45-61 Flashcards
decribe the impact of the second world war
millions served armed forces=8 mil veterans gained employment from GI bill rights=higher education=rise college educated americans=15%=lower interest on hosuing=20 billion given to veterans in 40s and 50s =more homeowners
describe the changing living standards
by 1949 per capita income nearly twice that of other nations
-unemployment remained 4%
personal income 4x higher than 30s
owners rather than renters =43
describe the growth of consumer society
-more labour saving devices promoted by ads saying they were essential to american dream gave housewives more time household appliance sales increased by 500%
teenagers key consumers=10 mil record players one mil tv sets 20 lipstick
describe how not all Americans prospered
affluent society book=still poor people but it was hidden in rural areas=cheaper food meant people didnt appear malnourished but were=ill and old faced most poverty
nearly one third Americans lived in poverty boom led to fall by 22% 1959=black people native americans poor undesirable conformity in suburbia=increased conformity and consumerism in tv ads
describe the impact of increased leisure time
fuelled consumerism=impacted american culture=more tourism=ads car culture improved roads
describe the impact tourism
expansion air travel, credit cards, travel agencies motel chains=more jobs =southern califorinas warm climate=contributed growth LA and San diego=las vegas prosperd
bad as it homogenised american culture=billboard staue libery=reinforce americanism
=fed gov played role in promoting particular view america through expansion national parks=promote national pride=1948=congress allowed creation indepedance national historic park philly
-feared impact on local cultural identies=Cherokee tribe welcomed 2 mil tourists summer to have photo opportunities=seasonal remained impoverished in winter months
describe the growth of spectator sports
Brooklyn dodgers suffered falling gate receipts due to old stadium had little parking in car-driving America=moved to Los Angles in 1957=24,000 car parking places=deserted dodgers fans said it was trade
increasing commercialisation =tv=increased pop football
improved race relations=Brooklyn dodgers introduced first black player to major league 1947=increased family ideal=watched offspring little league baseball
describe the impact of car-owning culture
-due to Eisenhower interstate highway=revolutionised American roads=changed society lifestyles=easy luxiourious drive=showed ones status =eat fast food watch movies even church
-employed hundreds thousands americans=most cars 1950s made in Detroit by Ford general motors or Chrysler =reflected Americans self confidence and affuence=large quanties chrome decorated with=encouraged people to buy new car as often possible=average 4.5 million cars scrapped each year in 1950s and 7.9 million were manufactured in 1955 alone
=boom in service industries=1952 modern American motel chain born=first holiday inn and by 1960 228 McDonalds=new on road culture=1955 McDonalds made 100,000 year
hired service workers gas station attendants maid=by 1960 7 mill service workers =genrally low paid relied on tips =homogenised desert lands of south=white flight crowded urban areas deprived cities tax base and contributed growth ghettos impovershied pop of mostly minority groups =public transport suffered
describe the impact of increased air travel
gov intervention=more passenger air travel 1940 typical flyer still white businessman 1948 captial airlines introduced first coach and tourist fares=lower fares made itmore popular=1950s cheap flights and hotels attracted americans to Cuba=$50=hotel food entertainment=increased consumerism and tourism
flights had long delays still=LA-New York could take 12 hours
