Social (1945-75) Flashcards
1
Q
2
Describe positive changes in housing (1945-1960)
A
- Home ownership expanded from 50% (1945) to 62% (1960)
- Number of people living in suburbs grew from 17% in 1920 to 33% by 1960
2
Q
2
Describe negative changes in housing (1945-1960)
A
- Sub-urbanisation left inner-cities, with higher concentration of ethnic minorities, lacking investment as tax revenues declined due to absence of middle-class
- Process has started during war years
3
Q
3
Describe the growth of leisure activities (1945-60)
A
- Facilitated by consumerism: frozen-food, TVs, lesire-saving devices
- By 1960, 87% Americans owned at least one TV
- over 4k shopping malls in late 1950s compared with 8 in 1946
4
Q
1
Describe the problem with shopping centre construction
A
Forced small business closure
5
Q
4
Describe changes in marriage (1945-60)
A
- Golden Age of nuclear family
- divorce rate fell from 17.9 per 1000 marriages in 1946 to 9.6 by 1953
- Average age of marriage for females fell from 21.5yrs in 1940 to 20.1yrs by 1956
- Within average 7 months of marriage, women were pregant
6
Q
4
Describe cinema (1945-60)
A
- Less popular than inter-war years
- Average weekly attendance fell from 90m to 47m, from 1946-56
- Expansion of drive-in cinemas - 4k across 50s and early 60s
- Labelled as ‘passion pits’ due to privacy of drive-ins and affordability for dates
7
Q
3
Describe Hollywood (1945-60)
A
- Saw rise of rebellious anti-hero
- ‘Respected’ actors like Tyrone Power and Van Johnson replaced
- More socially rebellious characters played by James Dean, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando
8
Q
4
Describe television (1945-60)
A
- Number of TV sets rose from 60k in 1947 to 37m in 1955
- by 1956, $15.6m spent on sale and repair of TV sets
- estimated that watching TV was favourite leisure activity of 1/2 nation by 1960
- Major film actors like Loretta Young and Ray Milland recruited to TV - TV rivalling film
9
Q
3
Describe popular programmes (1945-60)
A
- Regular audience of 50m watched ‘I love Lucy’
- Lucille Ball
- Shows like Donna Reed Show and Leave it to Beaver reinforced stereotypes about women and family values
10
Q
4
Describe Lucille Ball
A
- I Love Lucy star actress
- Broke mould by being both actress and producer on show
- 1953, awarded $8m contract
- controversially had communist ties (joined Communist Party in 1936)
11
Q
2
Describe advertising in TV (1945-60)
A
- Advertisers sponsored programes such as The Colgate Comedy Hour
- 1955, Disney-produced Davy Crockett series accompaneid by $300k merchandise sales
12
Q
4
Describe the immigration of hispanics 1930s-75
A
- Huge inward immigration of Hispanics to West USA
- first wave of immigration in 1930s Dust Bowl alongside okies
- second wave of immigration 1942-60s - ‘Bracero programme’ set up by Mexican and US govts to supply guest workers
- 2m Mexican-Americans by 1975
13
Q
3
Describe change of hispanics 1930s-75
A
- Substantial increase in immigration
- advent of illegal immigration organised by people-smuggling gangs
- Emergence of Chicano Movement in 1960s
14
Q
3
Describe continuity of hispanics 1930s-75
A
- ‘Bracero programme’ marked continuity with previous hispanic immigration
- Continued calls to restrict illegal immigration and ensure social integration
- Sesame Street’s creation in 1966 largely driven by desire to find effective ways for Hispanics to speak English
15
Q
5
Describe the Chicano Movement
A
- Social and political hispanic mvement that encouraged cultural revitalisation and rejected assimilation
- Influenced heavily by Black Power movement and Black Panthers
- Used tactics such as boycotts, draft evasion, school walkouts, etc
- Inlcuded ogranisations such as Brown Berets and MAYO
- Encountered heavy state surveillance and repression
MAYO - Mexican American Youth Organisation
16
Q
3
Describe the East LA walkouts 1968
A
- March 1968
- 20-30k students walked out
- Protest against poor quality of education
17
Q
3
Describe the Chicano Moratorium
A
- Coalition of anti-war Mexican-Americans
- August 1970 March drew 30k spectators
- Single-largest anti-war demonstration by single ethnic group by that point
18
Q
3
Describe the Indian Claims Commission
A
- Set up 1944
- Designed to compensate NA for their past exploitation so they could take their place as US citizens (assimilation)
- Carried out under Truman
19
Q
5
Describe Native American termination under Eisenhower
A
- August 1953
- House Concurrent Resolution, Number 108, announces termination policy
- Reservations should be broken up
- NA encouraged to move to urban areas to find work and hence live as most US citizens
- Began with the sale of valuable lands belonging to the Menominee in Wisconsin and the Klamath in Oregon
20
Q
5
Describe the effect of the termination policy
A
- Many who left reservations ended up in unemployment and alcoholism and simply returned to the reservations
- 1960, only 13k out of 40k NA had left the reservations permanently
- 1960, only 3% of reservation land has been sold
- Policy was abandoned
- Contributed to the Red Power and more militant activism of the 60’s
21
Q
4
Describe NAs by 1975
A
- Unemployment 10x higher than avergae citizens
- Life expectancy rate 20 years below average
- Sucide rate 100x higher than whites
- Wounded Knee
22
Q
4
Describe the Wounded Knee Occupation 1973
A
- 200 Olgaga Lakota and followers of American Indian movement staged 71-day occupation of Wounded Knee
- Protest followed failure of OSCRO to remove corrupt tribal president Richard Wilson
- Also protested US Government failure to fulfill treaties
- 200 FBI agents and police surrounded area
23
Q
4
Describe the aftermath of the Wounded Knee Occupation 1973
A
- Recieved international publicity
- Polls showed widespread public support
- Support from well known figures e.g. Marlon Brando, Johnny Cash
- Though political attention centred on Watergate scandal
24
Q
7
List the reasons for the emergence of the Youth Culture
A
- Youth affluence
- Youth entertainment
- Baby boom
- Consumerism had expanded gap between childhood and adulthood
- Greater opportunities to travel (‘Golden Age of Flying’)
- GI Bill 1944
- Idealism of Kennedy’s ‘New Frontier’
25
Q
5
Describe the impact of the GI Bill 1944 on 1940s youth affluence
A
- Govt provided $800-1.4k a year for veterans to attend college
- Covered 50-80% of total costs
- Included extra funding in addition to tuition, permitting youth to have funds for life outside of schools
- Veterans 10% more likely to go to college
- Greater social mobility
26
Q
4
Describe youth affluence in 1950s
A
- Teenage market with specifically targeted products worth $10bn by 1955
- 1957, estimated average teenager had $10-15 to spend weekly
- Compared to $1-2 in 1940s
- Teenage average annual spending rose from $10bn in 1950 to £25bn in 1959
27
Q
3
Describe youth films (1945-75)
A
- Teenage violence influenced by more rebellious cinema
- Rebel without a Cause (1955) made anti-hero James Dean a cult hero
- Included scenes of intoxication, trouble with police and argument with family
28
Q
4
Describe rock and roll music
A
- Gave teenagers their own genre of music
- Eruption of Elvis Prestley in 1956 broke record songs
- Older generations dispproved of his sensual style of gyration
- Riased pinky at 1957 LA Concert to protest calls to tone down his moves
29
Q
2
List Elvis Prestley songs
A
- Hound Dog (1956)
- It’s Now or Never (1960) was No1 for 5 weeks
30
Q
3
Describe teenage violence in the 1950s
A
- 1954 publication of The Seduction of the Innocent by psychologist exposed brutality of comic books, forcing their content to be toned down
- Murders carried out by teenagers in 1956 rose by 26% on previous year
- Many argued this was result of growth of ‘latch-key kids’ whose both parents constantly worked
31
Q
2
Describe the continuity of the youth movement in the 1950s
A
- ½ male teenagers still drafted into armed forces
- Average age of female marriage dropped from 21.5 years in 1940 to 20.0 years in 1960
32
Q
3
Describe the conscription for the Vietnam War
A
- Lasted 1964-73
- Done through randomised draft system
- approximately 1.9m personnel drafted
33
Q
5
Describe the reasons for the student movement in the 1960s
A
- Wanted greater control over their education
- Inspired by MLK and Civil Rights campaign
- Growing anti-Vietnam War sentiment, especially against conscription
- New music culture saw the rise of protest music
- Tightly-packed campuses led to faster exchange of left-wing ideas and action
34
Q
5
Describe youth involvement in the civil rights movement
A
- Elizabeth Eckford 14 at Little Rock Nine events in 1955
- Heavily involved in SNCC, CORE
- 1964, student societies organised rallies in support of civil rights campaign
- March from Selma 1965 led by 25yo John Lewis
- Black Panthers: Huey Newton 24 at formation, Fred Hampton 21 at assassination
35
Q
3
Describe the reasons for youth opposition to the Vietnam War
A
- Increasing US death toll
- Controversial tactics
- Influential black figures like MLK voiced opposition as disproportionate number of AA students called up to fight
36
Q
7
Describe the Vietnam War youth protests
A
- Unified student movement with little opposition
- 100 demonstrations involving 400k students in first half of 1968
- 700k marched on DC in 1969
- Demonstrations saw burning of draft cards as well as the US flag (illegal) which resulted in angry clashes with the police
- March 1969, 9k students marched to protest ROTC’s presence on campus at University of Washington
- SDS March 1965
- Hanoi Jane 1972
ROTC - Reserve Officers Training Corps
37
Q
4
Describe the formation and structure of the SDS
A
- Students for Democratic Society launched 1960
- One of principal organisations of New Left
- Roots in social democratic student branch of League for Industrial Democracy and civil rights movement
- Operated under principles of the ‘Port Huron Statement’ 1962 - manifesto written by Tom Hayden and Haber
38
Q
2
Describe the growth of the SDS
A
- in the 1960s, had 300 campus chapters
- 30k supporters recorded nationwide at last national convention in 1969
39
Q
4
Describe the actions of the SDS
A
- Occupied university administration buildings across country
- SDS march on Washington 1965
- Opposed Johnson’s 1967 law to end draft deferment of those in graduate school
- Responsible for ‘Chicago seven’ riot that destroyed pro-war Hubert Humphrey’s election campaign at 1968 Democrat convention
40
Q
3
Describe the SDS march on Washington 1965
A
- April 1965
- 15-25k college students marches to capital
- Largest American peace protest hitherto
41
Q
4
Describe Hanoi Jane
A
- Jane Fonda - daughter of famous Hollywood liberal star Henry Fonda
- Visited North Vietnam in 1972
- Allowed herself to be photographed sitting on North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun
- Inspired furious Conservative hostility
42
Q
4
Describe the Kent State shooting 1970
A
- Nationwide student strike against expansion of war into Cambodia
- 28 National Guard soldiers fired 67 rounds, killing 4 students during SDS protest
- Photographs distributed widely and won Pulitzer Prize
- 100k demonstrated in DC 5 days after shooting
43
Q
4
Describe the Weathermen
A
- Violent offshoot of SDS
- Bombed recruitment centres and government buildings
- Nixon used FBI to undermine weathermen
- Took greater role in anti-war movement following SDS collapse in 1969 after factionalism
44
Q
7
Describe the ‘hippie’ movement
A
- Emerged in early 1960s
- Characterised by long hair, distinctive clothes and alternative lifestyle
- Travelled in flower-themed buses and vans
- Slogan: ‘make love, not war’
- Opposed Vietnam War
- Associated with heavy usage of Cannabis and LSD
- SF became hippie capital of USA
45
Q
3
Describe the impact of the student movement on youth culture
A
- Cemented political nature of ‘youth culture’
- More fashion conscious
- Moved away from norms of older generation
46
Q
4
Describe the achievements of the student movement
A
- Did not bring end to Vietnam War - but forced shift in policy to withdrawal (though Nixon escalated war in many respects)
- Certainly influenced LBJ decision to drop out of 1968 election
- Provided publiclty for continued prevalence of racism
- Support of white students for black civil rights campaign strengthened movement
47
Q
3
Describe the female stereotyping of advertising 1950s
A
- Ladies’ Home Journal publsihed articles on cooking, cleaning and fashion, playing into the desirable homemaker image
- Dr Spock’s influential book on childcare sold 1m copies every year throughout 1950s
- Focus on white mc women
48
Q
3
Describe the female liberalisation of advertising 1950s
A
- Ladies Home Journal ran collection highlighting WC ethnic women
- 1960, magazine Redbook ran $500 competion encouraging entries on why women felt trapped
- 24k entries
49
Q
5
Describe the 1950s baby boom
A
- Nappies became $50m industry by 1957
- 4m babies born each year in 1950s
- Average age of marriage for a woman fell from 21.5 to 20.1 in 1940-1956
- majority of women were pregnant withi 7 months of marriage
- encouraged by magazines stating that ‘Femininity begins at home’
50
Q
1
Describe the change in women in the workforce 1945-60
A
- 36% of married women in workforce in 1940; 60% in 1960
51
Q
5
Describe the continuity in women in the workforce 1945-60
A
- Proportion of women in workforce only increased by 4% from 1950 to 1960
- Most women willingly gave up war-time jobs
- Media promoted giving up work to renew prosperity through rapid reconversion
- Research by Betty Friedan in 1957 found that 89% of all-female Smith College graduates were homemakers
- Paper Modern Woman: The Lost Sex (1947) blamed teenage drinking on career women
52
Q
2
Describe changes in women in education in the 1950s
A
- 1950 - 721k were enrolled at university
- 1960 - 1.3m
53
Q
2
Describe continuity in women in education in the 1950s
A
- Only 2% of black women completed college 1940-1945
- MRS degrees - women went to college/university to find husband rather than get degree
54
Q
2
Describe the image of women in the 1950s
A
- Role seen to stabilise nuclear family
- Advertising highlighted ‘misery’ of women working in factories in Communist states - in contrast to idealistic homemaking lifestyle in USA
55
Q
2
Describe the extent of the sexual revolution of the 1950s
A
- Growth of the car industry facilitated a place for young couples to be alone together
- Girls who got pregnant out of wedlock often forced to drop out of school and shunned by society
56
Q
4
Describe change in women and politics 1960-75
A
- NOW (National Organization for Women) formed 1966
- 1968, New York Radical Women led protestant against 1969 Miss America contest against systemic sexualisation of women
- Democrat Shirley Chisholm became first black-female congresswoman in 1968, first AA woman to run for President in 1972
- 1971, HoR passed ERA 354-24
57
Q
4
Describe the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
A
- Proposed amendment to guarantee equal legal rights on basis of sex
- Reinforce 14th amendment
- Proponents argue it would end legal discrimination in divorce, property, employment, etc
- ‘Stop ERA’ campaign claimed it would remove necessary protections, strengthen abortion rights, etc
58
Q
4
Describe continuity in women and politics 1960-75
A
- Female turnout in 1964 was 5% lower than the male turnout
- Ratification deadline for ERA expired
- NOW and the Women’s Liberation Movement vilified by the press
- Dubbed ‘radical lesbian’ New Left organisations by hostile journalists
59
Q
2
Describe feminist literature 1960-75
A
- Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963) - the ‘problem with no name’
- Kate Millett’s Sexual Politics (1970) - criticised objectification of women in culture
60
Q
4
Describe the change in women in the workforce 1960-75
A
- 1963 Equal Pay Act - criminalised gender pay gap
- 1972, SC ruled that the constitution gave men and women completely equal rights
- 1/5 women with children u6 and 1/4 of women with children over 16 held paid jobs in the 60s
- by 1975, 2/3 of female college students rjected idea woman’s place was in home
61
Q
5
Describe continuity in women in the workforce 1960-75
A
- Pay still only 73% of professional men’s by 1975
- 43% of women worked, compared to 75% of men
- 95% of company managers were male
- 7% doctors were women
- 4% lawyers were women
62
Q
1
Describe the change in women in education 1960-75
A
- 1972 Education Amendment Act - outlawed educational gender discrimination
63
Q
2
Describe black women and poetry 1960-75
A
- Audre Lorde, a lesbian, wrote notable poems such as The First Cities (1968)
- Maya Angelou’s Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1972
Both were black women
64
Q
5
Describe Reproductive Freedom 1960-75
A
- Birth control pill approved by government in 1960
- 80% of women using contraception in 1970s
- Average birth rate declined from 3.62 (1960) to 1.9 (end of 1970s)
- Roe v Wade 1973 legallised abortion federally
- Before SC judgement, abortion only legal in 5 states
