Question 1: Describe the historical trajectory of the post WW2 economy from its boom in the 1950s through its bust in the 1970s.
The post-World War II economic expansion, which is otherwise referred to as the long boom, was a period during which time the United States experienced strong economic growth beginning from the 1950s and ending the occurrence of the 1973-75 recession 1 . Although World War II was considered as having had serious economic impacts on the United States, the post-war period created a position allowing the country to consolidate its economic capacities. Ultimately, this paved the way for the United States to grow its position as the world’s richest country from an economic perspective while considering the significant growth in its economic structure. An in-depth analysis of the country’s gross national product, which is a measure of goods and services produced locally, shows that it grew from $300 thousand-million in the 1950s to $500 thousand-million in the 1960s 2 .
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The economic boom that the United States experienced was driven by a wide array of factors, which economists consider as being key determinants of the position that the country was able to reach during that period. An example can be seen from the significant rise in the automotive industry, which quadrupled in terms of the number of automobiles produced between 1946 and 1955. That was a clear indication of the fact that indeed the federal government was working hard to build a ready market for the high number of automobiles produced with the sole focus being towards maximizing on economic growth. That also meant that more people within the United States would gain access to employment, which is a key driver of any economy.
Another key factor that contributed to the notable rise in the country’s economic capacity was the housing boom, which was stipulated by the fact that most of the servicemen returning to the country were able to access cheap mortgage. Ultimately, this meant that the overall growth of the real estate market within the United States was somewhat notable; thus, serving as one of the key factors that propelled the economic growth. The Cold War period, which was between 1953 and 1962, meant that the overall levels of spending by the federal government increased significantly 3 . Specifically, the government spent immensely on the military with the sole intention being towards position itself as a country that is able to protect its military position. The overall result that this has on the country’s economy is that it allowed for the stabilization of the economy meaning that indeed the economy was in a much better position to growth firmly.
The post-WWII period also saw a significant rise in the overall number of major corporations that sought to invest in the United States, which was a clear factor contributing to the significant growth of the country’s economy. The country experienced another wave of corporation mergers, with some of the earlier waves being in the 1890s and 1920s, during which time new conglomerates led the way. Some of the notable corporations that rose after WWII include Sheraton Hotels, Continental Baking, and Hartford Fire Insurance, each of which held significant influence on the country economy 4 . Most of these corporations sought to develop their holdings overseas with the sole focus being towards limiting their spending on areas of labor. The main impact that this has is that it created a better avenue for corporate investment within the United States.
Changes in the labor market also paved the way for a significant change in the overall structure of the country’s economy, as this meant that the unemployment levels in the country would reduce significantly. By 1956, a significant number of Americans held white collar jobs in different corporates operating within the United States working as corporate managers and salespersons among other positions 5 . The move into the 1960s saw a significant number of the corporations that were investing in the United States begin to provide a guaranteed annual wage, as well as, accord their employees long-term contracts among other employment benefits. The ultimate result is that it created a much better position through which to ensure that indeed the country is able to achieve some of the economic goals that it has set out for itself, especially in areas of reducing unemployment.
Although the economy was growing at a rate that the federal government considered as being viable for the country, the 1970s recession had a serious impact on the country’s economy; thus, putting an end to the post- World War II economic expansion. In 1971, the United States experienced the fall of the Bretton Woods system, which came as a result of Nixon Shock, referring to a series of economic measures that were undertaken by the then President Richard Nixon. Another notable factor contributing to the recession was the 1973 oil crisis, which saw a proclamation of an oil embargo by the members of the OPEC 6 . These two factors created a situation where the country was not in any position allowing it to justify its economic positioning, as it became hard for the country to maintain its position as a leading economy in the world.
On the other hand, the 1970s also saw a significant rise in newly industrialized countries, which created a situation where most of these countries sought to increase competition within the metal industry. The result of this competition is that the United States found itself embedded within the steel crisis, which had a significant impact on the country’s growth approach and trajectory. The steel crisis did not only affect the United States but also affected other European countries, as it created the need for a restructuring to match the overall expectation in terms of set out economic expectations. The occurrence of this crisis and the other factors noted contributed to the 1973-74 stock market crash, which was a clear indication that indeed the recession was having serious implications in different parts of the world 7 . The rate of inflation increased significantly during this period leading to approximately 2.3 million people losing employment.
Question 2: Recount the major events of the Civil Rights Movement, ca. 1954-1965. Evaluate the effects of changing laws on first-class citizenship for African Americans.
Major Events of the Civil Rights Movement
During the 1950s and the 1960s, there were major events that capitalized on initiating social change during the civil right movement to fight for racial and social justice of the minority communities. The first major event was the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which took place in 1955 and was the first event that initiated social change during the civil rights movement 8 . The boycott was initiated following the arrest of Rosa Parks an African American lady who refused to give her seat on a bus to a male passenger who was white. Following the arrest, a boycott was initiated against the racial discrimination experienced within the public system. The boycott, which was proposed by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. ensured that the African Americans did not use public transport system for 381days. Finally, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed on the segregation of buses in order to deal with the issue of racial discrimination.
The second major event during the civil right movement was the Albany Movement, which took place in 1961. The movement focused on protesting against the segregation policies that were implemented in the Albany, Ga leading to racial discrimination of the minority communities within the region. Majority of the human rights groups and activities engaged in the movement with the aim of ensuring that the policies were revised in order to create a social change within the region. Some of the groups that engaged in the movement included the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Although the engagement of King focused on offering counsel regarding the movement, he was jailed following a demonstration but continued to push for change until when the movement was disbanded.
The third major event of the civil right movement was the Birmingham Campaign that took place in 1963. The aim of the campaign was to focus on create an end to policies that discriminated the African American residents within the Alabama city. During the campaign, the African Americans faced financial difficulties and violence associated with racial discrimination within the region. The campaign called out for a boycott against business run by the whites and those that mandated isolated restrooms. The campaign ensured that the protestors engaged in activities that would get them arrested with the aim of ensuring that the jails were crowded. The protest became successful creating an end to racial segregation thereby ensuring that majority of the public places within the city were accessible to all people regardless of their racial background.
The fourth major event included the March on Washington that took place in 1963 and was considered one of the largest rallies focusing on the human rights in the United States. The rally involved approximately 300,000 participants that protested against various issues affecting the minority groups within the region 9 . The main issues addressed within the rally included lack of equal job opportunities and the freedom of the African Americans. The March played an important role in the amendment of various civil rights that ensured that the minority communities in the United States received proper treatment regardless of their racial differences. As a result, the minority communities obtained various rights that helped in acquiring equal opportunities in the society.
The fifth event of the civil right movement was the Bloody Sunday that took place in 1965. Although the event involved a peaceful march to Montgomery, the state troopers engaged the protestors in violent beatings resulting in major injuries. The purpose of the march was to ensure that the African Americans received the basic right to vote, which was a constitutional right. During the time, the African Americans were denied the right to vote thus failure to engage in political aspects affecting the society. The brutality experienced during the march created a public outrage thereby calling for involvement of the civil rights movement that ensured that the African Americans received the right to vote.
The last major event during the 1954-1965 period was the Chicago Freedom Movement that took place in 1965 with the aim of protesting against segregation based on racism 10 . The movement was formed following a situation where the African Americans experienced segregation on major resources such as housing, education and health in the society. The movement which involved different rallies and boycotts focused on addressing the issues of segregation in the society in in order to ensure that the members of the society received equal rights and opportunities in the society. Although the movement faced major challenges where the protestors were injured, there was success following the amendment of various civil rights that sought to end racial discrimination.
Effects of Changing Laws on First-Class Citizenship for African Americans
The events on the civil rights movement focused on changing laws on first-class citizenship of the African Americans in order to ensure that they experienced equality following an end of racial segregation. The first major effect includes gaining of the right to vote and engage in political and social issues in the society 11 . A change on the laws ensured that the African Americans obtain their civil right to vote, which was denied based on their racial background. The second major effect involved the provision of freedom to engage in different activities within the society regardless of the individual racial differences. Considering that the African Americans received racial segregation from the whites, their freedoms were limited thereby leading to inferiority.
Through the changes on the law, the African Americans were in a position to gain equal opportunities in various aspects such as employment, education, and health. The African Americans obtained the ability to receive proper housing, education, and health in the society despite their racial background 12 . Ultimately, the changing laws that were advocated through the civil rights movements ensured that the African Americans obtained the ability to engage in social and leadership positions within the United States. For example, major events in the 1950s ensured that Martin Luther King Jr was in a position to engage in a leadership position following his engagement in different movements that advocated for human rights in the United States thus an indication that the changing laws provided a leadership platform for the minority.
Bibliography
Bond-Nelms, Cheryl. “Key Events During the Civil Rights Movement.” AARP. https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-2018/civil-rights-events-fd.html#quest1 (accessed March 4, 2019).
Link, William A. Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region . Oxford University Press, 2015.
Robinson, Stephen. "African American Citizenship, the 1883 Civil Rights Cases and the Creation of the Jim Crow South." History 102, no. 350 (2017): 225-241.
Walker, John F., and Harold G. Vatter. History of US Economy Since World War II . Routledge, 2015.
1 William A. Link. Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region (Oxford University Press, 2015).
2 John F. Walker and Harold G. Vatter. History of US Economy Since World War II (Routledge, 2015).
3 William A. Link. Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region (Oxford University Press, 2015).
4 John F. Walker and Harold G. Vatter. History of US Economy Since World War II (Routledge, 2015).
5 John F. Walker and Harold G. Vatter. History of US Economy Since World War II (Routledge, 2015).
6 William A. Link. Southern Crucible: The Making of an American Region (Oxford University Press, 2015).
7 John F. Walker and Harold G. Vatter. History of US Economy Since World War II (Routledge, 2015).
8 Cheryl Bond-Nelms, “Key Events During the Civil Rights Movement,” AARP. https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-2018/civil-rights-events-fd.html#quest1
9 Cheryl Bond-Nelms, “Key Events During the Civil Rights Movement,” AARP. https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-2018/civil-rights-events-fd.html#quest1
10 Cheryl Bond-Nelms, “Key Events During the Civil Rights Movement,” AARP. https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-2018/civil-rights-events-fd.html#quest1
11 Stephen Robinson, "African American Citizenship, the 1883 Civil Rights Cases and the Creation of the Jim Crow South," History 102, no. 350 (2017): 229.
12 Stephen Robinson, "African American Citizenship, the 1883 Civil Rights Cases and the Creation of the Jim Crow South," History 102, no. 350 (2017): 235.
