America after the war Flashcards
How much did Americans have in private savings after the war?
$140 billion
Unemployment in 1950s? (%)
4.5%
% of good to the world supplied by America?
65%
How many shares sold between 1945-1949?
20 million
/10 homes with TV, phone and washing machine?
9/10, 8/10, 7/10
New things because of comsumerism (3)
Malls, Credit cards, Suburbs
What is a Levitt town?
Cheap, industrially built but nice and modern housing built outside of the city
50s pop culture: Music and influence it had
Rock’n’roll- Explicit language, influenced teens to thrill seek, but not as much as parents thought they did
What % of America did Elvis Presley have listening to him on the radio in 1956 broadcast
82%
What was the spending power increase from pre- war to post- war?
$1- $2/ week-
$10- $15/ week
Change in teens free time from before war to after war
Before- Straight to work or having kids
After- Longer education and less expectancy and need to have kids and jobs early
Who and what did Senator McCarthy do?
Low- level politician who accused 100s of being communist and ruined their careers. Had support because of current cold war fear of communism. Lost popularity by accusing government officials without evidence. Thought that the whole campaign was less evidential and more to boost his own career
HUAC and loyalty programme?
Investigated many high profile people with the FBI and McCArthy. Ruined many hollywood stars for not complying with the anti- communist questions. 2 choices: be convicted as communist or rat someone else out.
Blacklist and hollywood 10?
10 hollywood stars who wouldn’t co- operate with the communist questions.
Name methods of Peaceful protest and examples (4 Ways)
Marches- Washington, Freedom riders
Boycott- Montgomery bus boycott,
Legal challenges- Brown vs Board, NAACP
Sit in- 1960 student sit ins
