THE POLITICS AND CULTURE OF ABUNDANCE

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THE POLITICS AND CULTURE OF ABUNDANCE

1952–1960

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> What were the successes and limitations of America’s “culture of abundance” in the 1950s? Chapter 27 examines the politics and culture of the 1950s. It explores President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s domestic and foreign policies, the causes and consequences of the prosperity of the era, and the challenges to the status quo, in particular the challenge to racial segregation and discrimination.

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Figure false: A 1950s family poses proudly with their new sedan. Bettmann/Corbis BE042857.

> What was Eisenhower’s “middle way” on domestic issues?

> How did Eisenhower’s foreign policy differ from Truman’s?

> What fueled the prosperity of the 1950s?

> How did prosperity affect American society and culture?

> How did African Americans fight for civil rights in the 1950s?

> Conclusion: What unmet challenges did peace and prosperity mask?