Recent American History Unit II: Post-War America, The New Frontier and The Great Society

What should I be able to do? Identify the social and economic problems America faced after WWII Explain how the desire for stability led to political conservatism Describe the causes and effects of social unrest in the postwar period Complete 1948 Presidential Election picture analysis and reading questions to explain the surprise that occurred in the Election of 1948

Postwar Problems and Solutions Is the economy better or worse in a time of war?

Post War Situations Read each case then develop a solution to the problem - You are a factory owner of a large furniture company. Every year since the war, your company has earned around $10 million. Now that the war is over, the returning veterans are coming home and looking for work. During the war, you have employed hundreds of capable men and women who have been working in the factory for over four years now and know how to do their jobs well. Training and hiring new workers would cost you over $2 million. However, the government is willing to cut your annual corporate taxes by 15% if 2/3 of your workers are veterans. You also want to help the returning veterans who fought for the country. What is your solution?

Post War Situations - You are a member of the U.S. Senate. Tomorrow you will have to vote on a law that could potentially end the campaign that has been encouraging women to leave their jobs in factories, go back home to raise their families and become homemakers. You know for a fact that the contribution of women factory workers kept America in WWII, but you also realize that many factories only hired women temporarily until men came home from the war. If this bill passes, then the campaign will end and many women will return home. If the bill does not pass, many women will continue to work, leaving many veterans without jobs. Also, since women have the right to vote, you many not be reelected. What is your decision?

Postwar Problems and Solutions Job Shortages GI Bill of Rights Provided returning veterans with: Money for education Years worth of unemployment benefits Low-interest Loans

GI Bill of Rights More than any other law passed by Congress, it shaped American society in the postwar period, millions of people whose parents or grandparents had never dreamed of going to college saw they could go. It allowed millions of Americans to achieve a standard of living that was generally better than that enjoyed by their parents.

Postwar Problems and Solutions Severe Housing Shortage Mass Housing Developments Levittowns and Sunbelt 16 minute home @ $8000 Promoted conformity with strict rules

Postwar Problems and Solutions High Inflation Rates Congress establishes controls on: Prices Wages Rents Success led to increase in American consumption

Postwar Problems and Solutions Labor Strikes Truman threatens workers with an executive order Taft-Hartley Act Limited power of labor unions Major component: outlawing closed shop law

Postwar Problems and Solutions Discrimination and Racial Violence Committee on Civil Rights Developed to investigate inequality in the U.S. Focus on de jure segregation Executive Order Ordered by President Truman Required integration of armed forces

Big Picture The years following WWII were a time of prosperity in the United States. As the economy boomed, fears of a return to depression conditions faded. During the 1950s, millions of working-class families became affluent enough to move up into the middle class. The GI Bill enabled veterans to attend college, establish businesses and buy homes; it helped to prevent the economic recession that occurs after wars The 1950s economic problems included housing shortages, unemployment and rising prices, however increased demand for consumer goods created economic prosperity.

Election of 1948 The Surprise

Election of 1948 Democratic Party Candidate: Harry Truman (incumbent) Dixicrats (States Rights Party) Candidate: Strom Thurmond - Broke with DP because didnt agree with Trumans stance on Civil Rights Progressive Party Candidate: Henry Wallace - Wanted to improve relations with Soviet Union Republican Party Candidate: Thomas Dewey

Stroms Story

Trumans Domestic Agenda Every segment of our populationhas a right to expect from our government a fair deal Trumans Domestic Agenda Reform program to aid the transition from a wartime to peacetime economy Extension of New Deal that promised: Increase in minimum wage Increase in aid to agriculture and education National health insurance program Agenda frustrated (much not passed) by Congress

Big Picture The 1948 Election saw competition between four political parties and ended in a surprise victory by Harry Truman. Trumans Fair Deal provided some social and economic reforms but met strong opposition from Congress.

The Election of 1952 First use of political advertising

What should I be able to do? Understand how the use of television commercials differs from previous forms of political communication. Understand how the first campaign commercials in 1952 changed exposure to and perception of candidates and issues in presidential campaigns. Summarize Eisenhowers domestic policy of modern Republicanism and describe why Eisenhower appealed to many Americans.

Question What do you know about the main presidential candidates for the 2008 election? Their records, their positions on issues and life stories? In what ways did you get your information?

Activity 1 Directions - Take out a blank piece of paper - Fold paper in half (hot dog style) - Work with the person sitting next to you and develop a pro/con list comparing the advantages and disadvantages of television during political campaigns vs. more traditional techniques - Develop at least 3 pros and 3 cons

Historical Context The election of 1952 was the first election where presidential commercials ever aired, at a time when Americans were not used to seeing candidates on television

Political Advertising Commercial Television was a new form of medium for presidential candidates in 1952. In your opinion, who used this medium to better advantage, Eisenhower or Stevenson? Explain your answer using details from the spots. What concerns does a candidate face when presenting himself in a television ad that might not exist in other situations?

With Which do you agree more? The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is the ultimate indignity to the democratic processAdlai Stevenson, 1956 Television is no gimmick, and nobody will ever be elected to major office again without presenting themselves well on itTelevision producer and Nixon campaign consultant Roger Ailes, 1968

Big Picture After the election of 1952, television would become an indispensible form of communicating a political message. A candidates ability to present himself on television became just as important as his views on the issue.

The Affluent Society What are the differences between liberals and conservatives?

Eisenhowers Domestic Agenda Conservative when it comes to money, and liberal when it comes to people Eisenhowers Domestic Agenda Middle of the road domestic policy that combined both liberal and conservative ideas Led to an increase in social programs and defense spending

Do you know? Why do you believe many Americans supported Eisenhower in the 1950s?

The Big Picture Modern Republicanism was Eisenhowers Policy that stated he would be conservative with money and liberal with human beings; because the policy addressed liberal and conservative agendas, it was popular with many Americans.

1950s Cultural Changes The American Dream Graphic Organizer

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Rise of monopolies/franchises /conglomerates Reduction of individuality within workplaceconformity Machines/computers take place of jobs once held by humans White-collar jobs outnumber blue-collar Business Expansion

1 st McDonalds They put the hamburger on the assembly line It requires a certain kind of mind to see the beauty in a hamburger bun. Yet is it any more unusual to find grace in texture and softly curved silhouette of a bun than to reflect lovingly on thearrangements of textures and colors in a butterflys wing? Not if you view the bun as essential material in the arm of serving a great many meals fast. Ray Kroc

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Increased need for roads and transportation mediums New definition of the American Dream Deterioration of cities Suburban Migration

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Reunion of families after WWII Decrease in the age of marriage Desirability of large family Confidence in continued economic prosperity Dr. Jonas Salk and the polio vaccine Population Growth Causes Need to move outside of cities Production in related industries Population Growth Effects

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Less hours worked/week Increased consumption of time- saving devices Increased Leisure Time (Causes) Many enjoyed high number of recreational pursuits Increase in reading Activities geared towards youth increased Increased Leisure Time (Effects)

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Many more Americans reached middle-class status New products Introduction of credit cards Planned obsolescence Increase in advertising Consumerism (Causes) Strong economy Increased conformist culture Defined gender roles Consumerism (Effects)

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects Cheap gasoline Increased credit lines Increased advertising Automobile Culture (Causes) Cars became a necessity Interstate Highway Act Decline in other travel mediums Increases in related industries Increases in accidents/pollution Gap between rich and poor increases Automobile Culture (Effects)

1954 Chevy Bel Air 1955 Chevy Bel Air 1956 Chevy Bel Air

1950s Culture: Causes and Effects More Americans owned TVs and could afford TVs Newest medium of entertainment Televisions Golden Age (Causes) Portrayed an idealized society Created defined societal/gender roles Increase in advertising Radio and movies turned toward/captured what TV could not Televisions Golden Age (Effects)

1950s Popular Culture

American Bandstand

Planned Obsolescence

Planned Obsolesce

Dr. Salk and the Polio Vaccine

Betty Friedan The problem lay buried, unspoken for so many years in the minds of American women. It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the 20 th century in the United States. Each suburban housewife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at nightshe was afraid to ask even of herself the silent questionis this all?

Big Picture The years following WWII were a time of prosperity in the United States. As the economy boomed, fears of a return to depression conditions faded. During the 1950s, millions of working-class families became affluent enough to move up into the middle class.

Lash Out Against Conformity

What are the fads today?

1950s Fads

What should I be able to do? Describe the ways in which people lashed out against 1950s conformity.

Food For Thought What characterizes teenagers from other groups?

Lash Out Against Conformity Teenagers First time word teenagers entered vocabulary Parents fearful of new, teenage subculture Mass media targeted new group (examples: The Catcher in the Rye, Rebel Without a Cause)

Bill Haley and his Comets First Major Rock and Roll act. Rock Around the Clock Became a national success and teenage anthem. Do you think Parents would object to this song? Why?

Why would parents object? One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock, Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock, Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock, We're gonna rock around the clock tonight. Put your glad rags on and join me, hon, We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one, We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight. We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight. When the clock strikes two, three and four, If the band slows down we'll yell for more, We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight. We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight. (1st guitar solo) When the chimes ring five, six and seven, We'll be right in seventh heaven. We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight. We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight. When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too, I'll be goin' strong and so will you. We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight. We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight. (2nd guitar solo) When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then, Start a rockin' round the clock again. We're gonna rock around the clock tonight, We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight. We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

Elvis Aaron Presley (1935 - 1977) Elvis crossed racial lines. Young girls loved him! Are there any artists that compare today?

Lash Out Against Conformity Rock n Roll Combined sounds from various genres Increased generational divide Helped to decrease racial divide

The Beat Generation Rebellion against Consensus

Lash Out Against Conformity Beat Movement Expressed the social and literary nonconformity of artists and poets Beatnikslived nonconformist lives and cared little for material goods

Allen Ginsbergs America How does the poem reflect a lack of conformity with 1950s values? What is the message of the poem? What criticisms does Ginsberg level at America?

Big Picture The 1950s were widely viewed as an age of conformity. Some social critics worried that the suburbs had become wastelands of cultural conformity and materialism. However, many currents of nonconformity also swirled through this decade.

Kennedy and the Johnson Administrations

Kennedy Administration Election of 1960 First televised debates Pitted John F Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon Role of media had huge influence on outcome Nixon appeared sickly and uptight Kennedy appeared relaxed and confident

JFK Youngest president ever elected. Who was our youngest president? First and only Catholic President Closest race since 1888.

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!

New Frontier New Frontier Target Issues What Kennedy Did to Address Issues Managing the Economy Increase in government spending Increase in government spending Persuade steel industry to reduce prices Persuade steel industry to reduce prices Reduced taxes Reduced taxes Helping the Disadvantaged Donated his salary to charities Donated his salary to charities Passed Area Redevelopment Actprovided financial assistance to poor. Passed Area Redevelopment Actprovided financial assistance to poor. Peace Corps Peace Corps

Kennedy Administration Flexible Response Believed U.S. should have options other than nuclear war Two-part plan Increase stockpile of nuclear weapons Tripled nuclear capability Boost funding to unconventional forces Special forces/Green Berets Peace corps PUT A MAN ON THE MOON!

List three reasons for the US to be concerned about Cubas connection to communism?

Kennedy Administration Crisis in Cuba Communist revolution in 1959 overthrow Cuban dictator Establish strong ties with Soviet Union Transform Cuba into a communist country with a planned economy

Kennedy Administration Bay of Pigs Kennedys first foreign policy initiative CIAs clandestine mission to invade Cuba and overthrow Castros regime Hoped to spark support against Castro Mission highly unsuccessful Castro anticipated attack Cuban troops were killed or captured Expected uprising never occurred

Soviet Response Soviets supplied Cuba with Arms. Soviets viewed opportunity to spread communism to the Western Hemisphere. US saw this as a threat. October 14th 1962 Secret U-2 mission revealed up to 40 nuclear missile silos on Cuba. Made the US highly susceptible to Soviet attack.

EXCOMM

President creates a committee referred to as EXCOMM Lyndon Johnson Vice President Dean Rusk Secretary of State Robert McNamara - Secretary of Defense General Maxwell Taylor - Chairman of the JCS McGeorge Bundy - Special Assistant to the President John McCone - CIA Director Robert Kennedy - Attorney General George Ball - Undersecretary of State Theodore Sorensen - Special Counsel Llewellyn Thompson - Soviet Specialist Adlai Stevenson - U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

Pursue Diplomacy Blockade Cuba (Quarantine) Air strike and Invade Three Choices

Option Assignments DiplomacyBlockadeDestroy Missiles EXCOMM GROUPS

Resolution US elected to quarantine Soviet Ships headed to Cuba. Soviets agree to stop placement of missiles in Cuba if US publically agreed to never invade Cuba. US removed ICBMs from Turkey. Relations with USSR still tense, but communication improved. HOTLINE.

Questions What did the United States do correctly? What should we have done differently? What should we take away from the Cuban Missile Crisis in dealing with foreign nations? Are there lessons for today? If so what are they?

Kennedy Administration Tensions in Berlin Borders between Eastern and Western Germany were closed everywhere except in Berlin Thousands of East Berliners fleeing into West Berlin Approx. 25,000 East German refugees each day To halt refugees, Khrushchev constructs Berlin Wall A concrete barrier dividing communist East Berlin from noncommunist West Berlin Became symbolic of deepening Cold War divide

Berlin Wall (1961) Wall that Khrushchev built to prevent Eastern Berliners from fleeing to Western Berlin

Kennedys Domestic Agenda Increased aid to education New programs to end poverty Tax cuts to stimulate economic growth Expand Economic Opportunity Raise minimum wage Fund medical care Clear slums Promote Equality Enact legislation banning racial discrimination Promote Civil Rights Protect Liberty and Democracy

Big Picture During his brief time as President, John F. Kennedy faced many domestic and foreign challenges. His presidency began with great optimism and ended in tragedy, leaving many of his goals unfulfilled

Can on lone person change the world or does it take the force of many? Assassination of JFK Dont let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot

Concerning JFKs assassination Individually list: Everything you know for a FACT. Everything you believe to be the truth, but dont know for sure. Any rumors or theories that you have heard. What do you know?

Why is there contradiction on the assassination of JFK? How could we discover the truth? Questions

Election of 1964 Watch the Goldwater commercial that aired during the 1964 Presidential Election. Why do you believe people feared Barry Goldwater?

Johnsons Great Society

Johnson Administration War on Poverty Continued JFKs fight to help the disadvantaged Created Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO)group that coordinated a series of new antipoverty programs Examples: Head Start, Volunteers in Service to America Helped to significantly reduce poverty levels in America

Johnson Administration More concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods Great Society - Passed more legislation than any other president - Mixed results - Had limited success because the Vietnam War took away support and funding

Great Society Programs Poverty Tax Reduction Act Medicare and Medicaid Economic Opportunity Act Cities Omnibus Housing Act Dep. Of Housing and Urban Development Education Elementary and Secondary Education Act PBS Higher Education Act Arts and Humanities Act Discrimination Civil Rights Act Voting Rights Act Immigration Act Environment Wilderness Preservation Act Clean Air Act Water Quality Act Air Quality Act Consumer Advocacy Truth in Packaging Department of Transportation Highway Safety Act

Johnson Administration Warren Court Extremely liberal Supreme Court during Johnson Administration Expanded civil rights and civil liberties greatly Examples: Ensuring one person, one vote Ruling on prayer in school Protecting the rights of the accused

Big Picture In 1964, voters elected liberal Democrat LBJ by a wide margin. Johnson used this mandate to enact a broad programs of reforms he called the Great Society. With his powers of persuasion, Johnson pushed more than 200 bills through Congress.

Documents

Recent American History Unit II: Post-War America, The New Frontier and The Great Society