Transcript American Dream

America in the 1950s
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Overview: Major themes
Fear of communism at home
A weary population seeks stability & a
chance at the “American Dream”
An era of conformity
The impact of the automobile
Rock ‘N Roll and TV
The 2nd Red Scare
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Fear of communism: the Red Scare (1950s)
House Committee on Un-American Activities
(“HUAC”) and the “Hollywood 10”:
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1947 launched investigation of movie industry
(was Hollywood making movies with subtle
communist propaganda to “brainwash” the
public?)
HUAC identified 10 people who might be
involved…they refused to answer q’s… sent to
prison for failure to cooperate
"Are you now or have you ever been a
member of the Communist Party?"
Some of the
Hollywood 10
Supporters of the
Hollywood 10
As a result…
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A number of people working in the
entertainment industry were
“blacklisted”…
Their names were on a mythical list that
made them “lepers”…no one would hire
them…some made a modest living working
under an alias…some committed suicide…
David Merrill was Hollywood’s hottest director in
the early 1950s…
Joe McCarthy
Senator from Wisconsin…up for re-election and
looking for a cause to make a reputation
 Speaking at a ladies luncheon, he announced:
“I have the names of 205 known communists
working in the U.S. Gov’t.”
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The speech attracted a lot of publicity and
McCarthy had his “cause”
“McCarthyism” = “witch hunts”
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What made McCarthy a phenomenon
were his tactics…crude, rude, an
obnoxious bully who rarely had any
hard evidence, only accusations
Simply being suspected of having a tie
to communism could be enough to
destroy a life or a career….
McCarthy’s downfall
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Claimed the U.S. Army had known
communists working from within
Congressional investigation & hearings
(“Army-McCarthy Hearings”) were
televised (1954)
American public witnessed his bullying of
witnesses & public support plummeted
Famed reporter Edward R. Murrow and
CBS stood up to McCarthy…
Good Night and Good Luck
Warner Independent Pictures (2005)
1950s America
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So…in this Cold War climate of fear
and suspicion, what did daily life look
like for the average guy and his
family?
Core Values and Goals
Americans weary of struggle: the
Great Depression of the 1930s…
 Followed by a horrible world war…
 Followed by a new fear of a
communist takeover or even worse,
nuclear holocaust
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Many had a dream…
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Get married
Start a family
Get a good, steady job with a big company…get
promoted…retire after 30 years
Own a home
Raise the kids away from the city
Have some stability in life
In short: live the “American Dream”
American Dream: Family
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Returning GI’s got married and started
having kids:
the Baby Boomers
(born between 1946-62)
American Dream: Home Ownership
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Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (“G.I. Bill”) –
passed by Congress 1946
2 important features:
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US gov’t. paid for college tuition
Federally guaranteed low interest loans
enabled young families to buy homes and
start businesses
Significance?
Expanding middle class
American Dream: Home Ownership
 Severe
housing shortage
 William
Levitt used efficient,
assembly-line methods to
mass-produce houses
 Levitt-
father of modern
American suburbia
American Dream: Home Ownership
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Americans moved to
the suburbs
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New highways
Affordable cars
Affordable gasoline
85% of 13 million
homes built in 1950’s
built in suburbs
Levittown, N.Y.
In the ‘burbs…like Levittown, a family
could pursue the American Dream
Living the
American Dream
The “Nuclear Family”
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Dad was the breadwinner
Hoped to get a job with a solid
corporation and advance up the corporate
ladder…
Mom’s role: the 3 B’s – Brownies, Babies,
& Beds
 Stay at home…raise the kids…do the
cooking, cleaning, etc.
The kids
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Innocent…honest…naïve
And TV portrayed the ideal American family
like the Cleavers:
An Automobile Culture
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Pent up demand for cars (not many available in
the 1940s because of WWII!)
More power
Some with power steering
New styling (fins are stylish???) and colors!
New “Roadside” Industries born
Fast food...
More effects of the car culture:
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Americans didn’t have to live in the noisy,
crowded, cities…
The explosive growth of the suburbs
Levitt’s success was copied by others (still
done today?)
End of Part I Powerpoint