in
unprecedented numbers
Values and Beliefs
 Renewed emphasis on religion
 Billy Graham begins crusades
 Congress addresses “godless communism”
 Adds “under God” to Pledge of Allegiance (1954)
 Adds “in God we trust” to all US currency (1955)
 Conformity a major issue (don’t want to be viewed as a
possible communist)
 Some begin to rebel
 Beatniks – group known for anti conformity
 1st hippies
 Open drug use & sexuality
 Jack Kerouac - leader
Values continued
 Cult of Domesticity re-emerges
 A few advocated that science supported the idea that women
could only find fulfillment as a homemaker.
 The concept of a woman’s place being in the home was
widespread in magazines, TV, and society in general.
 TV shows: Father Knows Best, Ozzie & Harriet, Leave it to Beaver,