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Postwar America

Postwar America. Peacetime. Americans increase spending, postwar economy booms Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill): help veterans start businesses, buy homes, pay for college 1946 Election: Worker unrest related to rising cost of living/inflation sweeps Republicans to office

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Postwar America

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  1. Postwar America

  2. Peacetime • Americans increase spending, postwar economy booms • Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill): help veterans start businesses, buy homes, pay for college • 1946 Election: Worker unrest related to rising cost of living/inflation sweeps Republicans to office • Anti-union laws passed by new Republican Congress • Right to work laws: allowing closed shops to work along side union shops • Union money cannot be donated to political campaigns • Truman vetoes anti-union laws, Congress overrides Truman’s veto • Truman wants to continue FDR’s reforms started by the New Deal • Wants to expand Social Security, public housing, and raise minimum wage • Proposes a civil rights bill protect African-American voting rights by abolishing poll taxes • Issues executive order ending segregation in the armed forces/discrimination in federal offices • Prosecutes lynching as a federal crime • Most of Truman’s agenda fails due to coalition b/w Southern Democrats and Republicans

  3. Election of 1948 • Truman expected to lose his campaign for reelection in 1948 • Two groups leave Truman’s coalition of voters: • Southern Democrats “Dixie-crats” leave over civil rights issues • Liberal Democrats leave over ineffective reforms and anti-Soviet foreign policy • Republican governor of New York, Thomas Dewey runs against Truman • Nation shocked with Truman victory • Democrats also take back both houses of Congress

  4. The Fair Deal • Truman reintroduces domestic reforms—The Fair Deal • Some resistance from Congress • Minimum wage raised to 75 cents/hour • Social Security increased by 75% • National Housing Act of 1949 • National health insurance, aid to farmers and schools, and civil rights blocked by Congress

  5. The Eisenhower Years • Korean War ends Truman’s Fair Deal—Truman doesn’t run for reelection in 1952 • Republicans run popular WWII hero, General Dwight D. Eisenhower • Democrats nominate Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson • “I like Ike” becomes campaign slogan • Ike’s philosophies: “Middle of the Road” and “dynamic conservatism” • Ended price and wage controls • Cut aid to school building programs and housing assistance “creeping socialism” • Cut New Deal programs like RFC and TVA • Federal Highway Act: $25 Billion to build interstate highway system • Construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway • Expands Social Security • Eisenhower oversees a time of prosperity and is reelected in 1956

  6. Work On It… • On page 358 write and answer questions 1-10

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