Chapter 27 Sanchez The Postwar Boom I. Postwar America a. Readjustment and Recovery i. What were the benefits provided through the GI Bill of Rights? ii. Why was the introduction of Levittown and suburbs like it needed? iii. What was Levittown? iv. Why did the divorce rate rise after the war? v. Why did unemployment rise after the war? vi. What contributed to the rise in consumer prices after the war? vii. Why did consumer-spending increase after the war and how did it prevent a return to a depression economy? b. Economic Challenges i. What did the plaque on Truman's desk say and what did it mean? ii. What unions went on strike after the war? iii. What was Truman's reaction to the strikes? c. Social Unrest Persists i. What was Truman's stance on Civil Rights? ii. What were the demands of African Americans from Truman and how much was he able to accomplish out of those demands? iii. What did Truman do when Congress failed to act on the demands? iv. Who were the Dixiecrats and what was their official name and who was their presidential candidate? v. Why was Truman able to win the election in 1948? vi. Why was his victory as surprise? vii. What was Truman's Fair Deal? d. Republicans Take the Middle Road i. Why did Truman decide not to run again in 1952? ii. Who were the two main candidates in 1952? iii. What were the criticisms that the Republican party leveled at the democrats in 1952? iv. What took place during the Checkers Speech? v. What was "dynamic conservativism" vi. What was the importance of the Brown v. Board of Ed. decision? vii. What did Rosa Parks do in Montgomery and what was the affect? viii. What occurred in Little Rock in 1957 and how did Eisenhower's position change? II. The American Dream in the Fifties a. The Organization and the Organization Man i. How did the jobs held by Americans changed during the 1950's? ii. What were conglomerates? iii. What is a franchise? iv. How did McDonald's get its start and what was Ray Kroc's impact on the business? v. What did "The Organization Man" reveal? vi. What were some criticisms of the new conformity? b. The Suburban Lifestyle i. What enabled many Americans to move out of the cities? ii. What was the baby boom and what contributed to its growth? iii. What did Jonas Salk accomplish? iv. Who was Dr. Benjamin Spock and what was his advice? v. What was the financial impact of the Baby Boom? vi. How was the role of women as homemaker glorified in the period? vii. How did many women feel about their role as homemaker? viii. What was contained in "The Feminine Mystique"? ix. For women who worked outside of the home what types of opportunities existed? x. Why did leisure time increase? xi. What were the most common recreational pursuits of the period? c. The Automobile Culture i. What contributed to the rise in automobile use in America? ii. What was the importance of the Interstate Highway Act? iii. What was the toll of the new mobility? d. Consumerism Unbound i. What new consumer products were introduced? ii. What is planned obsolescence? iii. How did credit become a big part of society during the period? iv. What was the role of advertising? III. Popular Culture a. New Era of the Mass Media i. What contributed to the rise of television? ii. What was the purpose of the FCC? iii. What were some of the popular television shows of the period? iv. How did society adapt to the TV culture? v. What were some of the criticisms of the new television roles? vi. What was the effect of TV on radio and movies and how did they overcome the challenge? b. A Subculture Emerges i. What was the beat movement? ii. Who were some of the best-known writers of the beat movement? iii. What were the criticisms of the beatniks? iv. How did music change during the decade? v. What was Alan Freed's role? vi. Who were some of the best-known rock 'n' roll entertainers? c. African Americans and Popular Culture i. Who were some of the most popular African-American entertainers? ii. How did entertainment change to market to the African American audience? IV. The Other America a. The Urban Poor i. Why was life in American not the "nifty-fifties" for everyone? ii. What was white flight and what was its effect in America? iii. How did many American fail to realize the plight of people in the inner city? iv. Why did many minorities not move to the suburbs? v. What were the goals of urban renewal and what were some of the problems created? b. Mexican Americans and Native Americans i. What was the braceros program? ii. What was Operation Wetback? iii. What were some of the barriers that existed for Mexican Americans? iv. What took place in the Longoria Incident? v. How has the government treatment of Native Americans changed? vi. What was contained in the Indian Reorganization Act? vii. What were the goals of the National Congress of American Indians? viii. What was the termination policy? ix. How did the Bureau of Indian Affairs step in to help relocate the Native Americans?