Unit 2: Topic 2: The economy in the 1950s and the Consumer Society Flashcards
1
Q
How did GDP increase?
A
- 1950- $350 billion
- 1960- $500 billion
2
Q
H
How did per capita income rise?
A
- 1940- $1700
- 1960- $2700
3
Q
How much did the economy grow in the 1950s?
A
37%
4
Q
How did real income rise 1945-60?
A
25%
5
Q
How mcuh did housing increase over the 1950s?
A
27%
6
Q
How much more purchasing power did the typical American family have in 1960 than in 1950?
A
30%
7
Q
How much was unemployment in 1957?
A
4.5%
8
Q
What was hte average inflation rate during Eisenhower’s Presidency?
A
2%
9
Q
How many Americans lived in poverty?
A
1/4
10
Q
How much of America’s poor was in the South?
A
1/2
11
Q
When were the recessions during Eisenhowers Presidency?
A
- 1953
- 1957-8
- 1960
12
Q
When did Eisenhower achieve a balanced budget?
A
- 1956
- 1957
- 1960.
13
Q
What were the effects of the 1957 to 1958 recession?
A
- Unemployment rose from 4.5 percent to 7.5%.
- Production fell by 14%.
14
Q
When did Stalin die?
A
1953
15
Q
Who was the new soviet premier after Stalin?
A
Khruschev
16
Q
How did the number of shopping malls increase?
A
- 1945- 8
- 1960- 40,000
17
Q
Who franchised McDonalds?
A
Ray Kroc
18
Q
What were the main reasons for economic growth?
Hint: there’s 8
A
- International/ economic events
- Industry/consumerism
- Eisenhower/ government policy
- The construction industry/ suburbs
- The baby boom/ teenage demographic
- Cars
- The growth of credit
- The growth of advertising/ TV
19
Q
What was the average inflation rate?
A
2%
20
Q
A
21
Q
When did Eisenhower achieve a balanced budget?
A
- 1956
- 1957
- 1960.
22
Q
How did Eisenhower’s budget change Truman’s defence expenditure defecit?
A
- 1954
- Reduced the defence expenditure by $5 billion
- Cut the $10 billion budget defecit by half.
23
Q
How much was government spending on the military sector?
A
Still $40 billion
24
Q
When was the GI bill?
A
1944
25
How many years of college education was given under the GI bill?
4 years
26
How many houses did the GI Bills mortgage assistance finance over how long?
* 20%
* 1946-66
27
When was the federal highways act?
1956.
28
How much money was spent on the federal highway act?
$26 billion
29
How many miles of road were built by the federal highway act and how long did it take?
* 41,000 miles
* 20 years
30
How much did defence expenditure rise as a result of Eisenhower's dynamic conservatism?
* 1953- 31%
* 1961- 49%
31
How much did government expenditure increase by under Eisenhower?
11%
32
What caused Eisenhower to increase government expenditure?
* The Space Race
* The Soil Bank
33
How many recessions were there during Eisenhower's presidency?
3 recessions
34
Who built Levittowns?
The Levitt Brothers
35
When was the first Levittown built?
1947
36
How many homes did the first Levittown have?
* 17,000 homes
* 80,000 residents
37
# ```
How much did a home in a Levittown cost?
$8,000- 2.5x average family income
38
How many of the new homes constructed were built in the suburbs and when?
* 1948
* 11 million/ 12 million built in hte suburbs
39
When was the baby boom?
1946-1960
40
How much did the population increase by?
* 1950- 150 million
* 1960- 180 million
41
When did the boomers enter their teenage years?
1950s
42
Which magazine claimed teenagers were a powerful economic force and how much did it claim they were?
* Life Magazine
* $10 billion dollar power
43
How much did life magazine claim teenagers spent on different products?
* 20 million record players
* $25 million on deoderant
* Ate 20% more than adults
44
Whose poetry and novels were targetted at teenagers?
The Beat Generation
45
Which Hollywood film was about teenagers and when was it released?
Rebel without a cause- 1955
46
Which car company arranged credit terms for its cars?
General Motors
47
How many people did the automobile industry employ?
100,000
48
How did car sales increase?
* 1949- 5.1 million vehicles a year
* 1955- 7.9 million
49
When was the interstate highways act?
1956
50
How many of those living in the suburbs owned a car?
90%
51
What was the first out of town shopping mall?
The Southgate Centre
52
When did Holiday Inn open?
1952
53
When was McDonalds franchised and how many were there by when?
* 1955- franchised
* 1960- 228
54
Who franchised McDonalds?
Ray Kroc
55
How many new cars were manufactured and scrapped in 1955?
* 7.9 million manufactured
* 4.5 million scrapped
56
Which organisations provided low-interest loans for housing?
* Federal Housing Administration
* The Veterans Administration
57
Which company provided loans for cars?
General Motors
58
When was the first credit card launched and what was it called?
1950- The Diner's Club
59
Which major credit card company was launched and when?
* American Express
* 1958
60
How did priviate debt increase
Doubled from 105 billion to 263 billion
61
How did advertising grow?
* 1950- $6 billion annually
* 1963- $13 billion
62
Which 'public relations expert' inspired advertising?
Edward Bernays
63
When did Disney open a theme park?
1955
64
When did I Love Lucy start?
1951
65
How many viewers did I Love Lucy gain?
13 million
66
# [](http://)
Which 1950s sitcom promoted conformity?
Father Knows Best
67
When did Nixon and Khruschev hold the Kitchen debates debating Capitalism vs Communism?
1959
68
When did Eisenhower arrange for Khrushchev to fly in a helicopter over America to see the success of the American economy?
1959
69
Which sector of the American economy increased during the 1950s?
The tertiary structure
70
How many different types of workers were there in 1960?
* 8 million service workers
* 21 million white collar workers
* 26 million blue collar workers outnumbered
71
How did the number of industrial workers decline in the 1950s?
39% to 36% of the workforce
72
Name some rich American families?
* Gettys
* Rockefellers
73
Name 3 successful entrepeneurs during the 1950s?
* Ray Kroc- fast food
* Lucille Ball- media
* Sam Walton- retail
74
What was the first shopping mall and when was it opened?
* The Southdale Centre
* 1956
75
How many stores were in the first shopping mall?
72 stores
76
When was the first Holiday Inn opened?
1952
77
When was McDonalds franchised and how many were there by when?
* 1955- franchised
* 1960- 228
78
Who franchised McDonalds?
Ray Kroc
79
How much of each consumer good did each Americans own by 1956?
* 73%- car
* 81%- TV
* 96%- fridge
* 87%- washing machine
80
How many suburbans owned a car?
90%
81
How many cars were manufactured and scrapped in 1955?
* 8 million- manufactured
* 5 million- scrapped
82
What did polls show about the favourite leisure activity of Americans?
50% enjoyed TV
83
How many American homes had a TV by 1960
90%
84
When was the Disney Theme Park opened?
1955
85
When did I Love Lucy begin?
1951
86
How many households was I Love Lucy watched in?
13 million
87
Which Hollywood film was about teenagers and when was it released?
Rebel without a cause- 1955
88
Who franchised McDonalds?
Ray Kroc
89
# [](http://)
Which 1950s sitcom promoted conformity?
Father Knows Best
90
Which Hollywood film was about teenagers and when was it released?
Rebel without a cause- 1955
91
How did advertising grow?
* 1950- $6 billion annually
* 1963- $13 billion
92
Which 'public relations expert' inspired advertising?
Edward Bernays
93
# [](http://)
Which 1950s sitcom promoted conformity?
Father Knows Best
94
Which advertising campaign did Eisenhower use for which election?
* Eisenhower answers America
* 1952
95
How many of the worlds cars did Americans own by 1960?
1/2
96
How much of each consumer good did each Americans own by 1956?
* 73%- car
* 81%- TV
* 96%- fridge
* 87%- washing machine
97
How many American families owned a television by 1960?
90%
98
How many weeks of paid holiday did each American have a year?
2 weeks
99
Which group of novellists and poets glorified spontaneity, sex, drug use and spirituality?
The Beat Generation
100
Which famous novel was part of the Beat Generation?
Howl by Allen Ginsberg
101
Which artist and musician had a rebellious streak?
* Jackson Pollock
* Bob Dylan
102
Which Hollywood film was about teenagers and when was it released?
Rebel without a cause- 1955
103
When were the recessions during Eisenhowers Presidency?
* 1953
* 1957-8
* 1960
104
What were the effects of the 1957 to 1958 recession?
* Unemployment rose from 4.5 percent to 7.5%.
* Production fell by 14%.
105
How many Americans lived in poverty?
1/4
106
How much of the countries poor did the South have?
1/2
107
Which intellect sought to expose 'invisible poverty' and found poverty statistics?
Michael Harrington
108
Which sociologist wrote a book about the lack of awareness of poverty in America and what was the book called?
* Michael Harrington
* The Other America
109
Who argued consumerism adn materialism were becoming central to American identity and undermining traditional American values?
WDavid Riesman
110
Who wrote a book arguing Americans were materialistic and uncaring for the poor and what was it called?
* The Affluent Society
* J.K Galbraith
111
Who argued advertising was as socially influential as education adn religion?
David Potter
112
Who wrote a book arguing advertisements psychologically manipulated customers?
The Hidden Persuaders
113
Who wrote a play critiquing the corperate American lifestyle and what was it called?
* Arthur Miller
* Death of a Salesman
114
Which play was published about the pressure of family?
A Streetcar named Desire.
