ECONOMY After 1945 [APUSH Review Unit 8 Topic 4] Period 8: 1945-1980

Summary

This video from Heimler's History discusses the economic boom in America after 1945, focusing on the causes and impacts of this growth, as well as the migration patterns of Americans during this period. Post-World War II, the U.S. saw increased productivity and significant federal spending, which, along with the GI Bill, spurred economic activity. The video also examines the rise of suburban living, highlighted by the construction of Levittown, and the migration shift to the Sun Belt states, influenced by better infrastructure and defense industry opportunities.

Highlights

• The post-WWII era saw a productive economy thanks to lingering war-time productivity and federal spending. 🏗️
• The GI Bill provided education and economic opportunities for veterans, aiding the economic boom. 🎓
• Suburbanization became a major trend, exemplified by the development of Levittown. 🏘️
• The interstate highway system revolutionized travel and living dynamics, promoting suburban growth. 🚗
• Migration to the Sun Belt states shifted political and economic power in the U.S. 🗺️

Key Takeaways

• The 1950s economic boom was driven by increased productivity, federal spending on infrastructure, and the GI Bill. 🚀
• The rise of the suburbs was fueled by the automobile, the interstate highway system, and the baby boom. 🏡
• Mass migration to the Sun Belt states was encouraged by warmer climates and economic opportunities in defense. 🌞

Overview

After World War II, the United States experienced a substantial economic boom, largely due to improvements in productivity and massive federal investments in infrastructure, such as the interstate highways. This newfound economic prosperity was particularly beneficial for veterans, supported by the GI Bill which allowed them to advance educationally and economically.

The post-war period also saw a demographic and cultural shift with the baby boom and the proliferation of suburbia. The availability of affordable housing in suburbs like Levittown, along with the expansion of road networks, made it possible for many families to move out of crowded urban areas. This move was part of a broader pattern predominantly involving the white middle class, leaving minorities in city centers.

During the same period, there was significant internal migration towards the Sun Belt—states in the southern and western parts of the country. Driven by the appeal of warmer climates and burgeoning defense industries, aided by improved transportation networks, this migration shifted both economic and political power southward and westward, marking a new chapter in American demographic trends.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Learning Objectives The chapter titled 'Introduction and Learning Objectives' in Heimlich's History begins with a discussion on the post-World War II economy and migration patterns. It sets the stage for exploring the main learning objectives: first, to understand the causes of economic growth after World War II, and second, to analyze the causes and effects of the migration of various American groups post-1945. The chapter promises to milk the learners' brains with insightful sauce despite the preceding gloomy discussions on the Cold War.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Post-WWII Economic Growth The chapter 'Post-WWII Economic Growth' discusses the economic expansion in the United States during the 1950s. This era of prosperity was driven by several factors, including a boost in productivity sustained from wartime advancements and substantial government investment in infrastructure, particularly the interstate highway system. Additionally, veterans benefited significantly from the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, which played a crucial role in facilitating their transition back into civilian life and contributing to the overall positive economic conditions.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Role of GI Bill and Baby Boom The chapter discusses the impact of the GI Bill on World War II veterans, who were given opportunities to attend college, secure low-interest loans for housing, and start businesses. This economic boost contributed to the Baby Boom between 1945 and 1960, where over 50 million people were added to the U.S. population. The growth of new families led to increased demand for housing, resulting in the expansion of suburban areas.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Suburbanization and Levittown The chapter explores the emergence of suburban living, tracing its origins to the early 20th century with the advent of the automobile. As cities expanded their road networks, the middle class, predominantly white, began moving to suburbs and commuting to work, leaving behind minorities and the impoverished in urban centers. The 1950s saw a suburbanization boom, highlighted by the development of Levittown, a quintessential suburban community.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Impact of Interstate Highway System William J. Levin purchased large tracts of land outside major cities, developing mass-produced, low-cost homes on sprawling identical lots. The original Levittown, built in New York, faced criticism for being monotonous, but met housing demand affordably.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Migration to Sun Belt and Economic Effects During this period, there was a significant population movement from northern cities to suburbs, as well as a mass migration to the Sun Belt states in the South and West. This shift was facilitated by the development of fast-moving highways, which enabled quick travel from suburbs to urban areas and across state lines. The migration was partly driven by dissatisfaction with cold northern winters, but more importantly by the opportunities made accessible through the new highway system. Many of those relocating to the Sun Belt were GIs and their families, attracted by job prospects in the defense industry.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Conclusion and Call to Action The conclusion and call to action chapter discusses the significant economic impact of the defense spending shift during the Cold War. This shift redirected tax dollars towards the Sun Belt states, subsequently altering the political power dynamics from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West. The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding these changes within the context of AP U.S. History curriculum, specifically unit 8 topic 4. Additionally, the transcript includes a call to action for students to utilize a review packet to excel in their exams and encourages viewer engagement by subscribing to the channel.

ECONOMY After 1945 [APUSH Review Unit 8 Topic 4] Period 8: 1945-1980 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 well hey there and welcome back to heimlich's history now we've been going through unit eight of the ap us history curriculum and in this video we're going to talk about the economy after 1945 and patterns of migration so if you're ready to get them brain cows milked then let's get to it so by the end of this video we'll have considered the answers to two learning objectives first explain the causes of economic growth in the years after world war ii and second explain the causes and effects of the migration of various groups of americans after 1945. if you can already taste that sauce then baby let's get our learning off so the last couple of videos have been kind of bleak what with the cold
• 00:30 - 01:00 war going on in the fear of communists infiltrating our society but in the years after world war ii it wasn't all communist hunting there was some good news too for example the economy in the 1950s was to put it in technical terms noise there were a lot of causes for that including increased productivity which is really just a holdover from the massive spike in productivity during the war and massive federal spending on infrastructure most notably the interstate highway system and this economic environment was even better for veterans of the war thanks to the servicemen's readjustment act of 1944
• 01:00 - 01:30 also known as the gi bill the world war ii veterans were given the opportunity to go to college on big daddy government's dime and take out low interest loans to buy houses and start businesses now within this economic boom americans were making babies like mad in fact between 1945 and 1960 over 50 million people were added to the u.s population in a phenomenon that became known as the baby boom with all these new families growing that led to an increased demand for housing construction and most of that construction occurred in the form of suburbs now the widespread possibility
• 01:30 - 02:00 of suburban living was created with the advent of the automobile just a couple of decades into the 20th century and as cities began to construct more and more roadways more and more of the middle class decided that they wanted to use those cars to live outside the city and just commute in for work and mainly this was a white middle class phenomenon and once the white folks left the cities for their suburbs what was often left behind was minorities and the impoverished during the 1950s the trend of suburbanization exploded and one of the most significant milestones in the suburbanization of america was levittown which was a suburban community conceived
• 02:00 - 02:30 and built by william j levin he ended up purchasing large tracts of land right outside several major cities and built metric butt loads of mass-produced low-cost homes organized and sprawling identical lots the original levitt town was built in new york and despite criticism from some folks who said that suburban living was monotonous and homogenizing these mass-produced homes provided a low-cost solution to the housing demand and many people flocked to them and they could do this more easily thanks to the interstate highway act which was passed in 1956. this
• 02:30 - 03:00 created fast-moving highways that gave people the occasion to travel quickly from suburbs to urban areas and they very much did that now not only were many folks moving from the cities to suburbs during this time but there was also a kind of mass migration to the sun belt states in the south and the west part of this movement had to do with northern people being tired of but cold winters in the north but maybe more significant was the newly minted highway system that made interstate migration far easier many of the folks who made this move to the sun belt were gis and their families who came seeking opportunities in the defense industry
• 03:00 - 03:30 and this move had a massive economic effect since we're right smack in the middle of the cold war and the arms race they're unto appertaining tax dollars devoted to defense spending shifted to the sun belt states and created the occasion for the shift of political power from the northeast and the midwest to the south and the west okay that's what you need to know about unit 8 topic 4 of the ap u.s history curriculum click right here in the review packet which will help you get an a in your class and a 5 on your exam in may and if this video was helpful and you want me to keep making them then the way that you let me know that is by subscribing heimler out