United We Win, Divided We Fall

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Vincent Tortorice

Chudacoff’s Top 5:

1. World War II- this was the most significant event during this time period.  Throughout history, wars have proven to be very expensive and costly in terms of both a financial perspective and human life.  World War II, however, proved to be arguably the most important national event in America between 1941-1974.  With the United States in a state of war, a drastic increase in military spending was seen.  This put the circulation of money back into the American economy.  Along with an increase in spending, the creation of jobs greatly helped bring America out of the depression.  The way to stimulate any economy is to create jobs.  According to Chudacoff, “only 1.2 percent of the labor force was jobless” during the peak of the war effort (Chudacoff 250).  During this time, the mass production of arms and other military supplies provided jobs to thousands of people.  Domestic production skyrocketed in efforts to provide for the military overseas.

2. Women in the Labor Force- Women step up while men went to war conveys the advancement of the women’s role in American culture, Example: Rosie the Riveter

3. Minorities (mainly Mexican and African American citizens) become a factor in the workforce.  This showed how the United States became unified in terms of the war effort.

4. Urbanization (Housing and Highway Construction) Example: Interstate Highway Act of 1956

5. Leisure Time- more Americans had a greater amount of leisure time and funds leading to an increase in the entertainment industry, Example: Movie theaters and nightclubs become accessible to all classes.

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From Great depression to Great Expansion

Posted on May 2, 2011 by mohamd.elbaz

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/uDNDY9uCv2s" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

The great depression  had forced the local. municipal and federal government to look for a solutions and unified  the effort in order to put people back to work. so the New deal came in to just do so throughout many government agencies like CWA(civil Work Administration, PWA public Work Administration),WPA( Work Process Administration) and FERA(Federal Emergency Relief Administration). So  many projects took place and were very effective in putting people back to work ,especially after  President Roosevelt was elected  in 1933.   However, many of these projects had a significant impact and had, indeed,  reshaped the cities and the  suburbs all over the country as well. the main changes ,I believe, took place in this period , 1941-1975 are :

1- The world war ∏ 1945, before and after , the American economy experience steady growth. So  the military spending , rather than the New deal, really ended the Great depression ,according to Chudacoff(p249).”Wartime emergency circumstances had effected  enormous changes in American life”(p250).

2- New deal  Created more jobs all over the country throughout  building new road, highways, bridges . In 1947, congress authorized a 37,000-mile national highway network, including  nearly 3000 miles of reads in or near major cities(p254).

3- The change in population and ethnics had  changed  evidently changed the cities and suburbs, it clear in the table presented in chudacoff reading table 9-1,p258)the increase  black population  verses the deceases in white population.

4- Also  the  automobile industrial along the highways and road project made it possible for many people to move away from the cities and install in suburbs.  As result many business went  out  and shopping centers opened in suburbs which leaded  the cities to lose money .

5- Unemployment declined  and the industry had to recruit workers. in 1942 the government start to admit Mexicans  on short-term contracts for farm and industrial labor.

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Girls Can Do It Better!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by brittany.sorensen

1. Women Work Force

Between 1941 and 1974 there was tremendous changes happening among the people in the U.S. And although individually, each topic holds as a significantly important beacon throughout history, together they pave the way for a new way of thinking among all people, men and women alike, allowing women to do things for themselves and establish a new way of life completely.

2. WWII

3. Immigrants

4. Post War Suburban Growth

5. Entertainment

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Chudacoff’s Top Picks

Posted on May 2, 2011 by julia.sung

1. World War II

Chudacoff probably viewed War World II as the most important change to happen from 1941- 1974. Before the World War started, the United States was in steep depression that had economy and the people’s morals low. It was only really when the World war began did the American economy begin to grow and later on prove to let the world know that the United States was no longer a New nation. The employment percentage was at an all time low, and after the world war began there were only  1.2% of the labor force that was jobless.

2. National attention to Racial inequality

3. Reshaping Downtown

4. Women in the Workforce

5. Building of Homes in the Suburbs

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The American Dream

Posted on May 2, 2011 by david.tejera
  1. Rapid environmental degradation thanks to sprawl/ suburbs, highways, and automobiles laid the foundation for the type of life style many live today.
  2. Minorities experienced many new opportunities in the work force/ equality and fairness was beginning to be demanded.
  3. Due to military spending and the lack of male workers women became a prominent member of the work force
  4. There was a new distribution of peoples/ segregation continued to exist, suburbs mostly white continuously oppressed minorities making it difficult for them to purchase houses.
  5. War accelerated the development of military technology as well as commercial technology.

The degradation of the environment in my opinion is most important out of all the changes I have listed. Still to this day there has been no major progress at the federal level to protect nature. Of course it is extremely important for minorities and women to have equality and job security, but I don’t understand why many citizen and government officials have turned a blind eye to protecting Mother Nature. Suburbs and the sprawl distribution of the population is not only bad for the environment the segregation and inefficiency it produces will ultimately destroy the American dream.    

THE BURBS

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Get into deep water

Posted on May 2, 2011 by alina.ivanitskaya

The most important thing for people after oxygen is water. An average  human has 43 liters of water and may exist without water 3-5 days. So importance and necessity of water is obvious.

In 1830s New York faced with a very big and vital problem – crisis of water. “Water for cooking and consumption could no longer safely be drawn from wells within the city boundary” (Homberger, 82). But water had no reach people. The Temperance campaigners soon vigorously called for a municipal provision of water. New Yorkers experienced outbreaks of yellow fever and the deadly cholera. A polluted aquifer, overcrowded housing, the lack of sewers, public ignorance of basic sanitary precautions, and the existence of foul and polluting industries near wells and residential areas contributed to an unprecedented mortality rate. “In 1830 there was one death per 39 inhabitants.” In such condition the need for a new supply of fresh water was crucial.

In 1837 the construction began of the dam, aqueducts, tunnels, piping, and reservoirs which would provide the city’s water. By the middle of the decade, baths and running water were being built in the best private homes. For most New Yorkers, it would be more than half a century before private baths were generally available. It raised the overall quality of life in the city and for everybody.

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Most Important Changes

Posted on May 2, 2011 by fl090216

1. Increase of women in workforce.

2. WWII

3. Immigrants

4. Racial Tolerance

5. Housing

The increase in women in workforce in my opinion is the most important because it signifies a change in times. Women are starting to be more active instead of being stuck at home, fulfilling the stereotype of a stay at home mom. The coming together of both genders was the start of  gender equality and woman’s rights.

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Changes has arrive

Posted on May 2, 2011 by harpreet.singh1

1. War World II
 Hearing of war many would think of a bloody battle but the war brought along major changes to America. Before the war the American people was in the worst economy to face Amarica many lost all their money in the stock market crash, the unemployment rate was at the highest, many people main source of food came from bread lines and many was left to live in tents due to eviction. But the War World II change everything. The unemployment rate was only 1.2% due to the large amount of contract and new government policies. The federal government was no longer leaving much of development up to states and cities to finance them but was financing them on they own. Being in war left many women at home and due to that many wives and mother had to go in the workforce. In during so it help showed that women are as important as man in contributing to the American society. 
The equipment needed to war also brought many jobs. Most of the jobs was in urban areas and because of such many people  migrated from rural areas  and farms to urban areas to find better paying jobs.  According to Chudacoff “night life was active” due to the different work shifts which left many people in streets after dark. The activeness of the night allowed swing dance to reach it’s high, ,dance hall, restaurants, bars, movies theaters, night club were full with “war workers and soldiers on leave and with spendable cash” which was spent in these places. 
2. Home ownership
3. Government funding for housing for the poor, and highways 
4. Migration to suburbs 
5. Civil rights movement among different groups.

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And then came changes….

Posted on May 2, 2011 by K.Subero

1. World War II had a tremendous impact on the changes in cities and suburbs between the years of 1941 and 1974. According to Chudacoff “war spending provided a temporary industrial boost and encouraged citywards migration.” The war provided and enormous amount of employment. In 1944 only 1.2% of the labor force was unemployed. Because of the “wartime” economic opportunities it boosted the urban population.

2. More opportunities for minorities and the integration from segregated ghettos to suburban areas.

3. Increase of women in the labor force.

4. The construction of projects such as highways that brought hazardous impacts on the environment.

5. Opportunities and expansion of same-sex relationships.

 

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Warring Nation

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Jun Seo
  1. World War II
    Although America came out victorious from the war, many lives were lost. However, the war jump-started the nation’s economic activity like no other. The unemployment level was greatly diminished, as opposed to the state of the nation during the Great Depression. Not only did the unemployment level decrease, women were much more active, due to the fact that men went into the battlefields. World War II boosted the nation’s economy and marginalized the absence of women in the labor force.
  2. Increase in employment opportunities for women
  3. Suburban growth
  4. Improvement of living standards
  5. Influx of braceros into the labor force
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