American Society in Post WWII 1950 s 1960 s
The 1950 s A Time for Innocence The perfect life, the consumer life??? Conformity
Polio Vaccine deadly children s disease destruction of nervous system (paralysis) FDR wheel chair bound virus nearly ended in 1950 s because of vaccine now, very rare in U.S.
fear of communism due to Cold War (competition with the Soviet Union) The Red Scare
Arizona growth in the Sunbelt states in the SW population increasing - why? AIR CONDITIONER COPPER = king of Arizona economy jobs Army = largest source of revenue for AZ industrial development inland protection from aerial attacks (the nukes) movement to the suburbs AZ s economy post WWII GOOD
the Automobile changed America s living patterns never be without your car Drive in movies Suburbs could travel back & forth Motor hotels stay the night before hitting the road Route 66
The Suburbs Highways made it possible to live outside the city & commute quickly to work Housing developments increase offer larger homes, new appliances, lower prices consumer culture (cars, TVS, washer/dryer, etc.) Because of the move, BABY BOOM increase in babies born after WWII Suburban mothers stayed home full time mother
Leave it to Beaver Culture
Beatniks young generation of writers who criticized American life through their unusual writing and their rebellious behavior Jack Kerouac (author) encouraged people to reject American traditional society & find your own path Beat writings inspired young people to question the rules of mainstream America Not a huge movement (suburban children were mainstream)
Rock N Roll mainstream teenagers challenging society drew heavily from African American rhythm & blues Elvis Presley most defined singer for the new white teenage culture Rock & Roll juvenile delinquency??? concern over musical integration (black & white kids mingling) mirrored civil rights struggle
Jackie Robinson 1 st black baseball player in the majors; began a new era in sports & society (blacks are just as good as whites) ended 80 years of baseball segregation civil rights activist
1960 s For a times, they are a changing Counterculture = Hippies (a way of life that differed from mainstream America)
Pop Art
Music British Pop Music the Beatles, the Rolling Stones Folk Music Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel Soul Music Motown: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5 Rock Music Woodstock: Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin
Civil Rights Segregated but equal??? struggle for minorities to get same rights as white male Americans work at same place, go to same movie theater, sit in same area in church, bus, etc. women, Hispanics, Natives, & African Americans
Civil Rights The NAACP opened a Washington Bureau in 1942 to serve as a legislative arm and national policy office. Walter White was the bureau s first director. The NAACP Washington Bureau assumed responsibility for tracking and influencing federal legislation, monitoring government agencies administering federal regulations and programs, testifying before Congress, and working with other organizations with similar objectives.
Civil Rights National Organization for Women The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men. NOW is dedicated to the proposition that women, first and foremost, are human beings that must have the chance to develop their fullest human potential belief that women can achieve such equality only by accepting to the full the challenges and responsibilities they share with all other people in our society, as part of the decision-making mainstream of American political, economic and social life.
Civil Rights American Indian Movement - AIM founded in July 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota initially formed to address American Indian sovereignty, treaty issues, spirituality, and leadership AIM works to address specific issues concerning Native American urban communities including unusually high unemployment levels overt and covert racism, police harassment and neglect epidemic drug abuse (mainly alcoholism), reduce poverty, domestic violence and substandard housing. AIM's paramount objective is to create real economic independence for the Indians
Reforms Kennedy s New Frontier Johnson s Great Society Medicare, Medicaid, Peace Corps
Peace Corps Kennedy takes office in 1960 New Frontier a set of proposals asking Americans to look beyond themselves and to work for freedom & justice throughout the world Peace Corps (part of New Frontier plan) a program to send American volunteers to developing countries to work on a wide variety of improvement projects basic purpose: aid people in underdeveloped areas
The Great Society President Lyndon Johnson s reform & aid for Americans living in poverty WAR ON POVERTY! aimed to provide the poor with education & job training Medicare helps people over 65 meet medical expenses by including them in a govt. health plan Medicaid provides health insurance for people with low incomes