USA part 3 – Post War Prosperity
What are the 2 types of factors in US’s post-war prosperity?####long term, short term
What were the long term factors of post war prosperity?####WWII, GI Bill of Rights
What were the benefits of WWII?####umemployment dropped <5 million, spending power increase
What was the reason for the benefits of WWII?####companies’ expansion under ‘Lead-Lease
Scheme’
When was the GI Bill of Rights passed?####1944
What did the GI Bill of Rights do?####promised unemployed benefits for a yeargave college
grantsgave loans for houses
What was the result of the GI Bill of Rights?####supported 1 million returning veterans
However, (long term factors of post war prosperity)####taxes remained high as the cost of the war
was $4 billlion
Therefore it is clear, (long term factors of post war prosperity)####the war’s impact was not totally
positive
What were the short term factors of US’s post war prosperity?####baby boom, construction
What was the baby boom?####increase in birth rate to 4 million per year
What was the result of the baby boom?####increased employment as there were more jobs in baby
related industries
Give examples of baby related industries####baby food, toys, clothes
Why did construction boom?####increased population
What was the result of the construction boom?####increased employment
Give examples of the new construction projects?####1951 - Levittown NY , 1956 - Interstate
Highway Act
However, (short term factors of post war prosperity)####interstate highway construction often
displaced families - esp. minority groups
Therefore, (short term factors of post war prosperity)####‘boom’ of the 1950s benefited many but
not all Americans
Link (factors of post war prosperity)####short term factors triggered the long term factors on the
basis of America’s underlying strengths
In what ways did post-war prosperity affect society?####older and younger generations
In what ways did post-war prosperity affect the older generation?####suburbs and standard of living
Why could more people live in suburbs?####the car was more affordable → more mobility → could
live out of the city
Why did standard of living change?####women’s domestic role became easiermore dispensable
income→ could shop for luxury items
What are the 2 types of factors in US’s post-war prosperity?####long term, short term
What were the long term factors of post war prosperity?####WWII, GI Bill of Rights
What were the benefits of WWII?####umemployment dropped <5 million, spending power increase
What was the reason for the benefits of WWII?####companies’ expansion under ‘Lead-Lease
Scheme’
When was the GI Bill of Rights passed?####1944
What did the GI Bill of Rights do?####promised unemployed benefits for a yeargave college
grantsgave loans for houses
What was the result of the GI Bill of Rights?####supported 1 million returning veterans
However, (long term factors of post war prosperity)####taxes remained high as the cost of the war
was $4 billlion
Therefore it is clear, (long term factors of post war prosperity)####the war’s impact was not totally
positive
What were the short term factors of US’s post war prosperity?####baby boom, construction
What was the baby boom?####increase in birth rate to 4 million per year
What was the result of the baby boom?####increased employment as there were more jobs in baby
related industries
Give examples of baby related industries####baby food, toys, clothes
Why did construction boom?####increased population
What was the result of the construction boom?####increased employment
Give examples of the new construction projects?####1951 - Levittown NY , 1956 - Interstate
Highway Act
However, (short term factors of post war prosperity)####interstate highway construction often
displaced families - esp. minority groups
Therefore, (short term factors of post war prosperity)####‘boom’ of the 1950s benefited many but
not all Americans
Link (factors of post war prosperity)####short term factors triggered the long term factors on the
basis of America’s underlying strengths
In what ways did post-war prosperity affect society?####older and younger generations
In what ways did post-war prosperity affect the older generation?####suburbs and standard of living
Why could more people live in suburbs?####the car was more affordable → more mobility → could
live out of the city
Why did standard of living change?####women’s domestic role became easiermore dispensable
income→ could shop for luxury items
