Contemporary
History
What have been three causes
of social and cultural change
in America during the last 50
years?
• Women in the workplace
• New immigrant groups
• Technology revolution
Where have many
American women
found personal
satisfaction?
•In the workplace
How has the percentage
of women in America’s
labor force changed in
contemporary America?
•Increased
In contemporary
America what percentage
of American women work
outside the home?
•More than 50%
By the end of the 1970s,
what kind of jobs did
many American women
hold?
•Nontraditional
jobs
Who was the first
woman appointed to
the Supreme Court?
•Sandra Day
O’Connor
Who was the
first American
woman in space?
•Sally Ride
What law prohibits
sex discrimination
by employers?
• Civil Rights Act
of 1964
What branch of the gov’t.
has protected the rights
of American women in
the workplace?
• Federal courts or
• Judicial Branch
Do American women
still suffer sexual
discrimination?
•YES!
Name four
problems faced
by American
women in the
workplace.
• 1. Day Care
• 2. Equal Pay
• 3. The “Pink Collar”
Ghetto
• 4. The “Glass
Ceiling”
What term means
women often hold lowprestige, low-paying
jobs?
• The “Pink Collar”
Ghetto
Give one example of
a “pink collar”
ghetto job.
•Clerical jobs, like
•Secretaries
What idea argues that
career advancement for
women is not equal to
that for men?
•The “Glass Ceiling”
Give an example of
the “glass ceiling.”
• Few women are CEO’s
or heads of major
corporations.
From what 2 regions of
the world have many
contemporary
immigrants come?
• Asia
• Latin America
For what two reasons
have most contemporary
immigrants come to the
U.S.?
• Political Freedom
• Economic Opportunity
Give 2 examples of
contemporary immigrants who
have come to the U.S. for both
political freedom and economic
opportunity.
• South Vietnamese
• Cubans
From what country have
millions of contemporary
immigrants emigrated mainly
for economic opportunity?
•Mexico
Name 4 effects of
contemporary
immigration on
American society
and culture.
• 1) Bilingual education and
ESL courses in public
schools
• 2) Effects on public policy
• 3) Effects on American
politics and voting patterns
• 4) Lasting contributions
What is an ESL
course?
•English as a Second
Language
How has Cuban
immigration influenced
American public policy?
•American trade
embargo on Cuba
What does
embargo mean?
•Refuse to trade with
another country
Give 2 examples of
how contemporary
immigrants have
affected American
politics and voting
patterns.
• 1) Cuban-Americans in
Florida vote
Republican.
• 2) Mexican-Americans
in California vote
Democratic.
Give 2 examples of
lasting contributions to
American culture
made by contemporary
immigrants.
•1) Popularity of
Mexican Food
•2) Popularity of
Salsa Music
What type of jobs have
contemporary
immigrants often
filled?
•Low paying jobs
Give an example of a low
paying job held by
contemporary
immigrants.
•Farm Workers
What program was a
triumph of American
technology?
•The Space
Program
What president pledged
increased support for the
American space
program?
•John F. Kennedy
Who was the 1st
American to orbit
the Earth?
•John Glenn
Who was the 1st
American to step onto
the surface of the
moon?
•Neil Armstrong
What American said,
“That’s one small step for
man, one giant leap for
mankind”?
•Neil Armstrong
What recent
technological advances
have given more
Americans access to
global information and
brought changes in work,
school, and health care?
• 1) Cable Television (24
hr. news channels)
• 2) Personal Computers
• 3) Cellular Telephones
• 4) World Wide Web
What recent technology
has allowed workers to
do their jobs from home?
• Telecommuting
through the Internet
What recent technology has
opened up educational
possibilities through distance
learning?
•The Internet
How has the rapid
growth of technology
affected the # of whitecollar jobs in the U.S.?
• Greatly increased them or
• Created thousands of whitecollar jobs
How has technology in the
2nd half of the 20th century
affected medical research?
• Important
breakthroughs in
medical research
Who developed a
lifesaving vaccine for
polio?
•Dr. Jonas Salk