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Document 1 Source: President Franklin D. Roosevelt's statement on signing the G...

Oct 16, 2023

Document 1 Source: President Franklin D. Roosevelt's statement on signing the GI Bill of Rights, June 22, 1944 [This bill] gives servicemen and women the opportunity of resuming their education or technical training after discharge, or of taking a refresher or retraine course, not only without tuition charge up to $500 per school year, but with the right to receive a monthly living allowance while pursuing their studies. It makes provision for the guarantee by the Federl Government of not to exceed 50 percent of certain loans made to veterans for the purchase or construction of homes, farms, and business properties. Document 2 Source: Property deed to the McIntosh family for a home in Seattle, Washington, 1947 This deed is made subject to the following restrictions, conditions, limitations, covenants, and agreements, which shall run with the land and be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators... 1. No part of said property shall ever be used or occupied by any person of any Asiatic, Negro, Hawaiian, or Malay race, or any person of extraction or descent of any such race. The grantee or his successors in interest shall not place any such person in possession or occupancy of said property, or any part thereof, or permit said property, or any part thereof, to be used or occupied by any such person. However, these provisions shall not prevent the residence upon said property of persons of any such race actually employed in domestic or menial service upon said property by occupants of said premises qualified by race as occupants hereunder. Document 3 Source: "This is How I Keep House," McCall's magazine, 1949 Introducing a new baby into a small city apartment, Helen Eckhoff explains, taught her like nothing else could the importance of efficient housekeeping equipment and meticulous planning before and after a baby arrives. When she and her husband, Bob, found out, shortly after relocating to a suburb, that they were expecting a second child, they started preparing for it months in advance. One of Helen's greatest pleasures in her new home is the washing machine, which handles the family's regular laundry and is invaluable for all the slipcovers, curtains, etc., that Helen intends to have spotless before the baby arrives. In addition to her house cleaning strategies, she saves time for the weekend by thoughtfully planning her Saturday baking and by preparing casserole dishes and quick refrigerator desserts. "It means," she says, "that Bob and I maintain almost the same social life as we always have. Of course, I don't gallivant around, but there's always time to invite people over. On Saturday nights, we usually host a television party. The refreshments are simple and we don't use many dishes, so it's just as relaxing for me as it is for the guests." Document 4 Source: Automobile Advertisement, 1950 Now, thousands of fine families own two cars! The Convertible is a popular choice. With over a quarter-million families becoming two-car families, there must be a reason! And there are many! They are sold on the convenience of two cars in general and the economy of this car in particular! Nothing is smarter, nothing more fun to drive than the Convertible. Your choice of fabric-and-leather or all-leather upholstery and 11 different body colors. And the top goes up or down in seconds, automatically. The car is built with scientifically contoured Power Dome combustion chambers. Both the 100 h.p. V-8 and the 95 h.p. Six give the high compression performance on regular gas - a saving that really adds up! The Two-Door Sedan is another excellent choice. A "personal" car with all quality features! Mid Ship Ride! Lifeguard Body! 35% easier-acting King-Size Brakes! And a Deep Deck Luggage Locker that holds all the bags and baggage! And remember, for style, this car has been awarded the Fashion Academy's Gold Medal as "Fashion Car of the Year" for the second year in a row. "Test Drive" it at your Dealer's today. The car you now own may well provide the down payment on two new cars! The Advertising Archives / Alamy Stock Photo Document 5 Source: William H. Whyte, Jr., The Organization Man, 1956 [Organization men] are not the workers, nor are they the white-collar people in the usual, clerical sense of the word. These people merely work for The Organization. The ones I am referring to belong to it as well. They are the members of our middle class who have left home, both spiritually and physically, to take the vows of organizational life, and it is they who are the mind and soul of our great self-perpetuating institutions. They are all, as they so often put it, in the same boat. Listen to them converse with each other over the front lawns of their suburban homes and you cannot help but be struck by how well they grasp the common denominators that bind them. They are wry about it, to be sure; they speak of the "treadmill," the "rat race," of the inability to control one's direction. But they have no great sense of plight; between themselves and the organization, they believe they see an ultimate harmony. From The Organization Man, by William H. Whyte. Originally published by Simon & Schuster in 1956. Copyright © 1956 by William H. Whyte. Reprinted by permission of the Albert LaFarge Literary Agency. All rights reserved. Document 6 Source: A. Q. Mowbray, journalist, Road to Ruin, 1969 Interstate Route 40, instead of directly entering the city, was planned to veer north on a broad loop through the heart of the African American community in North Nashville. This route would result in the demolition of African American homes and churches, cut through an African American college complex, and run along the main business street for sixteen blocks. This would obliterate all the African American-owned businesses on one side of the street and isolate those on the other side from their customers. Approximately 650 homes, 27 apartment buildings, and several churches would be reduced to rubble. The isolation of this community would be further exacerbated by the creation of fifty dead-end streets along the course of the expressway. Evaluate the extent to which economic growth led to changes in United States society in the period from 1940 to 1970.

Key Concept

KC-8.1.II: The United States experienced dramatic economic growth and social changes during the period from 1940 to 1970. This was characterized by the expansion of the middle class, increased consumerism, and the growth of suburban communities. However, this period also saw the continuation of racial and economic disparities. Answer: Economic growth in the United States from 1940 to 1970 led to significant changes in society. The GI Bill, as seen in Document 1, provided opportunities for education and homeownership for veterans, contributing to the growth of the middle class. However, racial disparities persisted, as seen in Document 2, where property deeds included racially restrictive covenants. The growth of consumerism is evident in Document 4, an automobile advertisement, which reflects the increasing affordability of cars for middle-class families. The rise of suburban communities and the emphasis on domesticity are seen in Document 3, a magazine article about efficient housekeeping. The growth of corporations and the emergence of the "organization man" are seen in Document 5. However, economic growth also led to urban renewal projects that disproportionately affected African American communities, as seen in Document 6.

How did the GI Bill contribute to the growth of the middle class?, What were the racial disparities in homeownership during this period?, How did consumerism change during this period?, How did economic growth affect African American communities?