McCarthyism impact on society:
-House Committee of UnAmerican Activities is created
-Fear of Communism in the US rises drastically
-McCarthy charges Hollywood writers, directors, and producers with Communist propaganda in films: He also goes after the famous “Hollywood Ten”
-The Department of State is accused by McCarthy of harboring communists
-many people and leaders are falsely
Communist "witch hunt" and impact on those accused:
-Unnecessarily intruded on the lives of many innocent Americans
-supported by anti-Communist groups because they were scared of communists
-imprisoned hundreds of innocent people
- thousand of people lost their jobs as a result of speculation
-homosexuals were also targeted and falsely charged with communism
Space Race impact on government policies:
-Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1
-This means that USA is not the first country that goes into space. Russia beat them. This is unacceptable
-USA responds by putting more money into education
- In 1969 a man from USA lands on moon
- US created space programs to ensure that we continued to beat Russia
-This sparked tension and began the Cold War competition
Cold War mindset for the US government and public:
-Soviet Union beat US to space in space/technology race
-Soviet Union racing USA in technology
-US fears communism, afraid it will destroy their country
-Led to the Cold War
Relationship of suburbs, automobiles, and roads:
-Suburbs away from cities, quieter, easier to raise families
-Because there farther away this means more reliance on cars
-1956 Interstate Highway Act-
Baby Boom:
-Men came home from war to their wives, which got pregnant and had kids
-1946-1960
-caused by ending the 20 year Depression and Wartime
-removal of social and economic restraints that kept people from having families
-causing current social security issues
Urban-Suburban pattern:-Business District
-Inner City = low income families
-Suburbs = middle income families
-Further suburbs = high income families
GI Bill:
-provides college or vocational education to returning veterans
-one year unemployment compensation for returning soldiers
-supported those who served
-gave loans so that returning soldiers could start businesses
Expansion of the middle class (why things were affordable):
-More consumers due to baby boom
-New families, caused by baby boom, moved to suburbs
-suburbs were less expensive than city living
-Levittown: 1949, houses only $8,000
-new form of money: credit cards increased spending