When World War II ended in 1945, the United States emerged as a superpower. However, America’s rivalry with the Soviet Union began a new era known as the Cold War. The USA used economic aid, formed military alliances, built up nuclear weaponry, and fought proxy wars in an attempt to contain the growing spread of communism in Europe and across the globe. At home, the post-war economy boomed and the U.S. standard of living increased. In the 1950s, America experienced surge in consumer spending, a baby boom, growth in suburbs, an independent youth culture, the emergence of rock ‘n’ roll and TV, and the beginning of the Civil Rights movement for African-Americans.
TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS FOR UNIT 7 18 - 19
Unit 7, The 1950s & the Cold War includes chapters 18 and 19 from the text.
Chapter 18 pages 600 to 631 Chapter 19 pages 632 to 665
Chapter Briefs Chapter briefs provide short summaries for each section of a chapter. Each section is broken down into a few consise paragraphs with the main idea identified. All chapter briefs contain a few key review questions. To view go to the chapter briefs tab in the unit.