Urbanisation & Affluence in 1955-63 Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are Levittowns?
A type of suburb built near NYC & easter Pennsilvania in the early 50s
How many houses were built in each Levittown?
17,000
How did they discriminate against black Americans and other ethinic miniorites and keep them from moving to the suburbs?
Restrictive Covenants : a list of conditions attached to the sale of a house. Many suburban developments’ covenants stated that they canot be sold to Jewish or black American buyers
How did the use of Home Loans aid in the growth of suburbs?
They financed 30% of all new homes built in the 50s
Stats for home ownership?
- home ownership becomes the norm for the first time
- 3/5 families own a home
- 18 million move to the suburbs between 1956-60
How many black Americans were residents of suburbs?
- 5% of suburban population
- 57/65,000 were black
How does the population of the country change?
Rises from 130 million (1940) to 165 million (mid 50s)
How does the rural & urban population change (1950-60)?
Rural : 23m to 13.4m
Urban : 95.6m to 124.7m
The 12 largest cities gained 1.8m non-white residients
Federal Housing Policy
Supported anti Jewish and black restrictive covenants; they supported ‘racial cohesion’ so onoly whites were allowed in suburbs, leaving non-whites in cramped rental accommodation in the inner cities, which eveentaully became run-down ghettos
Public Housing Act
Only 32,000 houses in cities funded under Truman; didnt meet the public housing requirements.
Even when public housing was built [Projects], they were cramped, and built as high-rise apartment blocks so they resulted in densely populated ares in the inner cities.
What percentage did the number of cars on the roads from 1945-60 increase by?
133%
National Interstate And Defence Highways Act
[1956]
$25 billion to construct 42,500 miles of intertstate highways
It was a combination of different federal initiatives to improve the US highway system
‘Defence…’; facilitate rapid movement of troops and military equipment across the country
Car production statistics
2 m to 8 m (1946-55)
Main manufactures are Ford, Chrystler, General Motors
75% of populations own at least 1 car
15% own more tha one per family
1/7 people work in an industry linked to car manufacture
Car based culture statistics
75 million cars on the roads by 1956
1,800 out of town shopping malls built by mid 50s
3,000 new drive-in movie theatres open
McDonalds opened in 1954; taking advantage on drive-thrus; 50 million burgers for 50c each per year
When was the Diners club credit card introduced?
1950
1958 American Express introduced
