Mr. Maurer
America in History III, Honors
Chapter 36 (1950 – 1964) Test Review
Conformity in the 1950s
1. Identify the characteristics of the “Organization Man.”
2. What was expected of women in the 1950s?
3. What factors helped to cause the migration of white middle class families to the suburbs after WW2?
(Think: automobiles, the G.I. Bill, new construction methods, mortgage lending practices)
4. How did World War 2 contribute to the growth of consumerism in the 1950s? How did the new medium
of television contribute to consumerism?
5. Identify: The Baby Boom
Rebellion
6. What were the musical roots of rock ‘n’ roll? How did middle class white parents react to rock ‘n’ roll?
7. Early Civil Rights – Identify: the Little Rock Nine
8. Identify two important authors of the Beat Generation. What was their message? How did they influence
the youth of the 1960s? (Read p. 872 – 873)
9. Identify: Betty Friedan, and The Feminine Mystique. What was Friedan’s message and contribution to the
women’s movement?
10. How did “teenagers” begin to change American culture in the 1950s?
Television
11. How did 1950s TV shows portray the American family? Why were they criticized for that?
12. How did Richard Nixon use television in the 1952 election?
13. How did TV influence the outcome of the 1960 Election?
14. What role did TV advertising play in the growth of America’s consumer culture?
The Automobile
15. Identify: Interstate Highway System How large a project was it? How did it contribute to
suburbanization?
16. How did motels and drive-ins reflect a changing American society?
The Cold War
17. Identify: nuclear arms race; flexible response strategy; John Foster Dulles; the Berlin Wall; Fidel Castro
18. How did the Soviets take the early lead in the space race? (Two specific events.) How did Americans
react to this? What goal did Kennedy establish for the U.S.?
19. Describe the motives, methods, and outcomes of the CIA-directed coup in Iran.
20. Describe the causes and outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis. How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect
the American people psychologically?
21. Describe the motives for and outcome of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
22. How did America respond to the anti-communist uprising in Hungary in 1956?
23. Describe the U-2 Incident
Politics:
24. Eisenhower
What role did Eisenhower play in ending the Korean War?
Explain what “Middle of the Road” means when applied to Eisenhower’s politics.
What did Eisenhower mean when he warned Americans about the “military Industrial complex”
Identify: Operation Wetback
25. Kennedy
Identify: Peace Corps, New Frontier, Camelot, Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Warren Commission
Explain how Kennedy’s assassination affected America as a nation.