T4 The transformation of the USA, 1945–55 Flashcards
Economic transformation, The end of post-war euphoria, Cultural change, The changing status of minorities
1
Q
Who won the vice-presidential nomination in 1944?
A
Harry S. Truman
2
Q
What significant event led to Truman becoming President in 1945?
A
The death of Roosevelt
3
Q
What was the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 commonly known as?
A
The ‘GI Bill of Rights’
4
Q
How many veterans attended college under the GI Bill between 1945 and 1950?
A
2.3 million
5
Q
What was the economic growth of US economic output from 1946 to 1950?
A
From $200 billion to $318 billion
6
Q
What was the main economic problem facing post-war America?
A
Inflation
7
Q
What percentage of families owned a television by the mid-1950s?
A
87%
8
Q
What act did Congress pass in 1947 that affected labor relations?
A
The Taft-Hartley Act
9
Q
What was Levittown designed to provide?
A
Affordable family homes
10
Q
What did the buying agreement of Levittown homes state?
A
Properties could not be used or rented by anyone other than Caucasians
11
Q
What was a key aspect of the post-war economic boom?
A
Mass consumption of goods
12
Q
What percentage of the American population attained a middle-class standard of living by the mid-50s?
A
60%
13
Q
True or False: Truman’s Employment Act of 1946 aimed to ensure full employment.
A
False
14
Q
What committee was formed to investigate Communist influence in American life?
A
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)
15
Q
How many government employees were forced to resign due to loyalty checks between 1947 and 1951?
A
Nearly 3,000
16
Q
Who was accused of espionage during the 1948 presidential election campaign?
A
Alger Hiss
17
Q
What happened to Ethel and John Rosenberg in 1953?
A
They were executed for espionage
18
Q
Fill in the blank:
The economic output of the USA increased from $200 billion in _______ to $__ billion by 1950.
A
1946
$318 billion
19
Q
What did Truman’s 1946 rail strike proposal threaten?
A
To draft workers who struck in vital industries
20
Q
What was the public perception of the American economy post-World War II?
A
Fears of Depression were replaced by the possibility of limitless growth
21
Q
What was the impact of the baby boom on suburban growth?
A
Increased demand for larger homes with space for families
22
Q
What event significantly increased Cold War tensions in the US?
A
The arrest of Klaus Fuchs for espionage
23
Q
What was the outcome of the case against Alger Hiss?
A
Convicted for perjury
24
Q
What did the Federal Housing Association do regarding public housing?
A
Justified racial segregation
25
What was a major result of the post-war economic boom for consumer goods?
Increased ownership of appliances and cars
26
What was the significance of the 1946 election results for Republicans?
Interpreted as a mandate to reverse the New Deal
27
What was the main focus of Truman’s 1946 Employment Act?
Assuring economic growth
28
Fill in the blank: The average real income for American workers increased by as much as it had in the previous _______.
half-century
29
What did the 81st Congress accomplish after Truman's 1948 election?
Raised the minimum wage and increased social security benefits
30
What was the public response to Truman's veto of the OPA extension?
Food costs rose by 16% - the price of beef doubled
31
What was the significance of the 'baby boom' in relation to suburbia?
Contributed to the growth of suburban populations
32
What happened on 19th June 1953?
The Rosenbergs were executed maintaining their innocence to the end.
33
Who was Joseph R. McCarthy?
A Republican senator from Wisconsin who claimed Communists had betrayed America.
34
What did McCarthy claim to have regarding Communists?
A list of 205 names known to the Secretary of State as members of The Communist Party.
35
What did the Senate Committee find about McCarthy's accusations?
They found his accusations 'a fraud and a hoax'.
36
How did McCarthy ridicule US Secretary of State Dean Acheson?
By calling him the 'Red Dean'.
37
What was the McCarran Internal Security Act?
A law requiring organizations deemed Communist to register and provide membership lists.
38
What did the McCarran Internal Security Act bar?
It barred Communists from employment in defense plants and authorized denial of passports.
39
What was the outcome of the 1952 presidential election?
Republicans gained a major victory amid public apprehension about government employee loyalty.
40
What accusations did McCarthy make in 1954?
He accused the army of harboring Communist spies.
41
What was the effect of the televised Army-McCarthy Senate hearings?
McCarthy conveyed a poor impression, which left many disenchanted.
42
What cultural role did Hollywood play during the Cold War?
Hollywood produced films that promoted America and Americanism.
43
What was the Motion Picture Production Office?
A unit created by the Defense Department to promote the Armed Forces in Hollywood.
44
What did the number of television sets change to from 1947 to 1951?
The number of television sets increased from 10,000 to over 12 million.
45
What was the significance of the sitcom genre in the 1950s?
It replicated life in suburbia and portrayed comforting and reassuring narratives.
46
What were the social conditions for African-Americans during WWII?
They faced discrimination despite their support for the war, which seemed hypocritical.
47
What was Executive Order 8802?
An order prohibiting discrimination in defense and federal employment practices.
48
What was the purpose of the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC)?
To enforce Executive Order 8802.
49
What was the outcome of the Brown v. Board of Education case in 1954?
The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in education deprived minority children of equal opportunities.
50
What did the Montgomery Bus Boycott begin with?
The arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat.
51
Who led the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)?
Martin Luther King.
52
What was the initial demand of the MIA during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
Polite and fair service on the buses.
53
What did the Montgomery Bus Boycott demonstrate about African-Americans?
That they could take effective action on their own against segregation.
54
What legislative action was taken regarding civil rights during Truman's presidency?
Limited advances occurred, but no significant civil rights legislation was implemented.
55
What did the Supreme Court rulings during Truman's presidency challenge?
They began to challenge the precedent set by Plessy v. Ferguson.
56
What was the significance of the 'To Secure These Rights' report?
It put civil rights on the political agenda and called for drastic changes.
57
What was one key limitation of Truman's civil rights efforts?
He was concerned about losing support from southern white Democrats.
58
What did Eisenhower's presidency coincide with?
Increased activity by the civil rights movement.
59
What was a major barrier to civil rights legislation during Eisenhower's presidency?
Opposition in the Senate made congressional action nearly impossible.
60
# Fill in the blanks
After the end of the war, there was a great demand from the American public to ‘b___ the b_ h__’. By 1948, US military strength had dropped from 12 million at the end of the war to only ___.
'bring the boys home'
1.5 million
61
# Fill in the blanks:
Defence spending plummeted from $_ billions in 1945 to under $_ billions in 1946. More than _ million defence jobs vanished.
$76 --> $20
1
62
# Fill in the blank:
Truman’s Employment Act (__) committed the federal government to assuring ___ and established __ . (TPCoEA)
Truman’s Employment Act (**1946**) committed the federal government to assuring **Economic growth** and established **The President’s Council of Economic Advisers**. (TPCoEA)
63
# Fill in the blanks:
The ___ Administration (OPA) continued to set ___ after the war but these were _.
The **Office of Price** Administration continued to set **price controls** after the war but these were **widely opposed**.
64
What rose and shrunk in 1946 after the OPA bill, and what did it lead to?
Prices rose, and wages shrunk (inflation), leading to organised strikes where labour bargained higher wages
65
How many men and women striked in 1946 after the Veto of the OPA bill, and what did The United Mine Workers do to the economy for 40 days?
In 1946, more than 4.5 million men and women went on strike. The United Mine Workers walked out and paralysed the economy for 40 days.
66
# Fill in the blank:
Between 1945 and 1955, GNP grew by __%, expenditures on new construction multiplied__, and consumption on __ increased three times.
Between 1945 and 1955, GNP grew by **250**%, expenditures on new construction multiplied **nine times**, and consumption on **personal services **increased three times.
67
# Fill in the blank:
By 1960, per capita income was _% higher than in 1945, and America entered the ‘high __ " stage of economic development.
By 1960, per capita income was **35**% higher than in 1945, and America entered the ‘high **mass consumption**" stage of economic development.
68
# Fill in the blank:
In 1957 of all the homes throughout the country, 96% had a __, 87% an electric washer, 81% a __, 67% a vacuum cleaner, 18% a freezer, 12% an electric or gas dryer, and 8% air conditioning.
In 1957 of all the homes throughout the country, 96% had a **refrigerator**, 87% an electric washer, 81% a **television**, 67% a vacuum cleaner, 18% a freezer, 12% an electric or gas dryer, and 8% air conditioning.
69
# Fill in the blank:
Car ownership also soared, with _% of consumer units owning an automobile by 1960. From 1958 to 1964, the average weekly take-home pay of blue-collar workers rose steadily from $___
Car ownership also soared, with **72**% of consumer units owning an automobile by 1960. From 1958 to 1964, the average weekly take-home pay of blue-collar workers rose steadily from **$68 to $78.. **
70
# Fill in the blank:
Levittown was begun in _ as a means of providing housing for war veterans. __ homes were built at first on __by William Levitt’s company for profit.
Levittown was begun in **1947** as a means of providing housing for war veterans. **2,000** homes were built at first on **Long Island** by William Levitt’s company for profit.
71
# Fill in the blank:
Levittowns would become a symbol of the ‘__" as it allowed ‘thousands of families to become home owners
Levittowns would become a symbol of the ‘**American Dream**" as it allowed ‘thousands of families to become home owners
72
# Fill in the blank:
Levittown also became a symbol of __. The Federal Housing Association allowed developers to justify __ within public housing.
Levittown also became a symbol of **racial segregation**. The Federal Housing Association allowed developers to justify **segregation** within public housing.
73
# Fill in the blank:
The FHA only offered mortgages to __which discouraged developers from creating __ housing.
The FHA only offered mortgages to **non-mixed developments** which discouraged developers from creating **racially integrated ** housing.
74
What year did the Supreme Court case sponsored by the NAACP come to the Supreme Court?
1954
75
Who was the lawyer used by the NAACP to present the case?
Thurgood Marshall
76
What significant role did Thurgood Marshall later achieve?
First black Supreme Court justice
77
What was the central issue of the case regarding Linda Brown?
Violation of the Fourteenth Amendment rights due to failure to provide an elementary education close to her home
78
What type of school was the nearest to Linda Brown's home?
An all-white segregated school
79
What was the Supreme Court's ruling on segregation in education?
Deprives children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities
80
What previous decision did the Supreme Court's ruling in this case reverse?
Plessy v Ferguson
81
What action did Eisenhower take regarding school integration in Washington DC?
Ordered immediate integration
82
What was the response of southern states to the Supreme Court ruling?
Very slow to follow suit
83
What did the Supreme Court state in Brown II regarding desegregation?
Should take place 'with all deliberate speed'
84
True or False: Brown II provided precise guidelines for implementing desegregation.
False
85
Fill in the blank: The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in education __________.
deprives children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities
86
What was the impact of Executive Order 8802 on overt racism in the workplace for black Americans?
It decreased overt racism in the workplace for black Americans.
87
In which industries did black American workers see larger advances due to Executive Order 8802?
Government and defence-related industries.
88
How did union membership among black workers change during this period?
It grew steadily and in greater numbers than other ethnic groups.
89
What opportunities did black women find during this time?
Greater opportunities that were more rewarding and paying better than domestic service.
90
Did black Americans face the same loss of livelihood and businesses as Japanese Americans?
No, black Americans did not have their livelihoods and businesses taken away in the same way.
91
Which type of black-owned businesses benefited notably from the war?
Media companies.
92
What was the difference in land seizure between black Americans and Native Americans during the war?
Black Americans did not have large areas of land seized, while Native Americans did.
93
How did migration during the war benefit black Americans compared to Native Americans?
Migration proved of greater benefit to black Americans than Native Americans.
94
True or False: Hispanic Americans benefited less than black Americans in war employment.
False.
95
What agreement allowed hundreds of thousands of Mexican Americans to work in the USA?
The Bracero Agreement.
96
What led to strikes among Hispanic workers?
Poor working conditions.
97
What was the outcome of strikes organized by Hispanic workers?
Higher wages and often greater improvements than black urban factory workers.
98
What was a challenge that black workers faced in factories during this period?
Some factories refused to hire blacks.
99
How was Executive Order 8802 circumvented by Southern employers?
It was largely circumvented, keeping many blacks in menial jobs.
