World War II brought peace and economic prosperity to the Allied nations, which allowed for the fertility rate in North America to increase. This caused an explosion in the population of the U.S. especially, with around 78 million babies born by the end of the 1940s-1960s, according to Colombia Dictionary. Similarly, Canada experienced a surge of 479,000 babies following the 1950s (Henripin, Krotki 1). A large population amounts to a shift in demographics, and subsequently the social system of North America started to change gradually in order to adapt to the new baby boom generation. As a result of a new economic affluence in the continent, North American society became materialistic and consumerism seized a big part of the economy (Owram 309). Children became an important demographic for companies, leading to the toy industry benefitting and expanding (Gillion 5). Technology advanced considerably, too: in the 1950s, the television became a ground-breaking medium that helped people spread ideas, see what was going on in their country and the rest of the world, much like what the printing press did for the Renaissance. Although the post-WWII baby boom only occurred in a few countries, namely the U.S. and Canada, this time period transformed the West and the world immensely—the areas of life that were affected during the baby boom went on to greatly influence later generations and decades due to the change and reform it yielded, which replaced the outdated and unethical traditions of the old West and the world.
Prevailing social and political attitudes of the baby boom were much more liberal than they were in the pre-war decades. Numerous social issues found their way into the spotlight, such as women's rights and the sexual rev...
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...ame needs as an effect of consumerism on the baby boom generation. The same materialism of the 1950s conceived a new consciousness in the 1960s, equating to new values for the baby boom generation, such as self-actualization, social consciousness and tolerance. During the 1950s, the U.S. achieved the highest standard of living in the world, metamorphosing the working class into the new middle class (Monhollon xvi). The richest generation in North American history and the 21st century has left behind a plethora of valuable lessons that will not be forgotten soon. In conclusion, the baby boom, which lead to a long cycle of prosperity and growth in the post-WWII years is crucial because it redefined the traditional and rigid values people wrongfully harbored in the past and spearheaded dramatic change on a global level, bringing the West and the World closer than ever.
After World War II, Americans experienced a time of rapid social change. American soldiers were discharged and returned home from the battlefields, hoping to find work and to get on with their lives. Marriage rate increased dramatically after the war. North American population experienced what is known as the “Baby boom” – an 18-year period of rapid population growth from 1946 to 1964. During this period, many children were born than in the same period before or after. During the post war years, the United States embarked on one of its greatest periods of economic expansion. Many Americans had enjoyed economic prosperity. However, the United States has changed since 1950. American society today is different from our grandparents’ generation. The rising divorce rates, population growth in the suburbs, the lives of women and mothers working outside the home marked the tremendous social changes in American society today.
The baby boom was a big contributor to the new word “Teenager” as in “The 10 years from 1946 to 1956, the population increased by 20 percent, in Canada. Those new kids demanded new furniture, new clothes and more food be produced, along with new houses, and new cars and lots of other services like schools and playgrounds, and swimming pools and hockey rinks. Lots of ne...
The 1950’s were a great time and one main reason was because most people were happy with their lives because everything was going well. In the 1950’s most men had their wives , their kids, and their cars, and that was all they needed to survive. The economy of the 1950’s was a relatively stale period of time. Because it was much of an uneventful era, the economy did not experience any major problems or breakthroughs. The reasons everyone had jobs was because the economy was doing good. In the 50’s, Americans were able to enjoy a much higher standard of living because of higher paying jobs. With the United States producing half of the world’s goods, at that point, 60% of Americans were part of the middle class.
The behavior between the 1960’s and 1980’s was influenced by diverse factors. In the 1960’s the population was 177,830,000, the minimum wage was one dollar per hour, the life expectancy for males in the 1960’s was about 66 years old, and the life expectancy for females was about 73 years (Goodwin and Bradley). These facts were made by behaviors from the baby boom after the war (Goodwin and Bradley). In contrast to the 1980’s, the minimum wage, life expectancy, and population increased within two decades swiftly. The population in the 1980’s was 256, 546,000, the minimum wage was three dollars and ten cents, and the life expectancy for males rose up to about 70 years old and for females the life expectancy increase...
The sixties was also a time of unmourns growth in population size. In 1964 and 1965 the first babies born after World War II were celebrating their 18th birthdays. Postwar birth rate resulted in the largest generation in history, just over 70 million (Anderson 89). The sixties generation included baby boomers and their older siblings born during World War II who were referred as the “first wave”. With a great economy, new technology and post war validation, these young baby boomers brought new life to America. New adventures like Spring Break offered many new adventures for young guys, in search for “beach, broads and booze” (Anderson 89). Furthermore, birth control also became available for married women in the sixties. Although most single women wore their friend’s wring in order to get their monthly prescription. “Sexy” was the new fashion during the sixties. Media quickly changed the way women dressed, instead of high bobby sox; women felt comfortable showing more skin without feeling objection (783).
As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the American way of life.
On the heels of war, new technology caused a decrease in prices of goods in the 1920’s and in the 1950’s the GI Bill increased income. The bureaucratization of business in the 1920’s meant that more people could be employed in higher paying white-collar jobs than before, including, for the first time, housewives. This new income combined with the reduced prices for goods that resulted from mechanized production, assembly lines and a general decrease of the cost of technology created a thriving consumerist middle class that went on to fuel the economy in all sectors, especially the upper classes. Likewise, during World War II Americans saved up around 150 billion dollars, and this sum combined with the income of the GI Bill allowed normal people to buy expensive things, from houses to cars to electronics to educations at a rapid rate, fueling the trademark prosperity of the 1950’s. The new automobile culture of the 50’s spawned new businesses that catered to mobile Americans, such as nicer and more standardized hotels like Holiday Inn, and drive-up restaurants like McDonalds. Just as the culture of the 1920’s was transfo...
containment and the cold war. Presumably baby-boom children will in the end be more fruitful
Before the war approximately 33% of American families were in the middle class, but during the economy boom an estimated 66% were in the middle class. The struggle of marginal economic existence was now a thing of the past. Families reverted to the traditional roles of one breadwinner, a housewife and children in school instead of factories.
... in the global market as a competitive nation, accomplished greater economic prosperity, and gave birth to the suburban regions. The baby boom generation clearly has had positive short term effects; however, a negative reaction loomed over the proceeding generations as it put a burden on Canadian government to build more retirement homes and to look for a new labour force to replace the old. In other words, some of the long term effects of baby boom generation are unfortunately frightening such as Canada having a huge old population to support with the urgent need to fill gaps that would be left by the baby boomers as they retire. Still, the society must recognize that the baby boom generation was crucial to the Canada in the 1950s. Nothing else would have created a strong economy through the huge number of job opportunities and development of suburban homes.
World War II was one of the most deadly wars we know in history, having as many as sixty million casualties, most of whom were civilians. It impacted a lot of countries, almost all the world, which is why the name is given. This war impacted many countries in the world, and damaged almost all of the countries involved greatly. It also led to the downfall of Western European countries as world powers, leaving it to the Soviet Union, and the United States. The war started in 1939 and ended in 1945, with the invasion of Poland and the Axis surrender, respectively. It changed the economy and the growth of big countries, including Germany, Great Britain, United States, Japan, Russia and France. Aside from this, Jews were greatly influenced too. They were damaged, but then gifted.
Every person belongs to a generation: you associate yourselves with a particular set of people usually based on age such as “Baby Boomers” from 1946 to 1964, “Generation X” from 1965 to 1979, and “Millennials” from 1980 to 2000, (Smola, 364). Parents’ generations differ from their children, and sometimes within their significant other. My parents, separated by two years, are both considered “Baby Boomers”, and my sister and I, also separated by two years are both considered “Millennials”. “Generation X” separates our generations, and as you can assume there are many differences between the two: “Baby Boomers” experienced the immense development of the economy and education (Kupperschmidt, 4).
The 1950s seemed like a perfect decade. The rise of suburbs outside cities led to an expansion of the middle class, thus allowing more Americans to enjoy the luxuries of life. The rise of these suburbs also allowed the middle class to buy houses with land that used to only be owned by more wealthy inhabitants. Towns like Levittown-one of the first suburbs- were divided in such a way that every house looked the same (“Family Structures”). Any imperfections were looked upon as unfavorable to the community as a whole. Due to these values, people today think of the 1950s as a clean cut and model decade. This is a simplistic perception because underneath the surface, events that took place outside the United States actually had a direct effect on our own country’s history. The rise of Communism in Russia struck fear into the hearts of the American people because it seemed to challenge their supposedly superior way of life.
As the babies boomed, so did Canada’s economy. After dealing with work stoppage by labour unions, inflation, rationing and other difficulties in postwar year, baby boomers caused economic growth in the country. Baby boomers got the economy switched from machine gun making to production for baby products. Babies demand for things like toys, furniture, playgrounds, swimming pools, hockey rinks and diapers. Later when they grow up, they demand for clothes, houses, cars and records. Baby Boomers had a positive impact on many areas of Canada’s economy like producing cars, television and adverting.
Nearly 3.7 million American babies born in 1982 were the first members of the new Generation Y, or more affectionately known as millenials (Thompson, par. 1). Many things play into whether a generation is considered to be faring ‘better’ than another one; job opportunities, the state of the environment, whether the U.S. is at peace or at war, income vs. living expenses, the general happiness of the people, and the list goes on. Millenials are part of a special generation because for decades, “The American Dream” has included the belief that the future generation will fare better than the present one; however, millenials are not projected to fare better than the present generation X for many reasons.