The 1950s Flashcards
Who was the President of the United States for most of the 1950s (the nifty ’50s)?
Dwight D. Eisenhower, celebrated World War II hero and commander at D-Day.
This population explosion (growth) was the result of men and women waiting to have children during the Great Depression and World War II. This led to many changes in American Society and continues to change America to this day.
The Baby Boom. Lasting from roughly 1945 until 1960, millions of babies were born in the United States. The “baby boomers” are currently starting to retire, which is putting a strain on Social Security and Medicare programs.
This law granted World War II veterans a variety of benefits, including money for college education, unemployment benefits upon returning from WWII, and government loans to buy homes and start business.
The G.I. Bill of Rights - also called the “Servicemen’s Readjustment Act” of 1944.
The name of Harry Truman’s domestic agenda proposals, most of which were never enacted because the Republicans in Congress opposed the Democratic President’s ideas and efforts.
The Fair Deal
This migration pattern became common in the 1950s as more and more Americans moved OUT OF the inner cities.
Suburbanization
What were Levittowns?
Levittowns were suburban developments constructed by William Levitt. These suburbs were mass produced, using the same exact construction plans. Buyers could purchase these new homes on an installment plan.
What was the Interstate Highway Act of 1956?
This was a law signed by President Eisenhower that allowed funds to build 41,000 miles of highways consisted of multi-lane expressways to connect the major cities in the United States. This system, called the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, helped connect all parts of the country and allowed Americans to move more quickly and freely across the country. It contributed to suburbs.
What is meant by the ‘Sunbelt’?
The sunbelt is the name given to the SOUTHERN and WESTERN states in the U.S.. Starting in the 1950s, many Americans started to migrate FROM the “rustbelt” of the Northeast and industrial Midwest TO the “sunbelt” where the climate is warmer and the winter is shorter. States like Florida, Texas, and California have grown in response to this migration.
What is the term used to describe the American people during decades like the 1920s AND the 1950s, as they bought as many goods as they could, much of them on credit?
Consumerism
The 1950s saw the birth of this new genre of music, largely a new form of the Rhythm and Blues music rooted in the African American community.
Rock-and-Roll. The 1950s was the decade when Elvis Presley took America by storm.
During the 1950s, this hostile rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union continued, with events such as the Korean War and the Suez Canal Crisis, leading to the Eisenhower Doctrine.
The Cold War, which actually lasts from 1945 until 1989 with the fall of the Berlin wall.
