American Life in the Fifties 27-3

Chapter 27

Section 3

The American Dream

• Eisenhower supported period of growth and prosperity – American Dream

• Kept new deal programs, dislike taxes

• Backed up new programs to help the people

• Highway act of 1956 – brought on beginning of interstate travel

Baby Boomers

• Population surged 30 million people in 50’s

• The suburbs started and grew as effect

• Car sales explode by 32 million cars in 14 years

• Sunbelt – Americans migrate to southwest

Consumerism in the ‘Burbs

• American dream influences good economy

• Advertisers target white Americans in the suburbs

• Women are viewed as “keeper of the dream”

• Bad jobs for women

The Forgotten Ones

• 1 in 5 live in poverty in the city

• Migration in the bad city

• Illegal immigration starts with the Bracero Program and Temporary Work program

• Stayed and took advantage of afterwards

The New America

• Rock n’ Roll starts and Elvis is crowned king in the mid 50’s

• 1/10 to 9/10 own TV set in 10 years, bad for theatres

• JFK – beats Nixon for presidency in 1960

• Nixon VS Kennedy in first on TV presidential debate