Postwar America Chapter 27 Sections 1-4 © Shawn McCusker.

Postwar America Postwar America

Chapter 27 Sections 1-4© Shawn McCusker

Soldiers Return HomeSoldiers Return Home G.I. Bill- School tuition, loans

for homes, money to live on.

Having money for homes led to a housing shortage.

Suburbanization- people moved to the suburbs. Why?

Racial violence erupted in the South.Racial violence erupted in the South.

African Americans (especially soldiers) demanded their rights.

President Truman supported civil rights but wasn’t supported by Congress.

He integrated the armed forces.

At the same time big changes happen.

At the same time big changes happen.

TV- 9% of homes in 1950. 55% of homes in 1954 90% of homes in 1960. Shows like Milton Berle, I Love Lucy,

Mickey Mouse and Howdy Doody.

Tended to idealize white America.

Movies changedMovies changed Used gimmicks, 3D, Smellovision,

Gigantoscreen, drive ins. Why?

Radio changed.Radio changed.

Focused more on news music weather and sports.

Geared toward people in cars rather than in homes.

SUBCULTURESUBCULTURE

The Beat Movement

Beats, Beatniks. Valued nonconformity Rebelled against Sameness

and order. (WWII)

Ginsburg, Kerouac and others.

ROCK and ROLLROCK and ROLL Was long a popular

form of African American Music.

Became accepted by white communities in the 1950’s.

Popular songs were re-released by White artists, sometimes at the same time. Why?

But while they were portraying the perfect America, and fearing

communism…

But while they were portraying the perfect America, and fearing

communism…

THE OTHER AMERICA

Chapter 19 Sec. 4

Not everyone lives life the way it is portrayed on T.V.Not everyone lives life the way it is portrayed on T.V.

By 1962 ¼ of America lived below the poverty level. Social programs are weak because of the fear of

communism.

WHITE FLIGHT-– Middle class whites left the city for the suburbs.– Poor blacks from the South moved to the cities.– Cities= less taxes and less businesses.

Cities struggled to deal with the crisis. People attempted urban renewal but it mostly failed.

Other groups struggled too…Other groups struggled too…

Mexican Americans struggled with the same urban decay as A.A.

Native Americans- Termination policy.

So to sum up:

America is faced with many problems and struggles to find the solutions.

Fear of communism doesn’t help. People ignore social concerns.