U.S.-History-Week-1 (4th-nine-week)

The United States Fabulous in the 1950’s

1. According to a British historian wrote after a visit in 1949. He meant "fabulous" in two senses. In one sense, he meant that the United States was amazingly spectacular. In another sense, he was commenting on the mythical, fable-like quality of the country. What factors made America a fabulous nation in the 1950’s? 

2. What factors after World War II gave America a major advantage over other nations?  This advantage will lead America to being one of the most prosperous nations during the 1950s. 

3.What does it mean to prosper?

4. Why was the TV a key part of America’s prosperity?

5. Not everyone shared in the prosperity of the decade, however. Even some groups that did share in it had reasons to be discontented in their "fabulous" country. This discontent brought America out of its complacency and conformity in the 1950s to the protest and change that characterized the nation in the 1960s. What factors do you think could cause this to happen? 

6. Explain what is advertising?

7.Explain what is complacency?

8. Explain what is conformity?

9. After completing this lesson what will you be able to do? 

10. What Made the United States "Fabulous" in the 1950s?

Post War Boom

1. Explain what was the GI Bill of Rights?

2. List three things the GI Bill of Rights offered to returning veterans of World War II?

3. What was the impact of the National Labor Relation Act of 1935?

4. “This law finally recognized workers' rights to form unions and to bargain collectively without interference from their employers.” Explain what this means? 

5. What is a labor union? 

6.What was the baby boom?

7. What caused the baby boom?

8. Give me two ways that the baby boom impacted America during the 1950’s going into the 1960s’.

9.How did housing change in America during the postwar boom

10. What are suburbs?

11. Why were suburbs created?

12. Who was William Levitt and what was his impact during the 1950's?

13. Why was it easy for a veteran to get a house in “Levittown”?

14. What is the interstate highway system and why was it important?

Effects of the GI Bill

Passed in 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, known as the GI Bill of Rights, was intended to ease the soldier’s transition from wartime to peacetime. One veteran remembers how the GI Bill affected his life:

Write a few sentences in response to these questions:

1. In your opinion, what effects would the GI Bill have as the American economy shifted to a peacetime economy after World War II?

2. Besides education, how might the United States help the GIs returning to peacetime America?

Postwar Entrepreneurs

1. The McDonald’s concept was successful because it.

A. provided customers with a highly personalized service.

B. focused on making customized orders.

C. offered foods no other restaurants were serving.

D. produced large quantities of food quickly and at low prices. 

2. How would you describe Sam Walton’s significance as an American entrepreneur?

3. Why were customers drawn to the Estée Lauder brand?

4. Why would business be harder for Harold Cotton than others ?

5.How did McDonald’s spread across the country?

Political Cartoon Questions 

1. What is a political cartoon? 

2. What is the three purposes of a political cartoon? 

3. What does it mean to persuade someone?  

4. Explain what symbolism is.  

5. Explain what exaggeration is? 

6. Explain what labeling is? 

7. What are two questions to ask yourself when analyzing a political cartoon?  

8. Explain what is analogy? 

9. How do analogy use in political cartoon? 

10 Explain what is Irony?