Economic Transformation (T4)

Question 1

How did WW2 generally benefit America?

Answer 1

The USA emerged as the richest nation int he world - employment and economic opportunities continued to imporve for many Americans

Question 2

How was the USA different after WW2 compared to WW1?

Answer 2

They did not become isolationist, but focussed on preparing for the next conflict (The Cold War)

This justified further increase in military spending

Question 3

In 1945 what was the US population like vs its global income?

Answer 3

In USA had 7% of the world’s population, but 42% of global income

Question 4

In 1945 was was the US per capita income?

Answer 4

$1,450

This was almost 2x Britain

Question 5

How many calories was the avg. American consuming in 1945?

Answer 5

3,000 a day - 50% more than Europeans

Question 6

How did car production change between 1946 and 1955?

Answer 6

1946 - car production was 2 million

1955 - Increased to 8 million

Question 7

How did unemployment change in the years 1929, 1933 & 1944?

Answer 7

1929 - 3.14%
1933 - 24.75
1944 - 1.2%

Question 8

How did air travel create more employment in WW2?

Answer 8

The development of jet engines transformed American air force & air travel

Developing aeronautical engineering meant some jobs were becoming more skilled & with that higher wages were offered

Question 9

How did computing change employment in USA as a product of WW2?

Answer 9

Opportunities in computing also opened up - in 1944 IDM had produced the first general purpose computer

Question 10

How did white collar/blue collar work change in 1956?

Answer 10

For the first time ever the demand for white collare workers (office jobs) in 1956 outnumbered the need for blue collar workers

Question 11

How did professional jobs change between 1947-57?

Answer 11

The no. jobs in professional & technological work grew enourmously

The no. salaried middle-class workers rose 61% (1947-57)

Question 12

Was more work availble for women after WW2?

Answer 12

No - the increasing demand for workers mainly favoured men

Female workers experienced prejudice & discrimination

Question 13

What was consumer spending like after WW2?

Answer 13

It was not out of control as many remembered the Great Depression

Most saved their earnings & lived carefully

Question 14

What was the average earnings per year for Americans after WW2?

Answer 14

Around $3,000 per annum

Question 15

How were wealth distributions still uneven after WW2?

Answer 15

In 1947:

• 33% of US homes lacked running water
• 40% lacked flush toilets

Question 16

How did home ownership change between 1950 & 1960?

Answer 16

Many families rented before

• 1955 home ownership was at 55%
• 1960 this rose to 62%

Question 17

Name a specific gov. policy that aided postwar prosperity

Answer 17

The GI Bill of rights

Question 18

What new industries emerged from WW2?

Answer 18

• Nuclear physics aerospace
• Electronics
• Chemicals

Question 19

Who were some of the main beneficiaries of the ‘military industrial complex’?

Answer 19

A small no. giant corporations:

• General Motors
• McDonnell Douglas Aircraft
• Dow Chemical Corporation

Question 20

What was the ‘military industrial complex’?

Answer 20

It saw large areas of desert used for military testing & large factories converted to armanment production

This began during WW2, but set USA up well for Cold War military spending & development

Question 21

How did Cold War spending & investment change?

Answer 21

Direct & indirect gov. funding for sceintific research into fields such as plastic increased by 600% in the 1950s

Question 22

In 1945, what % of the US workforce were members of a union?

Answer 22

35.5% - this was the highest ever in American history

Question 23

What caused discontent among workers after WW2?

Answer 23

After the war ended, price controls were lifted & inflation started to rise

This led to discontent & a wave of strikes for higher wages were carried out

Question 24

In 1946, how much of the workforce went on strike?

Answer 24

About 10% of the workforce went on strike at some point

Question 25

Which act did the Republicans pass in 1947?

Answer 25

The Taft-Hartley-Act, this limited the power of unions in favour of the employers

They passed this after gainign controll of congress following the midterm elections of 1946

Question 26

How did the Taft-Hartley-Act limit the power of unions?

Answer 26

• Outlawed the closed shop (people in particular industries have to be in a union)
• Outlawed secondary strikes (workers strike in support of another industrial dispute)
• Made it more difficult to call a strike & right for employers to sue unions
• Union leaders had to swers they were non-communist
• Act also gave the president the power to prevent strikes that were against the national interest

Question 27

Give one major cause of greater mobility?

Answer 27

Growth of car industry

Question 28

In 1950, what proportion of the world’s cars did America produce?

Answer 28

1950 - 2/3s of all the worlds cars & trucks

Question 29

Between 1946-55 how did the production of cars change?

Answer 29

The production of cars in America quadrupled

Car & truck production by 1955 was 9.2bn

Question 30

Which 3 corporations dominated the car production industry?

Answer 30

• General Motors
• Ford
• Chrysler