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I. Introduction
• Modern Republicanism• Dynamic/Progressive
Conservatism: responding to Americans’ desire for stability
• Low-key, pragmatic non-ideological style of leadership
II. Eisenhower’s Dynamic Conservatism
Believing that traditional American values encompassed change and progress– Department of health– Department of Education and Social Welfare– Interstate highway system: 41,000 miles of new
highways (largest public works project in American history)
A. Interstate Highway System• Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway Act of 1956:
Connecting major American cities…• Financed entirely by increased gasoline taxes (cost
more than the New Deal from 1933-1941!!)• Justified vis à vis conservative constituents as
needed escape routes in case of atomic bombImpact # 1• Lots and Lots of jobs…• Easier to vacation… Road trips…
• Disneyworld…•Makes suburbs practical
Impact # 2 Migrating to the Sunbelt• Sunbelt States: states in the south and west• During the 1950’s Americans began to flock to
these statesAir ConditioningLots of Jobs in South• Oil, Space, and Defense Industries
• Permanent War EconomyAerospace, plastics, and electronicsHigh tech innovations result from military
spending•Passenger jets & Computers
• Major shift in political power
B. St Lawrence Seaway
• Revolutionized the American transportation system
• Opened the Great Lakes to ocean traffic• Financed through selling of bonds by the U.S.
Canadian Seaway Development Corporation
C. The Middle Road
Balance the Budget
Lower Taxes
End farm supports Keep Social
Legislation
End wage and price controls Federal Aid to
EducationFederal Support of Desegregation Rulings
• Declining religious sentiment• Sexual freedom• Civil Rights• NAACP (National Association for the
Advancement of Colored Peoples)• Brown v Board of Education 1954
+COMMUNISTS!!!
Conservatives under Ike concerned with:
• People prepared by building bomb shelters in their homes
1. Bomb Shelters built
A. Fear of the Russians dropping the Atomic Bomb
B. Fear of not Keeping up with the Russians
•Space Race•1957 Sputnik•NASA•National Defense and Education Act
( spending on math and science)
C. Anti-communism legislation• Already Present under Truman• National Security Act 1947– Established the Department of Defense– Created the CIA
• McCarran Internal Security Act 1950• Passed over Truman’s Veto• Communist organizations must register with the government
• Loyalty Program• Truman issued an executive order for federal employees to
take a loyalty oath
D. HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)
• Hollywood Ten: refused to answer questions
(5th Amendment)Blacklisted
•went after Hollywood writers and directors who were suspected of being Communists• Richard Nixon led the investigations
• Works for U.S. State Department• Instrumental in setting up the U.N.• Convicted 5 years for perjury (not treason)• Denounced by a former communist party
member
1. Alger Hiss Trial (1950)
2. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (1951)• Convicted of giving atomic secrets to the
Soviets• Convicted of Treason and Executed!!!• Guilt not proved until the 1990’s
Video: Alger Hiss and the RosenbergsVideo: Killed for Believing in Communism
3. McCarthyism• Junior Senator from Wisconsin claimed to have a list of Communists in the gov’t• Went after people he suspected of being
Communist• Made America even more paranoid•When accused the US Army, lost his
credibility•Eisenhower and others stayed out of his way
• Video: Better Dead than Red
Conclusion
A. 1950’s Economic Boom and Prosperity– G.I. Bill enabled millions of vets to attend
college, start businesses, buy homes– Election of 1952: Ended first phase of post-
war era, ending period of Democratic Presidents in office (FDR, Truman)
Conclusion
B. Eisenhower Legacy– Middle of the road course, pleasing neither right-
wingers nor liberals– Accused by
liberals: failure to denounce McCarthy and racismconservatives: not repealing fair and new deals (Republicans in Congress blocked Health Care bill (=socialism)
Conclusion
– Left office warning countrymen of the growing influence of military-industrial complex over US society
– Anti-communism rhetoric silenced dissenters and weakened democratic liberalism
• Video: Happy Daze 0 – 21’20