America in the 1950

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America in the 1950s
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President Dwight Eisenhower
The American Dream
1952-1960
Middle-of -the -Road
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Economic Boom
Suburbs/ Levittowns
GI Bill of Rights
Defense Spending
Consumerism
Business
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Economic Boom Pursuit of the American Dream
Middle Class
Conformity
Not for everyone!!
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1950s Business

• White-collar jobs Managers, sales,
  professionals, higher-paid.
• Corporation Business owned by stockholders,
  each with a share, generally to make a profit.

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1950s Business

• Conglomerate Corporation that includes smaller
  companies in unrelated industries.
• Franchise Use of parent companys name and
  system

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1950s Consumerism
-Amount of material goods bought -More to
buy -Planned obsolescence products designed to
become outdated or wear out quickly today?
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50s Business/Consumerism
Positives -Economic growth -Jobs -Higher-paid () -Services Negatives -Conformity -The Bottom Line -Needless Consumerism? -Throwaway Society

The American Dream at what cost?
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Dont Smoke!
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Suburbs
Residential communities surrounding cities
-Own economies -Suburban lifestyle
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Levittowns
Standardized, mass-produced homes built using
assembly-line methods
-Rules to conform -American Dream for everyone?
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Automania
-Necessity -Affordable
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Interstate Highway Act (1956)
Authorized building of nationwide highway system
-To connect suburbs for Defense