The American Economy Changes Focus

I. Service sectorA. Blue-collar vs. white-collar

B. Information industries

II. Trend/technology in farming

III. Franchise businessesI. Effects of franchises

IV.Multinational corporations

V. Conglomerates

VI.Change in per capita income

Technological Advances in the 1950s

A. Development of transistors for small radios, calculators, and computersA. Quicker for business

• Mid-50s IBM introduced data-processing computers popular with American business

B. Medical Advances• 1954--Dr. Jonas Salk vaccine for

polio which in 1952 crippled thousands of children and killed 1,400– by 1960, polio almost gone

• antibiotics to fight cancer, diabetes, and heart diseaseled to longer life expectancy

C. Nuclear power could produce heat to create steam to turn turbines

– Shippingport, Pa—1st nuclear power plant in 1957

The Space Race

• What was Sputnik?• How did the United States respond

to the launching of Sputnik?• Cite evidence

Sputnik

• Oct. 4, 1957, Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, 1st earth-orbiting satellite into space

10A. Progress Through Science10A. Progress Through Science

1951 -- 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe First IBM Mainframe ComputerComputer

1952 -- 1952 -- Hydrogen BombHydrogen Bomb Test Test

1953 -- 1953 -- DNADNA Structure Discovered Structure Discovered

1954 -- 1954 -- Salk VaccineSalk Vaccine Tested for Tested for PolioPolio

1957 -- First Commercial 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. U. S. NuclearNuclear Power Plant Power Plant

1958 -- 1958 -- NASANASA Created Created

1959 -- Press Conference of the 1959 -- Press Conference of the First 7First 7 American Astronauts American Astronauts

10B. Progress Through Science10B. Progress Through Science

1957 1957 Russians launch Russians launch SPUTNIK SPUTNIK II

10C. Progress Through Science10C. Progress Through Science

UFO SightingsUFO Sightings skyrocketed in the skyrocketed in the 1950s.1950s.

War of the War of the WorldsWorlds

Hollywood used aliens as a Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor metaphor

for whom for whom ????

Trends and Movements of the

1950s

Trends and Movements of the

1950s

Population Movements• Sunbelt grew faster than any Sunbelt grew faster than any

other region due to new jobs and other region due to new jobs and better climatebetter climate

• California had 10% of U.S. peopleCalifornia had 10% of U.S. people– Became most populated state Became most populated state

(1964)(1964)

• Blacks began heading north to Blacks began heading north to find more tolerance in job hiringsfind more tolerance in job hirings– By 1970 ½ of blacks live in northBy 1970 ½ of blacks live in north

• People were living longer due to better diets and medicine– Life expectancy reached 65 by 1950

from only 47 in 1900

– “senior citizens” made up 10% of U.S. population

Education• by 1960, 40% of college-age

attended college (15% in 1940)– National Defense Education Act--$1

billion in loans to high school and college graduates

• Focus on developing scientists and science teachers

Credit Cards• First developed in late 40s, but

became common in 1950s• Americans used to purchase new

consumer goods for their homes and items for their children

Automation• Machine-driven technology

• From 1947 to 19571.5 million factory workers (blue-collar) lost their jobs due to automation

• 1956—there were more white-collared jobs than blue-collared in the U.S.

• New automated devices: air conditioners, electric blankets, electric knives, electric toothbrush, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, pencil sharpeners, typewriters, and cash registersMANY MORE

Religion• church attendance rose from 50

million in 1940 to 80 million in 1958

• The belief is that Americans returned to Church as a response to the belief that communist were atheists

• Congress added “In God We Trust” to the dollar bill and “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance

• Televangelism becomes popular through television

8A. Religious Revival

8A. Religious Revival Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in

the center of things.the center of things. -- -- TimeTime magazine, 1954 magazine, 1954

Church membershipChurch membership: : 1940 1940 64,000,000 64,000,000 1960 1960 114,000,000 114,000,000

Television PreachersTelevision Preachers: :

1. Catholic 1. Catholic Bishop Fulton J. SheenBishop Fulton J. Sheen “Life is “Life is Worth Living” Worth Living”

2. Methodist Minister 2. Methodist Minister Norman Vincent PealeNorman Vincent Peale The Power of Positive ThinkingThe Power of Positive Thinking

3. 3. Reverend Billy GrahamReverend Billy Graham ecumenical ecumenical message;message; warned against the evils of Communism. warned against the evils of Communism.

8B. Religious Revival

8B. Religious RevivalHollywoodHollywood: apex of the biblical : apex of the biblical

epics.epics.

It’s un-American to be un-religious!It’s un-American to be un-religious! -- -- The Christian CenturyThe Christian Century, 1954, 1954

The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben HurHur 1953 1956 19591953 1956 1959