The Family◦ Rising Divorce rate. Why?

8 million worked during war

◦ How to be a good wife

Readjustment after WWII

The Economy◦ US Gov’t cancelled wartime orders

$35 billion◦ 1 million workers laid off 10 days after Jap.

surrender◦ War ends Aug 1945◦ By May 1946, 3 million are unemployed◦ Prices skyrocket

Not enough consumer goods (people wait on line) Coffee, sugar, beans

◦ 2 years before prices stabalize

Readjustment after WWII

Recovery◦ $135 billion in savings◦ What did they do with the $$$?

Cold War helped economy◦ How?◦ What were we spending money

on? Marshall Plan

◦ Foreign market for US goods

Readjustment after WWII

Television 1951: $ 795 2011: $6790

Truman had to restore economy Strikes

◦ High prices, lower wages◦ 4.5 million workers

Threatened to draft them◦ You can make soldiers do anything

Went to Congress for permission◦ Unions gave in before speech was over

Economic Challenges

Truman = Democrat Republicans asked: “Had Enough”? 1946: R. controlls Senate & HOR

◦ Cancels a lot of pro-labor laws

Economic Challenges

African-Americans still unequal Congress won’t act Truman signs executive orders

◦ Integrates the military◦ Ends discovery in hiring gov’t employees

Civil Rights

Election of 1948 Rep- Gov. Thomas Dewey (NY)

◦ Liberal Republican Dem- Pres. H. Truman (Mo)

◦ Civil Rights/ Fair Deal Prog- Sec. Henry Wallace

◦ Civil Rights/ Socialism Dixiecrats- Gov. Strom Thurmond (SC)

◦ State’s Rights◦ Pro segregation

Election of 1948

Harry Truman (D-MO) Tomas Dewey (R-NY

Election of 1948 Truman (D)- 49.6%/ 303 Dewey (R)- 45.1%/ 189 Thurmond (Dixie)- 2.4%/ 39 Wallace (P)- 2.4%/ 0

1951: Truman is unliked◦ Korean War◦ McCarthyism◦ Doesn’t run for re-election

Reps talk about rise of Communism in China & E. Europe

Nominate Dwight D. Eisenhower◦ “I Like Ike”

Republicans

Eisenhower wins Middle of the road Conservative when it comes to money Liberal when it comes to human beings

Raised minimum wage Extended Social Security Increased $ for public housing Interstate highways Won re-election in 1956

Republicans

The Other AmericaWho am I talking about?

Urban Poor25% living below poverty level

Mostly minoritiesAfrican Americans, Latinos, Native

Americans

Middle Class whites moved to suburbs◦ Took businesses & money◦ Isolated from other races

Rural poor African Americans moved to cities◦ $ in cities decreased◦ Less taxes◦ Poor schools, fire, police, transportation

People in suburbs refused to believe poverty could exist in USA

White Flight

Provide decent home & job to every family Tear down old buildings

◦ Replace w/ low income housing Created new Cabinet position

◦ Housing & Urban Development

Lots of housing replaced by parks, stadiums, roads, malls, parking lots◦ What is the problem here?

Urban Renewal