US History of the 1960sDave RichardsOffice: Netzer 225Phone: 436-3326Hours: By AppointmentEmail: Richards@oneonta.edu

Day OneSyllabusOverviewLecture: The 1950s- Seeds of the

Sixties

America in the 1950sThe EconomyWealth and Poverty in a land of plentyRumblings of DiscontentConsensus and Conformity in the

SuburbsSigns of things to come

Levittown, New York

Levittown

Levittown

Levittown

1950s Economy

1950s EconomyConsumer oriented

1950s EconomyConsumer orientedRising real income across class lines

1950s EconomyConsumer orientedRising real income across class linesEasy credit availability

1950s EconomyConsumer orientedRising real income across class linesEasy credit availabilityBusiness consolidation

1950s EconomyConsumer orientedRising real income across class linesEasy credit availabilityBusiness consolidationDecline in unskilled jobs and rise in

white-collar employment

1950s EconomyConsumer orientedRising real income across class linesEasy credit availabilityBusiness consolidationDecline in unskilled jobs and rise in white-

collar employment Increase in government defense spending

Inequality of WealthTop ½ of 1% controlled 19% of wealth in

1949 Increased to 25% by 1956Top 1% controlled 33% of the wealth-

1960Bottom 20% controlled less than .005%!40 million Americans (22%) lived below

the poverty level in 1960!

Levittown

A Nation on the Move

Diner

MacDonalds

I Remember Mama

The Life of Riley

Father Knows Best

Leave it to Beaver

Donna Reed Show

Ozzie and Harriet

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Bill Haley and the Comets

Marlon Brando

Brando- On the Waterfront

James Dean

The Beats

Alan Ginsberg