FINAL PROJECT OUTLINE HISTORY

Changes Experienced by United States from the 1930s to the 1970s

Bruce Norcise Jr.

Political Changes

Since the year 1960, the foreign policy of the country remained focused on communism containment. The census that was carried out in 1970 showed that many people resided in the suburbs and not cities. In terms of technological and scientific advances, the country remained to be the leader. The civil rights of the blacks' movement grew. The growth of political corruption was experienced in the 1970s leading to Richard M. Nixon resigned as the US president at that time. The main domestic issue in the country was the blacks civil rights that increased in the 1960s the whites joined the blacks for demonstrations demanding for equality and rights. In the year 1961, John F. Kennedy advised the Congress to bypass legislation prohibition racial discrimination (Lipset, 2017). Kennedy was killed and his vice president Lyndon B. Johnson was made the president and he convinced the Congress to surpass civil rights laws. The public accommodation, voter registration and discrimination in employment were outlawed by the civil rights act. Vietnam War brought extra turmoil, the communist threatened to tumble the government.

In the 1970s political scandals rocked president Nixon campaign workers committed a burglary and that is why he resigned since he covered up the burglary. The tension between China, the Soviet Union, and the US tried to reduce because of Nixon's' effort. Carter who was elected in 1978 as the US president tried to improve the relationship with Panama.

Economic Changes

After the stock market crash, the US experienced an economic disaster that caused the great depression. The great depression led to an increase in the unemployment rate in the US and drop in crop prices. This made the government of America to experience financial problems. Increase in corruption was experienced as the Italian-American Mafia started to sell alcohol; they gave bribes to the police causing many problems for the US. At the beginning of the 1960s highest mass standard of living was experienced in the United States. The strong American Postwar economy of the year the late 1940s and 1950s continued. The gross national product of the United States from 1940 to 1960 increased five-fold, the reason behind it was the spending of the military during World War 2 lastly dragged the economy out of the great depression. The impermanent limitation in consumer product produced during the war leads to high consumer demand at the end of the war. Servicemen went back home to start a family, buy a home in the environs, purchase a car, and take a job, leading to further products demand and "baby boom". The United States growing corporations at this period were well placed to meet the foreign and domestic demand for products (Temin, 2016). The further economic expansion was experienced during the cold war, generating a redoubtable "military-industrial complex in the US. The exports of America increased during this period leading to an enormous trade surplus, the government spending and revenues rose as well as domestic consumption.

The decline in government revenues, rising unemployment, business slowdowns and high inflation was experienced in the 1970s, this led to stagflation. Prices and wages were frozen, some exercise taxes were cut and the dollar was devalued so as to encourage exports. This was a good move but in 1973, oil embargo shocked Americans since it leads to shortages and prices shot up, Americans had to cope up with the energy crisis, in 1974 after the lifting of embargo home heating oil, gas and other goods become more costly.

Social Changes

After the start of the great depression and market crash in the year 1929, in 1930 was fairly different on the side of women (Temin, 2016). Before when jobs were fewer, men were proffered since they were family breadwinners. Fewer women were able to get jobs. Technologies such as telephones and radio permitted job opportunities expansion for women when the economy lost jobs. Most industries employed mostly women for new jobs. The emergent of film industry incorporated many female stars, even though numerous industries intended at selling the idea of the place of women at home. Many elite women become pilots with the occurrence of the airplane. Women such as Beryl Markham, Ruth Nichols were the one who earned honors for their skills in aviation. In the year 1932 when Franklin Roosevelt became the president, his wife took a very active function as compared to earlier first ladies because she has an active, capable and assertive personality. Many women secured jobs in workplaces as well as in the government.

On the other hand, in the 1950s, many young people had leisure time and more money than before. This lead to changes in culture, the youngsters of America become more immoral and rebellious leading to an increase in crime, leading to the development of the generational gap. Also, various musical styles developed such as musicals, rock, and roll as well as Beach Boys and Bob Dylan. Furthermore, in the 1930s, many Americans began to get the latest news via Radio rather than waiting for the evening paper.

How Changes Affected American Lives of America by Late Twentieth Century

The innovation of radios affected the quality of life of American people since they could get the latest news other than waiting for the evening paper to get the latest news. Technological advances impelled changes to Americans everyday lives. By the end of the 20th century, women were able to be employed and given the same job opportunities the same as men. Racism in the US was seen as objectionable. Cold war increased competition and caused arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, the competition comprised of improvement and development of space race and nuclear weapons.

After George Bush became the president of US he had to solve the crisis of loan industry and savings but all his deals failed. The economy of the US entered into recession in 1990, in 1991 the economy started to grow that changed the lifestyle of American people. This resulted in the development of close economic ties with North America, this leads to the removal of quotas, tariffs and other things that could hinder trade between the two countries. This lead to the creation of the biggest free-trade regions worldwide, this meant that trade improved in the two countries boosting their economy as well as improving the living standards of people (Dutfield, 2017).

After Bill Clinton became the president of America, he focused on domestic issues. In the office, Clinton ensured that the rate of unemployment declined. This ensured that those who were unemployed were employed hence reducing crime rates and poverty. By the end of the 20th century the economy of the United States experienced a period of calm in which unemployment decreased, the government posted a surplus in the budget, the boom in market stock and stability in prices. At the end of the 1990s, rapid globalization and technological innovation contributed to the economic boom this lead to a rising in the economy of America as well as a rise in the gross domestic product. Innovations in life science, telecommunication and computing opened new chances for the Americans to have new items to consume and work. Innovations also lead to the decline of communism thus opening a new business enterprise for American capitalists (Lebergott, 2014).

How Opportunities for Advancement Changed the life of Women and African Americans

Opportunity advancement of the women change for the better after the changes that took place in America, there were shifts in the workforce as women were given jobs that were traditionally held by men. The share of women professional jobs rose as women were also given a managerial position in workplaces. Apart from women taking home responsibilities, their roles have changed. Women are making up to even take leading positions in America. Despite the fact that there are advancements in women life, considerable inequalities remain. Even though most women are breadwinners for their families or sometimes the role is shared with their partners, there is a pay gap since women pay is equivalent to 77% of what a man makes. Inequality also is seen between white men and black American women (Ma & Schapira, 2017).

During the new deal initiative, many African American greatly benefited from it. Many black youths were able to go on with their education because of the civilian conservation corps and the national youth administration. Many African Americans were given jobs by the works progress administration. Many African Americans workers entered the labor unions. Even though there were some inequalities between the whites and the blacks but it was not that intense.

References

Dutfield, G. (2017). Intellectual property rights and the life science industries: a twentieth

-century history. Routledge.

Lebergott, S. (2014). Pursuing happiness: American consumers in the twentieth century.

Princeton University Press.

Lipset, S. (2017). Revolution and counterrevolution: Change and persistence in social

structures. Routledge.

Ma, C., & Schapira, M. (2017). The bell curve: Intelligence and class structure in American life.

Macat Library.

Temin, P. (2016). Great Depression. In Banking Crises (pp. 144-153). Palgrave Macmillan,

London.