1. Affluence and conformity 1955-63
❖ Urbanisation and affluence
❖Cultural conformity and challenge
❖ The civil rights movement
❖ Kennedy’s New Frontier
Urbanisation and affluence
The changing nature of cities
By 1955, the USA was changing rapidly, both the size of population and where people lived.
● Many moved from rural areas to cities to enjoy the consumer goods
● Black Amercians continued to escape rural poverty and discrimination in the Old South
by moving to the North
● In the 1950s, USA’s largest cities gained many non-white residents which increased
racial tensions:
Many cities became racially segregated and some areas became black Americans areas.
Increasing numbers of blacks lived together in ghettos due to white racism and personal
choice.
White contributed to growth of ghettos:
● They used restrictive covenants to execute black Amercians from white
neighbourhoods
● Landlords made it difficult for black Americans to buy decent housing etc
Federal government and ghettos
They played a big part in changing nature of cities:
1.) ‘The project’ was when businessmen, politicians etc manipulated laws and teared down
black neighbourhoods to replace with expensive housing for whites
2.) Government policies led to a change, Federal Housing Administration supported
anti-jewish and anti-black restrictive covenants and their aim was to ensure
neighbourhoods had racial cohesion.
Therefore, cities became 2 societies: Non-white inner city, and white suburbia
Expansion of suburbs
Many homes were built in the suburbs (around 11 million) in the span of 10 years.
● Mainly middle-class whites lived there in the 1960s
● Since whites lived in the suburbs and left cities, this led to developments like levittowns
● By 1960s, home ownership became the norm for the first time in American history
Explanations for suburbia growth:
, ● Land and homes were cheaper in the suburbs
● Increased car ownership and highway construction made it easier to commute to work
● More affluent whites preferred comfortable homes. The middle-class whites exit from
cities was known as ‘White flight’
Levittowns
Most famous builders in suburbia were the Levitt brothers. Construction began in Hampstead
Levittowns were popular that people formed queues when homes were on sale. The homes
were spacious and had heating and built in closets, most Americans loved spacious homes.
● Hampstead had shopping malls, swimming pools etc
● HOWEVER, it was racially segregated, rocks were thrown at black Amercians that
bought a house here
Highway developments
Growth in demand for cars increased highway constructions. Number of cars increased by
133%.
→ the most important development in road construction is The National Interstate and
Defense Highways Act 1956. Eisenhower regarded this as his greatest achievement. This was
a 10-year programme at $25 billion to construct over 42,500 miles of highway. Eisenhower
said that this would facilitate the rapid movement of the military and troops equipment across
the country etc.
Growing ownership and the use of cars
USA became the first society where the car was the central consumer product. Cars weren’t
cheap but more people got job security and more money to spend.
→ Around 75% Americans owned a car
→ Cars also improved with better engines, radios etc, cars also represented one’s status.
Cars gave young people and women etc a greater sense of freedom.
● Social and ethnic status→ wealthy white men focused on the expensive models,
cleaning and polishing the car was important
● Young people and women→ Car ownership fuelled teenage culture. Encouraged their
desire of young people to gain independence and away from parent control. Helped free
women like going shopping etc.
‘On-the-road culture’--> Americans could get to places more comfortable and quickly, like
fast-food places, drive in movies etc. (Mcdonalds was first popular fast-food place)
❖ Urbanisation and affluence
❖Cultural conformity and challenge
❖ The civil rights movement
❖ Kennedy’s New Frontier
Urbanisation and affluence
The changing nature of cities
By 1955, the USA was changing rapidly, both the size of population and where people lived.
● Many moved from rural areas to cities to enjoy the consumer goods
● Black Amercians continued to escape rural poverty and discrimination in the Old South
by moving to the North
● In the 1950s, USA’s largest cities gained many non-white residents which increased
racial tensions:
Many cities became racially segregated and some areas became black Americans areas.
Increasing numbers of blacks lived together in ghettos due to white racism and personal
choice.
White contributed to growth of ghettos:
● They used restrictive covenants to execute black Amercians from white
neighbourhoods
● Landlords made it difficult for black Americans to buy decent housing etc
Federal government and ghettos
They played a big part in changing nature of cities:
1.) ‘The project’ was when businessmen, politicians etc manipulated laws and teared down
black neighbourhoods to replace with expensive housing for whites
2.) Government policies led to a change, Federal Housing Administration supported
anti-jewish and anti-black restrictive covenants and their aim was to ensure
neighbourhoods had racial cohesion.
Therefore, cities became 2 societies: Non-white inner city, and white suburbia
Expansion of suburbs
Many homes were built in the suburbs (around 11 million) in the span of 10 years.
● Mainly middle-class whites lived there in the 1960s
● Since whites lived in the suburbs and left cities, this led to developments like levittowns
● By 1960s, home ownership became the norm for the first time in American history
Explanations for suburbia growth:
, ● Land and homes were cheaper in the suburbs
● Increased car ownership and highway construction made it easier to commute to work
● More affluent whites preferred comfortable homes. The middle-class whites exit from
cities was known as ‘White flight’
Levittowns
Most famous builders in suburbia were the Levitt brothers. Construction began in Hampstead
Levittowns were popular that people formed queues when homes were on sale. The homes
were spacious and had heating and built in closets, most Americans loved spacious homes.
● Hampstead had shopping malls, swimming pools etc
● HOWEVER, it was racially segregated, rocks were thrown at black Amercians that
bought a house here
Highway developments
Growth in demand for cars increased highway constructions. Number of cars increased by
133%.
→ the most important development in road construction is The National Interstate and
Defense Highways Act 1956. Eisenhower regarded this as his greatest achievement. This was
a 10-year programme at $25 billion to construct over 42,500 miles of highway. Eisenhower
said that this would facilitate the rapid movement of the military and troops equipment across
the country etc.
Growing ownership and the use of cars
USA became the first society where the car was the central consumer product. Cars weren’t
cheap but more people got job security and more money to spend.
→ Around 75% Americans owned a car
→ Cars also improved with better engines, radios etc, cars also represented one’s status.
Cars gave young people and women etc a greater sense of freedom.
● Social and ethnic status→ wealthy white men focused on the expensive models,
cleaning and polishing the car was important
● Young people and women→ Car ownership fuelled teenage culture. Encouraged their
desire of young people to gain independence and away from parent control. Helped free
women like going shopping etc.
‘On-the-road culture’--> Americans could get to places more comfortable and quickly, like
fast-food places, drive in movies etc. (Mcdonalds was first popular fast-food place)
