The American Dream in the Fifties

1
The American Dream in the Fifties

• Chapter 19
• Section 2

2
The Organization and the Organization Man
Right click for speaker notes
3
The Organization and the Organization ManPages
643-644

• By the mid 1950s, blue-collar jobs no longer
  employ the majority of Americans.
• American business expands by diversifying and
  franchising.
• Conformity replaces individuality among workers.

4
The Suburban Lifestyle
Right click for speaker notes
5
The Suburban LifestylePages 644-647

• Affluence, automobiles and highways help many
  Americans achieve the dream of owning a home in
  the suburbs.
• The postwar baby boom creates a youth-centered
  culture and a demand for products related to
  children.
• Many American women become dissatisfied with the
  role of homemaker.

6
The Automobile Culture
Right click for speaker notes
7
The Automobile CulturePages 646-647

• Americans buy cars in record numbers in the
  1950s.
• Access to cars and an interstate highway system
  make Americans mobile.
• The car industry creates opportunities and
  problems.

8
Consumerism Unbound
Right click for speaker notes
9
Consumerism UnboundPages 648-649

• Americans buy more consumer goods in the 1950s
  than ever before.
• To encourage spending, manufacturers create new
  products planned to become obsolete in a short
  time.
• To increase sales of consumer goods, advertisers
  appeal to Americans desire for status and
  conformity.