Existing comment:
Twentieth-Century Americans: 1930-1960
Americans shifted from standing in breadlines to eating TV dinners in the years between 1930 and 1960. The Great Depression of the 1930s, with its shantytowns and millions of unemployed people, tarnished the country's image as the land of opportunity and plenty. In the process, the catastrophe inspired Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which gave government a larger role in the nation's economic life. Global conflict marked the 1940s, but because of the mobilization of soldiers and industry, the country emerged with greater power to shape the international order. The economy flourished in the 1950s as the United States increased its exports of both consumer goods and culture. Soon thereafter, the country became engaged in the Cold War, which sparked panic over the possibility of nuclear attacks and fears over the spread of communism, both at home and abroad. All the while, most Americans were grappling with the effects of racial segregation, and many dedicated themselves to bringing about civil rights reforms. |