The American Dream - a Little History on the "Old World" Eng/402

The years after World War Two saw a massive movement of people into new suburbs.

The growth of suburbs resulted from several historical forces, including the social legacy

of the Depression, mass demobilization after the War (and the consequent “baby

boom”), greater government involvement in housing and development, the mass

marketing of the automobile, and a dramatic change in demographics. As families

began moving from farms and cities into new suburbs, American culture underwent a

major transformation. Race and class dynamics began to shift; the longer distance

between home and work generated a highway and housing construction boom; and

older community institutions began to disappear as the family turned inward.

In this lesson, students will critically evaluate primary and secondary sources of the

period, in order to discern the causes for suburban development after the Second World

War. They will determine whether this cultural trend created more opportunity for living

the “American Dream,” or whether suburbanization led to the homogenization of

American culture and political life. In exploring the extent to which certain historical

trends were inevitable, students will learn that historical interpretations are tentative and

often competitive.

Related

National History Standards

:

Content Standards

:

Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)

Standard 1

:

The economic boom and social transformation of postwar

United States

Historical Thinking Standards:

Standard 1: Chronological Thinking

F.

Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration.

Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation

C

.

Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations.

D

.

Consider multiple perspectives.

E

.

Analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation,

including the importance of the individual, the influence of ideas, and

the role of chance.

F

.

Challenge arguments of historical...