Middle+Class+2nd+Period

=__Rise of the Middle Class__=

After World War II, the rise of the middle class started. The transition back to a normal life style was difficult for veterans and their families. Now that the war was over, more people had time to focus on their personal futures and what they wanted to achieve. The government recognized the need for veterans to receive jobs and integrate back into a diverse culture. After the Great Depression, many people wanted to enjoy life in its fullest. With the governments aid and the creation of white collar jobs, allowed the rising middle class to attain the American Dream through Levittown ’s building of the suburban neighborhoods.

**__GI Bill- Home Loans and College Assistance:__** The G.I. Bill (officially titled __Servicemen's Readjustment Act__ of 1944) was a bill that provided college or job-related education for returning World War ll veterans (also known as G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. It also provided many different types of loans for returning veterans to buy homes and start businesses. It was signed into law on June 22, 1944 by President Franklin Roosevelt. By the time the original G.I. Act ended in July of 1956, 7.8 million World War II veterans had participated in an education or training program and 2.4 million veterans had home loans backed by the Veterans' Administration (VA). Today, the legacy of the original G.I. Bill lives on in the Montgomery G.I. Bill. ** __The Rise of White-Collar Jobs:__ In 1948, the gross national product began climbing at a steady rate. Then at the beginning of 1950, the American economy surged onto a plateau of sustained growth that was virtually uninterrupted for two decades. National income nearly doubled in the 1950s and almost doubled again in the 1960s. Americans, only about 6 percent of the world’s people, enjoyed about 40 percent of the planet’s wealth. White collar jobs, such as doctors or lawyers, made this happen. People were working in more white-collar jobs rather than blue-collar jobs, making the size of the middle class double, reflecting widespread prosperity. The people who once considered just a chicken in every pot the standard, now wanted two cars in every garage, swimming pools in the backyards, vacation homes, and gas-guzzling recreational vehicles. As the world shifted from a manufacturing economy to a service and knowledge-based economy, new industries created new jobs and also new wealth.


 * __The American Dream:__****


 * The American Dream back in the 1950’s was stated to being married with 3 kids and having a family dog. The American Dream back then was the idea that every young man should marry a young woman and have three darling children. They would live in a cutout house in the suburbs that were connected by these new superhighways. Every house to look the same, with a small TV, cute kitchen, well kept yard, and the white picket fence out back. Rover, the family dog, would be one with the family. Father would be the strong figure - working hard to earn for his family and coming home to teach his son how to play baseball. Mother would stay at home, raise the children, keep house, and tend to her husband once he came home. Johnny, their son, would be a three sport star who never uttered a swear word while Jenny would be the innocent Prom princess and never stay out with a bad boy until three in the morning. Levittown’s are ideal places where people can live and achieve the American Dream. A home construction company, called Levitt and Sons, created very affordable homes and allowed people to rent and buy homes for a low price. **

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****__Suburban Construction Boom__****
====**After WWII, everybody thought that the ease back into a normal lifestyle would be difficult. But there was a boom in the housing market that was very simple and a great ease back into a stable economic stance for the returning soldiers. This was possible, in part, by the easy mortgages and renting of homes. After the war everybody was hoping to renew the process of achieving his or her versions of the American dream. A man named Levitt & sons was very famous for the construction of these homes so that people could attain their dreams.**====

====**Previous housing shortages, and newly made government programs at the end of the war made the housing market the perfect place to start and Levittown took the opportunity. He created a system of neighborhoods that would create many houses and meet the needs of those young families looking for a home. Many families loved the diversity the neighborhoods, but for others, that was the only major problem in Levittowns. Therefore this was part of a great social change between the races in our nation.**====

====**Today Levittown still exists. Because of the rough spots in people complaining for or against the diversity still only less than one percent of African Americans live there. A concept, idea and a dream that caused a world of change for many people is greatly remembered.**====




 * Its clear to see that there was a rising in the middle class through the governments aid and the creation of white collar jobs, allowed the rising middle class to attain the American Dream through Levittown’s building of the suburban neighborhoods. Veterans returning from World War II were able receive education due to the G.I. Bill. This helped them to obtain white collar jobs with the education they had and allowed them to attain the American Dream. The rise of the middle class was very much needed in America after The Great Depression and World War II because America needed regular citizens to fill the gap between rich and poor. **