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3. 1950s
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| John Kenneth Galbraith | An economist and author of "The Affluent Society" (1958), who discovered that Americans had an excess of discretionary income following World War II. |
| Frank McNamara | A lawyer who, after forgetting his wallet at a New York City restaurant, created the Diner’s Club, the first modern credit card. |
| Chuck Faust | A veteran whose life symbolized the American Dream of the 1950s; he used the GI Bill to go to college for free, buy a suburban home, and support a large family. |
| William J. Levitt | Known as the "Henry Ford of Housing," he was a pioneer in suburban home building who introduced mass production techniques to the housing industry. |
| Dr. Benjamin Spock | Author of "Baby and Child Care" (1946), which became the "Bible" for new parents and reinforced the idea that a woman’s primary role was as a mother and homemaker. |
| Betty Friedan | Author of "The Feminine Mystique," she identified the "problem with no name," referring to the deep dissatisfaction many women felt in their roles as housewives. |
| Marlon Brando | An actor who starred in "The Wild One"; his image as a "juvenile delinquent" and motorcycle gang leader glamorized rebellion for suburban teenagers. |
| James Dean | A cult hero and star of "Rebel Without a Cause" who symbolized the confused and idealistic younger generation. |
| Alan Freed | A disc jockey who popularized Rock n Roll by playing R&B music for white teenagers. |
| Bill Haley | An ex-country singer and one of the first white Rock n Roll superstars, famous for the hit "Rock Around the Clock". |
| Elvis Presley | A superstar who learned music from black gospel and R&B; he was criticized by parents for being sexually suggestive. |
| Arthur Schlesinger | A historian who, in 1956, claimed that the central problems of the time were no longer related to "want and privation," illustrating how hidden poverty was at the time. |
| Michael Harrington | Author of "The Other America" (1962), which exposed that 50 million Americans were living in a poverty characterized by a lack of money and hope. |
| Levittown | The first and most famous planned postwar community, located on Long Island, where homes were mass-produced for under $10,000. |
| Inner Cities | Areas that became isolated "islands of poverty" as the middle class migrated to the suburbs, making the poor "out of sight, out of mind". |
| Suburbs | Residential areas outside of cities that grew rapidly due to the desire for privacy, larger homes, and communities of like-minded people. |
| Gross National Product (GNP) | The total amount spent on goods and services in a year; it grew by 250% between 1945 and 1960. |
| Discretionary Income | Money left over after paying for necessities (food, shelter, clothing, and transportation) to buy "wants" instead of "needs". |
| Installment Plans | A type of credit used primarily for high-cost items like mortgages and cars. |
| Bank AmeriCard | Created by Bank of America in 1959, this was the first national credit card; it was renamed VISA in 1977. |
| Serviceman’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill) | 1944 legislation providing veterans with money for education, low-interest housing loans, and medical care. |
| Quonset Huts | Temporary metal housing used by veterans on college campuses or while waiting for suburban homes to be built. |
| Baby Boom | A period of extreme population growth (75 million births) in the U.S. between 1945 and 1960. |
| Cape Cod Style | The specific four-room, two-bedroom architectural style used for the original homes in Levittown. |
| The Ideal Family | A common theme in 1950s TV programming portraying a working father, housewife mother, and wonderful children. |
| Multiplier Industry | An industry that creates spin-off businesses; the auto industry created needs for gas stations, repair shops, and glass and rubber plants. |
| Interstate Highway Act (1956) | Law signed by Eisenhower authorizing $100 billion for highway construction, which fueled the growth of suburbs and shopping malls. |
| Teenage Spending Power | A new economic force; by 1956, teenagers had $7 billion in discretionary income, making them a major target for advertisers. |
| Rock n Roll | A new musical genre that combined R&B, Doo-Wop, and Country, often crossing racial lines. |
| "Problem with no Name" | A term coined by Betty Friedan to describe the unspoken dissatisfaction and emptiness felt by many 1950s housewives. |
| Invisible Poor | A term for the millions of Americans living in poverty who were hidden from public view because they were concentrated in isolated inner cities or rural areas. |
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