Affluence and Conformity Topic 1

Question 1

What caused employment improvements

Answer 1

Creation of jobs via consumerism e.g shopping malls

Baby boom - new markets

Question 2

Examples of American home improvements

Answer 2

central heating, washing machines and fridges

Question 3

Examples of improvement for families

Answer 3

new luxuries such as trips to bowling alleys and cinemas

low interest rate loans due to baby boom - lessened financial insecurity fears

Question 4

criticisms and problems of the baby boom

Answer 4

encouraging sexual liberation and juvenile delinquency

some women had to seek employment due to financial pressure from larger families

Question 5

criticisms and problems of suburbia

Answer 5

prejudiced - segregated

conformity

Question 6

criticisms and problems of ‘yes men’

Answer 6

businesses wanted workers not individuals, individualist attitudes abandoned

Question 7

Levittowns

Answer 7

identical suburban developments, usually white

Question 8

emergence of post war youth culture

Answer 8

rock and roll
teenagers no longer wore what their parents wore
cars
concerns over their sexual liberation

Question 9

Views of familiy life:

Answer 9

womens roles were in the home
divorces were frowned upon
only good women could be secretaries

Question 10

TV

Answer 10

enhanced consumerism due to adverts
radio was abandoned
most shows were live, people would cancel plans not to miss their favourite show

Question 11

sexual liberation

Answer 11

influenced by rock and roll
threatened tradition
playboy was created

Question 12

1956 Elvis Presley

Answer 12

considered provocative and suggestive

Question 13

When was Little Rock

Answer 13

1957

Question 14

When was desegregation in schools ordered

Answer 14

1954

Question 15

When was the interstate highway system created

Answer 15

1956

Question 16

How many babies were born in the first year of world peace

Answer 16

21million

Question 17

Before the war 5 houses were built a year, after the war…

Answer 17

36 built a day

Question 18

Reasons for growth of suburbia

Answer 18

Long boom
Baby boom
Cars
Housing shortage
State intervention
Legacy of 1930s great depression
Demobilisation of soldiers post war

Question 19

Why did the great depression influence suburbia and post war affluence

Answer 19

People took out war bonds to fund the war, they could be cashed in after the war

Question 20

White Flight

Answer 20

whites fleeing cities, cities were noisier, racial tensions, meant cities lost their taxes

Question 21

Malvina Reynolds Criticisms

Answer 21

Social activist, believed nature of suburbia is a cycle of conformity

Question 22

Names from the beat generation

Answer 22

Allen Ginsberg
Neal Cassady
Jack Kerouac

Question 23

Beat Generation - influenced by Jazz and blues, believed in

Answer 23

non conformity and rejection of materialism
spiritual and sexual liberation
freedom of speech
use of drugs to aid the creative process
critical of government