Levittown After WWII returning veterans faced a severe

  • Slides: 13
Download presentation
Levittown • After WWII returning veterans faced a severe housing shortage. Many families were

Levittown • After WWII returning veterans faced a severe housing shortage. Many families were forced to live in cramped apartments or moved in with relatives. To help solve this problem people like William Levitt used efficient, assembly-line methods to mass-produce homes. • Levitt would offer these homes in small residential neighborhoods or communities known as suburbs. Each home typically sold for close to $7, 000 and could be produced in 16 minutes. • Levitt’s first postwar development was on Long Island named Levittown. The homes looked all the same and were on treeless lots. Despite the conformity citizens loved the openness of them and small town feel.

The Interstate Highway System • During WWII the government had rationed gasoline. However, post

The Interstate Highway System • During WWII the government had rationed gasoline. However, post war there was a massive influx of petroleum and now plenty of fuel for cars. Americans also started buying cars in record numbers due to easy credit terms and advertising. • The more cars that were bought meant that more roads needed to be built. Both local and state governments started building roads to connect homes to businesses, schools, and shopping centers. • The Interstate Highway Act, signed by President Eisenhower in 1956, authorized the building of a nationwide highway network-41, 000 miles of expressways. These new roads fueled more suburbs to be created that were further away from major cities. • Highways also lead to a decrease in railroad use. Railroads had been used to

The Interstate Highway System • Highways also lead to a decrease in railroad use.

The Interstate Highway System • Highways also lead to a decrease in railroad use. Railroads had been used to transport goods from one part of the country to another. However, highways did this at a highspeed and typically more efficiently. • The highways helped unify the nation. Along highways there would be hotels, gas stations, and restaurants. It allowed you to travel from the East to West coast without a huge change in diet, culture, or scenery. This availability of cars and gas encouraged more people to travel to lakes, national parks, and historic sites.

The Space Race • After Stalin’s death Nikita Khrushchev came to power in Russia.

The Space Race • After Stalin’s death Nikita Khrushchev came to power in Russia. While he believed in communism he also believed that powerful nations could coexist but they should compete economically and scientifically. • The Soviets had an early lead in the space race. On October 4, 1957, they launched Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite. Sputnik traveled around the world at 18, 000 miles per hour and could circle the globe in 96 minutes. • Americans were shocked at being beaten and decided that they needed to pour money into space programs. U. S. scientists worked at a rapid rate trying to compete and catch up to the soviets. – The first attempt for the U. S. to launch a satellite failed miserably as the rocket fell to the ground. On January 31, 1958 the U. S. successfully launched its first satellite.

The Space Race • At the Geneva Conference in 1955, President Eisenhower had offered

The Space Race • At the Geneva Conference in 1955, President Eisenhower had offered a proposal known as “Open Skies” to the Soviet Union. It would have allowed the Soviet Union and the U. S. to conduct surveillance flights over each other’s countries to make sure that an attack was not being planned. Khrushchev rejected the plan. In return the CIA started making secret high-altitude flights over Soviet territory. The plane was a U-2 and could fly without detection and would take detailed pictures of Soviet troop movement and missiles. • In 1960, U. S. officials became concerned about the program. First, it was an open secretly among some members of American press. Second, the Soviets had been aware of the missions since 1958. Eisenhower wanted the missions called off and was planning another summit with Khrushchev about the arms race. However, John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State, told Eisenhower to do one more flight. The flight was shot down and the pilot had to parachute into Soviet territory and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. – At first Eisenhower said that the U-2 was not spying. However, once confronted with proof he admitted it. Khrushchev also wanted an apology, which Eisenhower refused to give. In return that summit was called and tension increased between both sides once again.

Truman Supports Civil Rights • After WWII, a wave of racial violence began to

Truman Supports Civil Rights • After WWII, a wave of racial violence began to occur in the South. Many blacks that had served in the army during the war wanted equal rights. • Truman put his presidency on the line for civil rights. In September 1946, Truman met with African-American leaders who wanted an anti-lynching law, abolition of the poll tax as a voting requirement and the establishment of a permanent body to prevent racial discrimination during hiring. – Congress refused to pass the measure or to integrate the military. In July of 1946, Eisenhower issued an executive order for integration of the military and he ordered an end to discrimination the hiring of government employees. – The Supreme Court also said that blacks could not be banned from residential neighborhoods.

Truman Supports Civil Rights • Jackie Robinson was the first man to integrate baseball.

Truman Supports Civil Rights • Jackie Robinson was the first man to integrate baseball. He turned the Brooklyn Dodgers into an integrated baseball team in 1947. During games fans scream profanities at him and opposing teams would try to hit him with pitches or hurt him with spikes on their shoes. Death threats were even sent to his house. In 1949, Robinson voted the National League’s Most Valuable Player and would be the first African American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Television Impacts Politics • Television was now playing a large role in citizens’ lives

Television Impacts Politics • Television was now playing a large role in citizens’ lives than ever before. One example of this is the Presidential debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. • Before the televised debates most people believed that JFK was too young (43) and inexperienced to become president. On September 26, 1960 70 million TV watchers saw the 2 presidential candidates debating issues. Nixon’s hope was that he could exploit and showcase Kennedy’s inexperience. • However, Kennedy had hired television producers to coach him how to look and speak better on TV. Nixon had poor makeup, looked warn down due to a stay in the hospital earlier in the month, and a gray suit that blended in with the backdrop. • Kennedy’s success in the debate set off a new era in American politics: the television age.

Television Impacts Politics • Another way that television impacted politics was in October 1970

Television Impacts Politics • Another way that television impacted politics was in October 1970 when Martin Luther King, Jr. and 33 other African-American demonstrators were arrested in Atlanta. The other demonstrators were released-King was sentenced to months of hard labor. President Eisenhower refused to take action and Nixon took no public position. – Kennedy heard about the arrest and called King’s wife to express his sympathy. Kennedy’s brother, Robert Kennedy was able to persuade the judge to release MLK on bail. – The news of this event captured the immediate attention of the African-American community and helped JFK with key states in the Midwest and South.

Mc. Carthyism • Mc. Carthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion,

Mc. Carthyism • Mc. Carthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940 s to the late 1950 s and characterized by heightened fears of communist influence on American institutions and espionage by Soviet agents. – The movement was lead by U. S. Senator Joseph Mc. Carthy.

Mc. Carthyism • Under Mc. Carthyism well respected men like Alger Hiss were accused

Mc. Carthyism • Under Mc. Carthyism well respected men like Alger Hiss were accused of crimes. Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer. He was involved in the establishment of the United Nations both as a U. S. State Department and UN official. Hiss was accused of being a Soviet spy in 1948 and convicted of perjury in connection with this charge in 1950.