Chapter 23 Study Guide

How did the economic landscape of the 1950s challenge traditional notions of social mobility?

• Economic growth was exclusively limited to upper classes
• Average income tripled, but prosperity was not equally distributed
• Economic opportunities decreased for most Americans
• The government prevented economic advancement

What sociological critique emerged regarding the rise of large corporations in the 1950s?

• Corporations were completely beneficial to society and helping every day Americans become more freethinking
• David Riesman argued that Americans were losing their independent thinking
• Corporations had no impact on social behavior
• Workers fully embraced corporate conformity

How many babies were born from 1946 to 1964?

• 41 Million
• 76 Million
• 102 Million
• 13 Million

What technological innovation symbolized the scientific advances of the 1950s?

• The development of the transistor
• The invention of the telephone
• The invention of the motorcycle
• The development of the first radio

How did Rock 'n' Roll represent more than just a musical genre in the 1950s?

• It was purely entertainment
• It challenged racial and cultural boundaries of the time
• It had only a social significance on older Americans
• It was only popular among wealthy Americans

What characterized the transformation of the American workplace during this era?

• Continued dominance of manufacturing jobs
• Shift from manufacturing to service-based economy
• Decrease in white-collar employment
• Reduction in middle-class opportunities

How did the G.I. Bill contribute to post-war American society?

• It limited veterans' opportunities
• It provided affordable housing and educational opportunities
• It benefitted only Americans from World War One
• It only benefited a small number of veterans

What medical breakthrough significantly impacted public health in the 1950s?

• Development of the polio vaccine
• Discovery of penicillin
• First heart transplant
• Invention of x-ray technology

How did television transform American culture in the 1950s?

• Remained a niche technology
• Grew from 8,000 to 40 million TVs in a decade
• People were still more interested in the radio at the time so it did not play that big of an impact
• Was only accessible to wealthy families

What social movement challenged the conformity of 1950s American culture?

• The Civil Rights Movement
• The Beat Movement
• The Women's Liberation Movement
• The Anti-War Movement