Do Now:

“I’m Mrs. Edward M. Barnes. Where do I live?

What words or phrases would you use to describe the housing development depicted in this cartoon?

How do you think the woman in the cartoon Mrs. Edward M. Barnes, feels about living in a suburban development?

Why do you think Americans in the 1950s wanted to live in a housing development like this one?

Life After WWIILife After WWII

Do Now: 2/26Do Now: 2/26

““The War is Over!The War is Over!””

What problems might arise in the What problems might arise in the post-war era?post-war era? at home?at home? abroad?abroad?

GI Bill of RightsGI Bill of Rights

Passed in 1944 by CongressPassed in 1944 by Congress Helped veterans return to civilian lifeHelped veterans return to civilian life

Paid part of their tuitionPaid part of their tuition Guaranteed 1yrs worth of unemploymentGuaranteed 1yrs worth of unemployment Offered low interest federal loans- many Offered low interest federal loans- many

used these loans to buy a home, farm, or used these loans to buy a home, farm, or business business

The Housing CrisisThe Housing Crisis

Returning veterans faced a housing Returning veterans faced a housing shortageshortage

Lived in cramped apartments or with Lived in cramped apartments or with relativesrelatives

The answer to the housing crisis was The answer to the housing crisis was the newly developed suburbsthe newly developed suburbs

LevittownLevittown The 1The 1stst suburb in Long Island, NY suburb in Long Island, NY Developed by William Levitt Developed by William Levitt Homes built in 16 minutes (assembly Homes built in 16 minutes (assembly

line) and cost only $7,000 line) and cost only $7,000 Could be rented for $65/m (2 bedrooms, Could be rented for $65/m (2 bedrooms,

1 bathroom, kitchen, living room, and 1 bathroom, kitchen, living room, and appliances)appliances)

All homes looked the same-zoning laws All homes looked the same-zoning laws ensured that they would stay that wayensured that they would stay that way

Redefining the FamilyRedefining the Family

Women didnWomen didn’’t want to give up their t want to give up their independence (jobs)independence (jobs)

Men traditionally breadwinnersMen traditionally breadwinners

Divorce rate rose (1950- more than Divorce rate rose (1950- more than 1,000,000 war marriages ended in 1,000,000 war marriages ended in divorce)divorce)

Economic AdjustmentEconomic Adjustment Wartime Wartime »» peacetime economy peacetime economy

War contracts cancelled and defense War contracts cancelled and defense workers laid offworkers laid off

Unemployment increasedUnemployment increased Prices skyrocketed when the OPA Prices skyrocketed when the OPA

cancelled the controls on inflation- for cancelled the controls on inflation- for 2yrs until the supply caught up with 2yrs until the supply caught up with the demandthe demand

Wages were less Wages were less 4.5 million workers went on strike4.5 million workers went on strike

RecoveryRecovery Congress placed controls on prices, Congress placed controls on prices,

wages, and rent wages, and rent Supply eventually caught up with the Supply eventually caught up with the

demand & wages increased because demand & wages increased because people where spending their savingspeople where spending their savings

Americans prospered in the 1950s- Americans prospered in the 1950s- ““the affluent societythe affluent society””

The threat of the Cold War kept The threat of the Cold War kept America spending on defense and America spending on defense and allowing to employ workersallowing to employ workers

Truman would not allow workers to Truman would not allow workers to strikestrike ““The buck stops hereThe buck stops here”” Threatened to draft anyone strikingThreatened to draft anyone striking Ordered them to workOrdered them to work

1946 Congressional Elections1946 Congressional Elections

Republican Party won control of both the Republican Party won control of both the Senate and House of RepresentativesSenate and House of Representatives

8080thth Congress Congress ignored Truman’s ignored Truman’s domestic proposalsdomestic proposals

1947- passed the Taft-Hartley Act1947- passed the Taft-Hartley Act Overturned many rights won by unionsOverturned many rights won by unions Passed over Truman’s vetoPassed over Truman’s veto

Truman Supports Civil RightsTruman Supports Civil Rights

““I am asking for equality of opportunity I am asking for equality of opportunity for all human beings,for all human beings,”” ““…and if that …and if that

ends up in my failure to be re-elected, ends up in my failure to be re-elected, that failure will be in good cause.that failure will be in good cause.””

Wanted Congress to support a federal Wanted Congress to support a federal anti-lynching law, abolition of the poll tax, anti-lynching law, abolition of the poll tax, and set up a body to prevent racial and set up a body to prevent racial discrimination in hiring (Congress refused)discrimination in hiring (Congress refused)

1948 Truman integrated the armed forces 1948 Truman integrated the armed forces

Also, ordered an end to discrimination in Also, ordered an end to discrimination in the hiring of govthe hiring of gov’’t employeest employees

Supreme Court said no more Supreme Court said no more discrimination in residential neighborhoodsdiscrimination in residential neighborhoods

1947- Jackie Robinson integrated baseball1947- Jackie Robinson integrated baseball

1948 Election1948 Election Truman-DemocratsTruman-Democrats Dewey- RepublicansDewey- Republicans Strom Thurmond- DixiecratsStrom Thurmond- Dixiecrats

Southern DemocratsSouthern Democrats

Wallace- Progressive PartyWallace- Progressive Party

Truman’s “Give em hell, Truman’s “Give em hell, Harry”Harry”

Traveled the country Traveled the country campaigningcampaigning

303 Electoral College Votes303 Electoral College Votes 189189 3939

00

The Fair DealThe Fair Deal

Truman’s Domestic ProgramTruman’s Domestic Program Raised Minimum Wage- 40 Raised Minimum Wage- 40 ¢ - 75 ¢¢ - 75 ¢ Extended Social Security Coverage to Extended Social Security Coverage to

10 million more people10 million more people Initiated flood control projectsInitiated flood control projects Provided financial support for cities Provided financial support for cities

to clear out slums and build 810,000 to clear out slums and build 810,000 units for low-income familiesunits for low-income families