Post - War And American Society Flashcards
When did Roosevelt die?
April 1945
What did Truman mainly want?
Get rid of poverty, and racial inequality
What changes of Truman did congress agree to in 1948?
- hourly wage increased from 40 - 74 cents
- slums were cleared to make room for affordable housing
- old age benefits extended to 10,000 people
What didn’t congress let Truman change?
African American rights
By the end of the 1950s, what fraction of housing had:
- cars
- TVs
- phones
- washing machines
- 8/10 had cars
- 9/10 has TVs
- 8/10 had phones
- 7/10 had a washing machine
By how much did population increase after the war?
40%
How were people able to buy TVs, washing machines, e,t,c after the war?
Buy now pay later persuaded many and luxury goods were being produced at prices millions could afford
What did the GI bill do?
Helped veterans at the end of WWII
How did the GI Bill’s unemployment compensation programme help?
Between 1944 - 1949, almost 9 million veterans got around $4 billion
What did the Veteran’s administration offer?
Insured loans that totalled over 50 billion until 1962
Up to when did the education training provisions exists and how many veterans did it help?
Up to 1956 helping 10 million veterans
What was the GI Bill able to establish?
Cheap hospitals, made cheap home loans available and offered grants to pay for ex soldiers to get an education and provide a living wage
Why did America have a good economy in the 1950s?
It was undamaged by the war
How much did a home cost in the 1950s?
$100 and came with a fridge, stove and washing machine
How was average American income different to that of a British and an Italian?
The income of an American was 2x higher than a British worker and 4x higher than an Italian
How common were cars in the 1950s and give a reason for this.
In 1955 there was 1 car to every 3 Americans, one reason is fuel was cheap and mass production was very high