The Affluent The Affluent Society and the Society and the Other AmericaOther America

G.I. Bill G.I. Bill The passage of the The passage of the

GI Bill of Rights GI Bill of Rights helped ease helped ease veterans’ adjustment veterans’ adjustment to civilian life. to civilian life.

Millions of families Millions of families used these benefits used these benefits to buy homes or to to buy homes or to establish businesses. establish businesses.

FDR’s goal of a FDR’s goal of a “sound postwar “sound postwar economy” became a economy” became a reality. reality.

John Kenneth Galbraith John Kenneth Galbraith Economist, John Kenneth Economist, John Kenneth

Galbraith analyzes the Galbraith analyzes the Post World War II Post World War II changes in the American changes in the American economy and criticizes economy and criticizes the lack of emphasis the lack of emphasis towards funding of public towards funding of public projects and services. projects and services.

His His The Affluent SocietyThe Affluent Society became a best seller in became a best seller in 1958 and succeeded in 1958 and succeeded in capturing a picture of capturing a picture of post WWII American post WWII American Culture.Culture.

Craig Thompson Craig Thompson Journalist, Craig Journalist, Craig

Thompson summarizes Thompson summarizes the growth of Levittown, the growth of Levittown, Pennsylvania, one of the Pennsylvania, one of the many suburban many suburban communities developed communities developed under businessman, under businessman, William Levitt, and William Levitt, and acknowledges the acknowledges the common practice of common practice of “restrictive covenants” “restrictive covenants” which effectively created which effectively created de facto segregation de facto segregation within these communities. within these communities.

This is an aerial photograph of Levittown

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The advertisements of The advertisements of the 1950s reflected the the 1950s reflected the image of what a woman image of what a woman should be.should be.

From beauty From beauty advertisements telling advertisements telling her how to look beautiful her how to look beautiful and attract a man, to and attract a man, to kitchen and home kitchen and home advertisements selling advertisements selling the latest gadget or the latest gadget or appliance, women got the appliance, women got the message that there place message that there place was in the home.was in the home.

Consumer Credit Debt Consumer Credit Debt With the rise in affordable consumer products, consumer credit debt began to skyrocket during the 1950’s. The following graph displays

what happened to Consumer Credit Debt during the 1950's.

Split-level Split-level Living Living

Following World War II, Following World War II, construction of single-construction of single-family housing exploded in family housing exploded in suburbia, the "split-level" suburbia, the "split-level" house being one of the house being one of the more popular models. more popular models.

By 1960, the gross national By 1960, the gross national product, the consumer product, the consumer price index, and personal price index, and personal income had reached all-income had reached all-time highs. time highs.

At the same time, critics At the same time, critics said President Dwight said President Dwight Eisenhower had failed to Eisenhower had failed to provide more spending provide more spending needed for education, for needed for education, for economic and social economic and social programs, especially for programs, especially for those Americans left out of those Americans left out of the general prosperity. the general prosperity.

Multimedia CitationsMultimedia Citations Slide 2: Slide 2:

http://www.historycooperative.org/journalhttp://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jah/92.3/images/loss_fig06b.jpgs/jah/92.3/images/loss_fig06b.jpg

Slide 3: Slide 3: http://www.jfklibrary.org/NR/rdonlyres/7Ahttp://www.jfklibrary.org/NR/rdonlyres/7A6DC750-EC80-4B85-9B50-3E8C7A542FD96DC750-EC80-4B85-9B50-3E8C7A542FD9/26419/PX825JKG1961.jpg/26419/PX825JKG1961.jpg

Slide 4: Slide 4: http://content.answers.com/main/content/http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/6/64/LevittownPA.jpgwp/en/6/64/LevittownPA.jpg

Slide 5: Slide 5: http://www.adflip.com/ECardshttp://www.adflip.com/ECards Slide 6: Historical Statistics of the United Slide 6: Historical Statistics of the United

States: Colonial Times to 1970States: Colonial Times to 1970