The Americans
Chapter 27
I. Postwar America
A. Readjustment and Recovery
1. The Impact of the GI Bill
a. 1944 GI Bill of Rights eases veterans’ return to civilian life
b. Pays partial tuition, unemployment benefits; provides loans
2. Housing Crisis
a. 10 million returning veterans face housing shortage
b. Developers use assembly-line methods to mass-produce houses
c. Build suburbs—small residential communities around cities
Continued…
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The Americans
Chapter 27
3. Redefining the Family
a. Tensions from changed gender roles during war increase divorce rate
4. Economic Readjustment
a. Over 1 million defense workers laid off; wages drop for many workers
b. Price controls end; 25% increase in cost of scarce consumer goods
c. Congress reestablishes price, wage, rent controls
5. Remarkable Recovery
a. People have savings, service pay, war bonds; buy goods long missed
b. Cold War keeps defense spending up; foreign aid creates markets
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 1
B. Meeting Economic Challenges
1. President Truman’s Inheritance
a. Harry S. Truman can make difficult decisions, take responsibility
2. Truman Faces Strikes
a. 1946, higher prices, lower wages lead 4.5 million to strike
b. Truman seizes mines, threatens to take over railroads
c. Threatens to draft workers; unions give in
3. “Had Enough?”
a. Republicans win Senate, House; ignore Truman’s domestic policy
b. Congress passes Taft-Hartley Act, overturns many union rights
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 1
C. Social Unrest Persists
1. Truman Supports Civil Rights
a. African Americans, especially veterans, demand rights as citizens
b. Think measures violate respect for personal rights, property
— integrates armed forces; ends discrimination in government hiring
2. The 1948 Election
a. Southern Democrats—Dixiecrats—protest civil rights, form own party
b. Truman calls special session; asks Congress for social legislation
c. Congress refuses; Truman goes on “whistlestop campaign”
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 1
3. Stunning Upset
a. Truman defeats Thomas E. Dewey in close political upset
b. Democrats regain control of Congress, lose some Southern states
4. The Fair Deal
a. Truman’s Fair Deal is ambitious economic program, includes:
— higher minimum wage, flood control projects, low-income housing
b. Congress passes parts of Fair Deal
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 1
D. Republicans Take the Middle Road
1. I Like Ike!
a. Truman’s approval rating drops over Korean War, McCarthyism
— decides not to run for reelection
b. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower runs against IL governor Adlai Stevenson
c. Newspapers accuse VP candidate Richard M. Nixon of corruption
— defends self in televised “Checkers speech”
d. Eisenhower wins; Republicans narrowly take Congress
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 1
2. Walking the Middle of the Road
a. Eisenhower conservative about money, liberal on social issues
b. Ike tries to avoid civil rights movement, which is gaining strength
c. On economy, works for balanced budget, tax cut
d. Pushes social legislation, new Dept. of Health, Education, Welfare
e. Popularity soars; is reelected in 1956
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The Americans
Chapter 27
II. The American Dream in the Fifties
A. The Organization and the Organization Man
1. Employment in the U.S.
a. By 1956, majority of Americans not in blue-collar (industrial) jobs
b. More in higher-paying, white-collar (office, professional) positions
c. Many in services, like sales, advertising, insurance, communications
2. Conglomerates
a. Conglomerates—corporation that owns smaller, unrelated companies
b. Diversify to protect from downturns in individual industries
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section 2
3. Franchises
a. Franchise—company offers similar products, services in many places
— also the right to use company name and system
b. Fast-food restaurants among first, most successful franchises
4. Social Conformity
a. Many employees with well-paid, secure jobs
lose individuality
b. Personality tests see if job candidates fit in company culture
c. Companies reward teamwork, loyalty, encourage conformity
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
B. The Suburban Lifestyle
1. The Baby Boom
a. 1950s, 85% of new homes built in suburbs
b. 1945–1965 baby boom—soaring birth rate after soldiers return
2. Advances in Medicine and Childcare
a. New drugs fight, prevent childhood diseases
b. Dr. Jonas Salk develops vaccine for poliomyelitis
c. Pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock writes popular guide for parents
d. Baby boom impacts economy, educational system
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
3. Women’s Roles
a. Magazines, TV, movies glorify role of homemaker, mother
b. Over 1/5 of suburban wives dissatisfied with their lives
c. 1960, 40% mothers work; limited opportunities, less pay than men
4. Leisure in the Fifties
a. Shorter work week, paid vacation, labor-saving devices free up time
b. People have time for recreational activities, spectator sports
c. Book, magazine, comic book sales climb rapidly
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
C. The Automobile Culture
1. Automania
a. Cheap, plentiful gas, easy credit, advertising increase car sales
b. No public transit in suburbs; cars necessary
2. The Interstate Highway System
a. Local, state roads link cities, suburbs to schools, shops, work
b. Interstate Highway Act—nationwide highway network unites country
c. Highways enable long-haul trucking, new towns, family vacations
d. Towns near highways prosper; those near older, smaller roads decline
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
3. Mobility Takes Its Toll
a. Auto boom stimulates new businesses—e.g. drive-in movies
b. Cars create social, environmental problems—e.g. accidents, pollution
c. Upper-, middle-class whites leave cities; jobs, businesses follow
d. Economic gulf widens between suburban and urban
— also widens gap between middle class and the poor
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
D. Consumerism Unbound
1. New Products
a. 60% of Americans in middle class; twice as many as before WW II
b. Consumerism (buying material goods) equated with success
c. Numerous new products appear on market in response to demand
2. Planned Obsolescence
a. Planned obsolescence—making products that get outdated, wear out
— makes consumers buy or want to buy new ones
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-2
3. Buy Now, Pay Later
a. Credit purchases, credit cards, installments extend payment period
b. Private debt grows; consumers confident of future prosperity
4. The Advertising Age
a. Most people have satisfied basic needs; ads encourage extra spending
b. Psychological appeals in ads lure consumers to particular products
c. Ads appear in all media; television emerges as powerful new tool
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-3
III. Popular Culture
A. New Era of the Mass Media
1. The Rise of Television
a. Mass media—means of communication that reach large audiences
b. TV first widely available 1948; in almost 90% of homes in 1960
c. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates communications
d. By 1956, FCC allows 500 stations to broadcast
e. Programs: comedies, news, dramas, variety shows, children’s shows
f. Lifestyle changes: TV Guide is popular magazine; TV dinners
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-3
2. Stereotypes and Gunslingers
a. Women, minorities on TV are stereotypes; few blacks, Latinos
b. Westerns glorify historical frontier conflicts
c. Raise concerns about effect of violence on children
3. Radio and Movies
a. Television cuts into radio, movie markets
b. Radio turns to local news, weather, music, community affairs
c. Movies capitalize on size, color, sound advantages; try gimmicks
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-3
B. A Subculture Emerges
1. The Beat Movement
a. Beat movement—writers, artists express social, literary nonconformity
b. Poets, writers use free, open form; read works aloud in coffeehouses
c. Beatnik attitudes, way of life attract media attention, students
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Chapter 27
Section-3
C. African Americans and Rock ‘n’ Roll
1. Rock ‘n’ Roll
a. Black musicians add electric instruments to blues—rhythm and blues
b. Rock ‘n’ roll—mix of rhythm and blues, country, pop
c. Has heavy rhythm, simple melodies, lyrics about teenage concerns
d. Music appeals to newly affluent teens who can buy records
e. Many adults concerned music will lead to delinquency, immorality
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-3
2. The Racial Gap
a. African-American singers like Nat “King” Cole, Lena Horne popular
b. Many black artists play jazz, music characterized by improvisation
c. African-American shows mostly broadcast on black radio stations
— content, advertising target black audiences
d. Important to black audiences with fewer TV sets, no presence on TV
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-4
IV. The Other America
A. The Urban Poor
1. White Flight
a. 1962, 25% of Americans below poverty level
b. Post WW II–1960, 5 million blacks go from rural South to urban North
c. White flight results in loss of businesses, tax payers to cities
d. Cities can no longer afford to maintain or improve:
— schools, public transportation, police and fire departments
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-4
2. The Inner Cities
a. Poverty grows rapidly in decaying inner cities
b. Poor economic conditions lead to illness and terrible conditions
3. Urban Renewal
a. Urban renewal—replace rundown buildings with new low-income housing
b. Housing and Urban Development Dept. created to improve conditions
c. Not enough housing built for displaced people
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-4
B. Poverty Leads to Activism
1. Mexicans Seek Employment
a. Many Southwest Mexicans become U.S. citizens after Mexican War
b. 1942–47, Mexican braceros, hired hands, allowed into U.S. to work
c. After war, many remain illegally; many others enter to look for work
2. The Longoria Incident
a. Undertaker refuses funeral services to Felix Longoria, WW II veteran
b. Outraged Mexican-American veterans organize G.I. Forum
c. Unity League of CA registers voters, promotes responsive candidates
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The Americans
Chapter 27
Section-4
3. Native Americans Continue their Struggle
a. During Depression, U.S. policy of Native American autonomy
b. National Congress of American Indians: civil rights, maintain customs
c. U.S. stops family allotments, wages; outsiders take tribal lands
4. The Termination Policy
a. Termination policy cuts economic support, gives land to individuals
b. Bureau of Indian Affairs helps resettlement in cities
c. Termination policy is a failure; abandoned in 1963
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