The American 50s Flashcards
The Happy Days? (17 cards)
1
Q
American Graffiti
A
- 1973
- George Lucas’ first major cinematic hit
2
Q
“It’s Morning Again in America”
A
- Ronald Reagan
- 1984 ad
3
Q
factors influencing the growth of the American economy after WWII
A
- war damage
- cities, infastructure, industry
- population declines
- casualties
4
Q
changes in workplace
A
- 1947-57 factory workers decreased by 4.3%
- by 1956 more white-collars than blue-collars
- women’s presence in the workforce
5
Q
baby boom
A
- peak years 1957 and 1964
- 79 million babies born in the U. S.
6
Q
suburbs
A
- 1/3 of the nation lived in suburbs by 1960
- over 17, 000 houses built by 1951
- affordable single-family dwelling
7
Q
The Interstate Highway System
A
- 1956
- designed to link 90% of all American cities over the size of 50, 000
8
Q
National Defense Education Act
A
- 1958
- to bolster American education in key areas deemed critical for national defense
9
Q
consumerism
A
- the rise is 1952
- pervasive influence of advertising
- print, radio, television
10
Q
rise of TV culture
A
- by 1954 the majority of American households owned a TV
- TV becomes a major source of news and information
- TV in the US is an exclusively commercial enterprise
11
Q
important social critics
A
- William H. Whyte (The Organization Man)
- David Riesman (The Lonely Crowd)
- C. Wright Mills (The Power Elite)
- Paul Goodman (Growing Up Absurd)
12
Q
Domestic Policy - the G.I. Bill
A
1944
- provided funds in the form of grants and loans to veterans in a number of categories
- college or vocational education
- home loans
- business start-up loans
- unemployed compensation
laissez-faire attitude towards the economy
13
Q
McCarthyism
A
- final blow to American left-wing radicalism
- political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and a campaign spreading fear of communists and Soviets and of Soviet espionage in the United States
14
Q
HUAC
A
- 1947, House Un-American Activities Committee (to find the hidden communists)
15
Q
The New Deal Alliances
A
- 1930s and 1940s
- Democrats: liberal intellectuals, working class, labor unions, small farmers and businesses, minorities
- Republlicans: cultural conservatives, fundementalists, Wall Street bankers, corporate leaders
16
Q
Reshuffling of political alignments
A
30s New Deal Alience vs. Republicans to 50s Alliance of the Center vs. the extremes from both left and right
- “end of ideology”, “pluralism”
17
Q
Foreign Policy
A
- Atomic bombs, testing in Nevada and Marshall Islands
- The Korean War 1950-53
- Doctrine of “Massive Retaliation” and the rollback of Communist expansion
