s growth in the ownership and use of cars the most important feature of the US economy and society in the years 1955 to 1963? Flashcards
P1
P2
P2
Growth of car ownership and use of cars
growth of new industries:
Growth of suburbia
In 1960 what rocketed and why?
Car ownership
Unprecedented prosperity and more money to spend
more job security
in 1950 and 60 what was car ownership?
what did this signpost
1950- 39.3 million
1960- 73.4 million
American affluence
What was the purchase of cars like in the 1930’s and why?
Down
depression
Americans could partcipate in what due to increased wages
‘Consumer culture’
‘on the road culture’
2 evidences for P1
Car ownership rocketed
Stimulation of other industries
By 1960 what % owned at least 1 car
75%
How many cars made per year from 1946
2 million
What new industiry was stimulated due to cars?
Highway construction
Increase in cars caused more what on roads
Traffic
in 1955 Eisenhower told congress that what was vital to handle increase traffic
Interstate highway
what act aimed to construct 40,000 miles of highway?
1944 Highway act
How did the National interstate and Defences Highway affect other industry?
- stimulus to the construction industry, the car industry and the rapid growth of suburbia.
-Eisenhower = greatest achievement as president in the years 1953
to 1961.
how many miles did the National interstate and Defences highway authorise?
41,000
2 EVIdences for P2
availability of credit
Highway development
What made the consumer boom of the 1950’s and 60’s easier?
ready availability of credit to buy goods and
services.
Who and when introduced the first credit card?
1950 Diners club
When did the American express introduce its own credit card?
1958
How many customers bought on credit in 1960 in the company Sears Roebuck?
10 million
In 1945 how many shopping centres were there and how did it change?
1945 there were 8 shopping centres but by 1960 there were
4,000.
New wealth and demand for new domestic technology turned shopping into a major recreational activity.
in 1952 how much did P Truman propose to pay for highway construction?
$25 million
what did the NATIONAL interstate and defences highway act 1956 open the continent to?
=Opened up the continent to travel and changed American society and culture
credit cards made what easier?
shopping
purchasing
2 evidences for P3
More JOb opportunities
Contributed to decline of cities
Between 1948 and 58 how many new homes were built
13 million
11 million of them in suburbs
in 1970 how many were in the suburbs and how many more than those in cities
80 million
15 million
Who were the most famous builders in the suburbs?
Levitt Brothers
What were the levit brothers developments known as?
Levittown’s
how much were the levit homes and what were they like?
Well constructed
$8000
What was the name for the movement of white middle class Americans to the suburbs from cities?
White flight
How popular were the Levitt towns?
Very popular
queues to buy them
cities lost what due to white flight
tax base led to detoriation
3 traits of cities after white flight
noise , high tax, congestion
by 1960 what % lived in suburbs
33%
