1.4 : The Changing Quality of Life, 1917-80 Flashcards
(70 cards)
What happened to real wages between 1917–41?
Real wages rose, meaning workers could buy more with their income, contributing to better living standards.
What was the impact of the Great Depression (1929–33) on living standards?
Unemployment rose to 25%, many lost homes and savings; severe decline in living standards for millions.
How did New Deal programs affect living standards?
They provided jobs and relief, especially through agencies like the WPA and CCC, improving basic living conditions.
What was consumerism like in the 1920s?
Rapid growth, with widespread ownership of radios, cars, and refrigerators; installment buying became common.
How did WWII impact living standards?
War production boosted employment and wages; rationing limited goods, but overall economic conditions improved.
What was the G.I. Bill (1944) and its impact?
Provided education and housing support for veterans, helping to raise living standards post-WWII.
How did the suburban boom affect quality of life in the 1950s?
It improved quality of life with better housing, space, and access to consumer goods, though often racially exclusive.
What did Levittown symbolize in the 1950s?
Mass-produced, affordable housing that reflected rising middle-class affluence and suburbanisation.
What role did credit and consumer debt play in the 1950s–60s?
Credit became more accessible, fueling consumer spending and the illusion of prosperity.
What signs of economic downturn appeared in the 1970s?
Stagflation, oil crises, and rising unemployment, leading to declining real incomes and living standards.
How did leisure activities change in the 1920s?
Increased income and shorter working hours allowed for more cinema, sports, and radio entertainment.
What was the significance of radio in the 1920s and 1930s?
Radio became a major source of news and entertainment, with over 28 million sets by 1939.
How did the movie industry reflect changing leisure patterns?
Hollywood boomed; weekly cinema attendance peaked at 90 million in the 1940s.
How did car ownership influence leisure in the 1950s?
Enabled travel to suburban malls, drive-in movies, and vacation spots; expanded personal freedom.
What was the Interstate Highway Act (1956)?
Federal funding for 41,000 miles of highway, improving travel, trade, and suburban growth.
What role did Disneyland (opened 1955) play in shaping leisure culture?
Became a symbol of postwar family leisure and the merging of entertainment and consumerism.
How did airline travel change from 1945 to 1980?
Became more accessible due to jet technology and deregulation in 1978; boosted long-distance leisure travel.
What was the impact of TV on leisure by the 1960s?
Became central to home life, influencing culture and reducing other forms of leisure activity.
What trend in leisure developed in the 1970s?
Rise of fast food, shopping malls, and video games; shift to more passive, commercialized leisure.
How did access to leisure vary by race and class?
African Americans and the poor had less access to suburban leisure, often excluded by segregation and poverty
What was white flight
Movement of white middle-class families to suburbs, often reinforcing racial segregation in cities.
How did urban centers change between 1945 and 1980?
Declined in wealth and population; increased poverty and crime due to suburbanisation and deindustrialisation.
What was the impact of the car on urban development?
Encouraged sprawl, weakened public transport, and restructured cities around automobile use.
What was redlining?
Discriminatory banking practice denying loans to minority urban neighborhoods, deepening racial inequality.
