1950s Economy Essay

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Entering the 1950s, the United States was an ever changing society. Following the end of World War II, the United States was unrecognizable from its 1930, Great Depression state. By 1950, signs of new, unfamiliar American affluence were everywhere. More money in Americans’ pockets brought a new idea of society along with it. In the years following World War II, the United States experience astounding growth that is often time described as an “economic miracle.” America was quickly becoming the richest country in the world. The US gross national product, a measure of goods and services produced, grew from $200 thousand-million in 1940 to $300 thousand-million in 1950 to more than $500 thousand-million in 1960. The growth in GNP also meant …show more content…

First, the automobile was revolutionized. Between 1946 and 1955, the number of automobiles produced quadrupled. Americans began to see automobiles as a status symbol in popular culture. Owning a car meant being able to fully participate in American society and fulfilling a social responsibility. More Americans purchasing automobiles also boosted the economy. Second, the housing market began to explode after World War II. In the postwar years, millions of Americans, especially young or starting families, moved to the suburbs. With a housing shortage in the late 1940s, builders like William Levitt and Sons transformed real estate development. Levitt and Sons bulldozed farms and fields on the outskirts of large cities, building modest, “cookie-cutter” houses. Levitts mastered the technique of mass producing inexpensive houses in a short amount of time. The 1950s saw thirteen million new homes constructed, with 1955 seeing 1.3 million housing starts alone. Suburbs also brought in businesses to the new areas. Large shopping centeres with easy parking and convenient evening hours allowed customers to avoid shopping in the city entirely. Lastly, new highways were built to create better access to the suburbs. The Highway Act of 1956 provided the largest public works expenditure in United States history to create more than 39,000 miles linking the country …show more content…

Television became widely marketed across the nation. In 1949, consumers were buying 250,000 sets a month, and by 1960, three-quarters of all American families owned at least one set. This set in motion an industry that is still popular today. Shows like Howdy Doody Time, The Mickey Mouse Club, I Love Lucy, and Father Knows Best captivated audience nationwide on a weekly basis. Along with new television shows, American were being exposed to increasingly sophisticated advertisements for products “necessary for the good life.” Americans also felt the need to catch up on subjects like science, technology, and education. In 1957, when the Soviets launched Sputnik, the first satellite launched into orbit, Americans and the government felt the need to invest in education. Suburban parents approved ninety percent of proposed school bond issues during the 1950s. The new middle class was also America’s first college-educated generation. With an increase in funding and value, more and more students began attending college. Church also surged in the postwar years. Membership rose from 50 percent in the 1940s to 63 percent in 1960. Suburban families valued the church’s role in promoting family togetherness and social

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