Post War Prosperity Flashcards
What was the GNP increase since 1941 and what was the per capita income at that time?
The GNP rose 35% since 1941 and the per capita income was $1450, which was double that of Great Britain.
How did peoples tastes change after the war
People had greater love for processed food, leading to a spike in processed food production
How many calories were people eating after the war
3000 calories/day
Was the South as prosperous as other regions during post-war prosperity?
No, the South was not as prosperous. 33% of US homes lacked running water and 40% lacked flushing toilets.
What did the GI Bill of Rights offer to veterans
The GI Bill of Rights offered grants to veterans to improve education, learn new skills, or set up a business.
What idustries had a growth of employment after WW2
Aircraft production and chemicals
What did the GI Bill of Rights offer to veterans?
The GI Bill of Rights offered grants to veterans to improve education, learn new skills, or set up a business.
How many veterans used the grants offered by the GI Bill of Rights?
8 million veterans used the grants offered by the GI Bill of Rights.
Why was less than 20% of the money set aside for veterans used?
Less than 20% of the money set aside for veterans was used due to the amount of jobs available for veterans at that time.
What expanded due to the GI Bill of Rights
Unis expanded as servicemen fees were paid by the government, the University of Syracuse trebeled it’s number of students
What was the impact of the growth of the car industry on mobility?
The growth of the car industry led to greater mobility and the development of suburbs.
How many new cars were sold in 1950?
6.7 million new cars were sold in 1950.
What was the increase in the number of two-car families between 1951-58?
The number of two car families doubled between 1951-58, there were more cars in LA than the whole of Asia
How many McDonald’s restaurants were there by 1960?
By 1960, there were 228 McDonald’s restaurants with annual sales of $37 million.
How many new family homes were built in 1950?
1.7 million new family homes were built in 1950.
What was the percentage increase in Americans owning their homes from 1945 to 1960?
The percentage increase in Americans owning their homes rose from 50% in 1945 to 60% by 1960.
What was the percentage increase of people living in suburbs from 1920 to 1960?
The percentage increase of people living in suburbs grew from 17% in 1920 to 33% by 1960.
What was the argument against suburbs in terms of variety?
There was a lack of variety and cinema and restaurant managers in urban entres complained of lack of business as people stayed home
How did the “flight of the middle-class” affect inner-city areas?
The “flight of the middle-class” meant deteriorating conditions in inner-city areas as the middle-class would have paid taxes.
What was the impact of shopping mall developments in suburbs?
The development of shopping malls in suburbs, with 4000 by the late 50’s, was a disaster for small businesses.
How did advertising fuel the consumer boom?
The Consumer Boom was fueled by advertising, with the industry being worth over $6 billion in 1950.
What was the demand for nappies and babies’ clothes during the Consumer Boom?
During the Consumer Boom, there was a high demand for nappies and babies’ clothes, with nappies becoming a $50 million industry by 1957.
Why was there increased demand for baby products during the consumer boom
Because of the baby boom
How many babies were born each year from 1954-1964?
There were approximately 4 million babies born each year from 1954-1964.
How did the divorce rate and average age of females getting married change during the Consumer Boom?
During the Consumer Boom, the divorce rate fell to 9.6 per 1000 by 1953 and the average age of females getting married fell to 20.1 by 1956.
What types of labor-saving devices and white goods were filling homes during the Consumer Boom?
During the Consumer Boom, homes were being filled with labor-saving devices such as fridges, washing machines, and telephones. In fact, by 1951, 90% of families had fridges and 75% had washing machines and telephones.
How were most consumer good paid for in the consumer boom?
Most goods were paid for with credit, with the amount of debt increasing to $6.7 billion in 1945 to 56.1 billion in 1960
