The Eisenhower The Eisenhower Years Years

1953-19601953-1960

Life in the 1950sLife in the 1950s

26.4 & 26.526.4 & 26.5

The Boom YearsThe Boom Years Confidence & prosperity for Confidence & prosperity for mostmost

Greater consumerism & conformityGreater consumerism & conformity

Ike was a Ike was a Modern RepublicanModern Republican

Economic trend continued upwardEconomic trend continued upward

ConglomeratesConglomerates: large corporations : large corporations made up of companies within made up of companies within different fieldsdifferent fields

Increased Increased AutomationAutomation led to job led to job losses in older industrieslosses in older industries

1955: AFL-CIO Merge1955: AFL-CIO Merge

Suburban GrowthSuburban Growth Millions move out of cities for Millions move out of cities for

space, cleaner environment, better space, cleaner environment, better schoolsschools

Baby BoomBaby Boom (1945-60) 40 million (1945-60) 40 million babies were born in the USAbabies were born in the USA

Interstate Highway ActInterstate Highway Act creates creates 41,000 miles of new highway41,000 miles of new highway

Highway Act…Highway Act…

Led to more Led to more automobile salesautomobile sales

Growth of Growth of Trucking industryTrucking industry

Important to Important to national securitynational security

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/classic-car-pictures.htm

Rise of TelevisionRise of Television 44 million homes with TV by 195944 million homes with TV by 1959

Advertising made it big businessAdvertising made it big business

Shows often portrayed an idealized Shows often portrayed an idealized & unrealistic vision of American life & unrealistic vision of American life and family rolesand family roles

Revival of ReligionRevival of Religion Revitalized with use of TV & RadioRevitalized with use of TV & Radio

Possibly due to faith in the Possibly due to faith in the “American Way” as being different “American Way” as being different than atheistic communismthan atheistic communism

By 1960, 2/3rds of America is part By 1960, 2/3rds of America is part of some churchof some church

Billy Billy GrahamGraham

Those Prosperity MissedThose Prosperity Missed Prosperity was mainly a white-middle Prosperity was mainly a white-middle

class experienceclass experience

Blacks & Hispanics were discriminatedBlacks & Hispanics were discriminated

Automation phased-out many farmersAutomation phased-out many farmers

Many Hispanics emigrated to citiesMany Hispanics emigrated to cities

The Silent Generation?The Silent Generation? Most teens of the 1950s conformed Most teens of the 1950s conformed

to the politics of the timeto the politics of the time

Rock ‘n’ RollRock ‘n’ Roll became most became most important form of expressionimportant form of expression

Rock music & dance offended Rock music & dance offended adultsadults

The Beats or “Beatniks”The Beats or “Beatniks” Forerunner to Forerunner to

1960s 1960s CountercultureCounterculture

Criticized Criticized ConformityConformity

1957: Soviets Launch 1957: Soviets Launch SputnikSputnik

First space satelliteFirst space satellite

Ruined American belief in Ruined American belief in superiority over the Russianssuperiority over the Russians

Led to more Education Funding Led to more Education Funding and founding of NASAand founding of NASA

Eisenhower’s Farewell Eisenhower’s Farewell Address 1961Address 1961

Warned of the dangers of the Warned of the dangers of the Military-Industrial ComplexMilitary-Industrial Complex: the : the relationship between military, relationship between military, government, and corporations.government, and corporations.

Called for end of arms-race and Called for end of arms-race and attempt at diplomacy.attempt at diplomacy.