U.S. History -- 1950's the Term Paper

During the Eisenhower Administration, America underwent a number of radical changes in its political and social arenas, the most important being the rapid rise in consumerism which before Eisenhower was limited to the wealthy and those in the upper classes. When World War II ended, American factories began to manufacture a huge range of goods which were then purchased by average Americans for use in their homes and businesses. This immense increase quickly led to the creation of millions of jobs which allowed consumerism to climb to new heights, thus creating an economic boom for all Americans.

In the late 1950's, the Civil Rights Movement became a powerful American entity, mostly due to the influence of the Brown v. The Board of Education decision by the Supreme Court which made school segregation illegal. After the passage of a bill by Congress which enforced the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, American Negroes "launched an attack against segregation in December of 1955 after Rosa Parks was ordered to give her bus seat to a white man. When she refused, she was arrested" (Lubell, 1956, 315). This event effectively began the Civil Rights Movement which continues to this very day.

Finally, in the late 1950's, America became heavily involved in the political and social affairs of Southeast Asia, especially in 1958 when the People's Republic of China invaded an island belonging to Taiwan.Eisenhower's response was somewhat cautionary, yet Secretary of State John F. Dulles renounced publicly any intention by the U.S. Or China to conquer Taiwan which led to increasing tensions between the U.S. And China. By 1960, however, the U.S. government found it necessary to send advisers to Southeast Asia in an attempt to stop the spread of Communism in Asia, an act which unfortunately led to an increase in violence and tension and positioned the U.S. To enter Asia as a military presence, particularly in Vietnam.

References

Lubell, Samuel. (1956). Revolt of the Moderates. New York: Random House.

Politics of Consensus." (2006). FAQFarm. Internet. Retrieved at http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_is_meant_by_the_term_political_consensus.

Schultz, Stanley K. (1999). "Dynamic Conservatism." American History 102. Internet. Retrieved at http://us.history.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture25.html......