HIS-144: America after World War II
Directions: Using resources from the Topic 5 Readings, including your textbook, materials
provided by your instructor through class discussion, and materials from the GCU Library Guide
for HIS-144 US History Themes, respond to the prompts below.
Each answer to the questions should be 100-200 words
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is
expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. Proof of
research is needed for each answer.
Wikipedia, Ask.com, ehow.com and other online information sites, encyclopedias, or
dictionaries are not considered university academic sources and are NOT TO BE USED.
1. Explain the G.I. Bill. In what ways does it change America?
The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was
established to assist World War II veterans in transitioning back to civilian life. It offered
various benefits, including financial support for college tuition, low-interest home loans, and
unemployment aid. As noted by Bound & Turner (2020), the G.I. Bill played a crucial role in
increasing educational attainment among returning service members, fostering a more skilled
workforce, and contributing to the expansion of the middle class. Additionally, the bill fueled
suburban growth as many veterans utilized housing benefits to purchase homes. However,
access to these benefits was not equitable, as racial discrimination often restricted African
American veterans from fully taking advantage of them. Despite these disparities, the G.I.
Bill had a lasting impact on American society by promoting higher education,
homeownership, and economic stability, ultimately shaping the nation’s postwar prosperity.
2. Why is the automobile so important to post war America?
The automobile played a pivotal role in shaping postwar America by driving suburban
expansion, fueling economic growth, and transforming cultural norms. According to U.S.
History (2020), the surge in car ownership enabled many Americans to relocate from densely
populated cities to suburban neighborhoods, spurring the development of highways and shopping
centers. This rising demand for automobiles also stimulated the economy by generating jobs in
manufacturing, oil, and infrastructure sectors. Furthermore, car culture emerged as a defining
feature of American society, influencing entertainment, social dynamics, and youth culture.
Representing freedom and prosperity, the automobile became a powerful symbol of the
American Dream in the postwar era.
1
Directions: Using resources from the Topic 5 Readings, including your textbook, materials
provided by your instructor through class discussion, and materials from the GCU Library Guide
for HIS-144 US History Themes, respond to the prompts below.
Each answer to the questions should be 100-200 words
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is
expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. Proof of
research is needed for each answer.
Wikipedia, Ask.com, ehow.com and other online information sites, encyclopedias, or
dictionaries are not considered university academic sources and are NOT TO BE USED.
1. Explain the G.I. Bill. In what ways does it change America?
The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was
established to assist World War II veterans in transitioning back to civilian life. It offered
various benefits, including financial support for college tuition, low-interest home loans, and
unemployment aid. As noted by Bound & Turner (2020), the G.I. Bill played a crucial role in
increasing educational attainment among returning service members, fostering a more skilled
workforce, and contributing to the expansion of the middle class. Additionally, the bill fueled
suburban growth as many veterans utilized housing benefits to purchase homes. However,
access to these benefits was not equitable, as racial discrimination often restricted African
American veterans from fully taking advantage of them. Despite these disparities, the G.I.
Bill had a lasting impact on American society by promoting higher education,
homeownership, and economic stability, ultimately shaping the nation’s postwar prosperity.
2. Why is the automobile so important to post war America?
The automobile played a pivotal role in shaping postwar America by driving suburban
expansion, fueling economic growth, and transforming cultural norms. According to U.S.
History (2020), the surge in car ownership enabled many Americans to relocate from densely
populated cities to suburban neighborhoods, spurring the development of highways and shopping
centers. This rising demand for automobiles also stimulated the economy by generating jobs in
manufacturing, oil, and infrastructure sectors. Furthermore, car culture emerged as a defining
feature of American society, influencing entertainment, social dynamics, and youth culture.
Representing freedom and prosperity, the automobile became a powerful symbol of the
American Dream in the postwar era.
1
