day 1

• After ww2 10 million US soldiers came back

  • the GI bill helped the soldiers+ provided a years pay, free college, and no interest loans
• • the housing industry boomed William Levitt & Henry Kaiser were big home builders + mass produced homes
• • most homes cost $7,000 many were built in the suburbs (areas outside of the city)
• The first housing additions were called Levitt towns and were built outside of NYC
• • over 13 million homes were built in the 50s
• • during ww2 8 million women went to work in the US. 75% weremarried
  • when men returned, many wives were reluctant to give their jobs up. this led to over a million divorces
• • Jackie Robinson: first AA to play major league baseball started w the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. mvp by 1949 + first AA in the baseball Hall of Fame
• • 1948 Election Truman (Dem). Truman won in a close election
  • Thomas Dewey (Rep) • big favorite
• 1952 Election

  Adlai Stevenson (Dem) vs. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Rep) “IKE“ won again in 1956
• there was a problem in the campaign. IKE's VP, Nixon was accused of profiting campaign money. Nixon denied the accusations and gave a speech called the "Checkers Speech” he said the only gift he got was a small dog his wife named Checkers
• • Franchise: a company that offers similar products or services in many locations
• McDonalds is the most well known franchis. currently there are over 3,000 franchises in the US
• McDonalds Brothers: started a drive thru hamburger business in San Bernardino, CA

  • Ray Kroc purchased the McDonald's franchise rights for 2. 7 million
• What did the GI bill provide?

  years pay, no interest loans, free college
• What was Nixon accused of doing?

  Profiting off of campaign money