C7 - Post-war American Society and Economy

Question 1

What is consumerism?

Answer 1

The idea that the ever-expanding consumption of goods benefits the economy.

Question 2

What was the American Dream?

Answer 2

The idea that anyone could succeed through hard work.

Question 3

What was some evidence of the post-war consumer society?

Answer 3

• by the end of the 1950s, 9/10 households had a TV, 8/10 had a car, 7/10 had a washing machine
• luxury goods, such as refrigerators, ovens, vacuum cleaners, cars and televisions were produced at affordable prices. Demand was high because the goods were rare during the war
• advertising and hire purchase persuaded people to buy
• there was a boom in overseas spending on US goods. By 1952, America was supplying the world with 65% of its manufactured goods
• huge malls were built on the outskirts of large towns and cities
• there was a ‘baby boom’, with a 40% increase in population

Question 4

What were some positives of Truman’s Fair Deal?

Answer 4

• minimum hourly wage increased from 40 cents to 75 cents
• large areas of slum housing were cleared to make way for affordable homes
• the GI Bill made cheap home loans available for war veterans and grants were paid for ex-soldiers to attend college or trade schools. From 1944 to 1949, the government gave around $4 billion to nearly 9 million veterans

Question 5

What were some negatives of Truman’s Fair Deal?

Answer 5

• the proposal to introduce a national health insurance scheme was blocked by Republicans
• an attempt to improve the rights of African Americans was halted when many southern politicians voted against it

Question 6

What were some problem’s with President Eisenhower?

Answer 6

• there were still vast areas (mainly in the South) where most people were desperately poor with sub-standard housing and schools
• there was no national health insurance that guaranteed a basic level of healthcare for everyone, or Jobseeker’s Allowance or sickness pay
• the elderly failed to benefit from the boom. In 1960, 68% of people over 65 had an annual income of less than $1000 while average factory earnings were over $4000

Question 7

What happened to women after the war?

Answer 7

• many went back to their traditional roles as housewives
• women who did get jobs were often employed in traditionally ‘female’ roles, such as teaching and secretarial work
• women who tried to pursue a high-flying business or management career often faced discrimination

Question 8

What was the ‘rock and roll’ generation?

Answer 8

Teenagers in the 1950s had more leisure time and spending power than previous generations. They no longer had to get a job at 14 or 15 to support the family, so many children finished high school and went to college. In 1957, the average teenager spent between $10 and $15 a week (it was $1-$2 in the early 1940s).

Question 9

How did people view teenagers in the 1950s?

Answer 9

• teenagers got a reputation for being independent, rebellious, secretive and aggressive (figures like James Dean and Marlon Brando became symbols for teenage rebellion).
• rock and roll was viewed as dangerous and liked to teenage crime and gang culture

Question 10

What was the ‘red scare’?

Answer 10

A rising fear of communism in the USA

Question 11

Why did the red scare happen?

Answer 11

• the Soviet Union had developed nuclear weapons
• communism was spreading across Eastern Europe and Asia, America was worried that it might be next

Question 12

What was the HUAC?

Answer 12

The HUAC (House of Representatives Un-American Activities Committee) began searching for communists in the government, in workplaces, in the media and in the movie industry. A loyalty programme was created to sack any ‘security risks’. No one was found guilty of spying but many were forced out of their jobs due to the disgrace associated with being investigated.

Question 13

What was McCarthyism?

Answer 13

• in 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy used the fear of communism to further his career by claiming to have a list of over 200 communists working for the government.
• this caused a sensation and many saw McCarthy as an anti-communist hero
• for the next five years, McCarthy waged a wild campaign of investigations
• people who criticised him were accused of being communists, which led some to be sacked
• in 1954, he accused 45 army officers of being communist, but he had no evidence and ‘McCarthyism’ started to lose support