Population Shifts to Citys and Suburbs by Patrick McGovern

Introduction

aives4108 — 2024-05-01 15:00:42 UTC

Post-WWII sparks a new age for Americans. In section 41.5 of History Alive! : Pursuing American Ideals stated, "The Housing Starts dropped from more than 1 million new homes to fewer than 100,000." This would all change following the return of WWII young veterans eager to buy a home and start a family. The government created the GI Bill. This bill was made to assist veterans with home loans at low interstates. But the demand was so high that it left few homes to buy.

Impact of the Topic on Veterans

pmcgovern0004 — 2024-05-01 15:02:06 UTC

The great demand for homes that increased after WW2 was partly because of the abundance of veterans who wanted to settle down and start homes. The veterans had just served their country in one of the deadliest world conflicts in history, and they now wanted to start families. The one problem that occurred because of this was the lack of available homes, able homes; if they could find a home, the next problem was being able to afford them. One of the industries that suffered the most during the Depression and the war was the homebuilding industry. Before the conflicts, there were 1 million homes on average being created each year, and now only 100,000 according to the reading. The Levit brothers, however, figured out a way for these veterans to live in an affordable home. They created Levitowns, which were planned communities throughout the nation. The towns kept the cost down, but the number of houses increased. They built 36 houses daily and created homes for the veterans who needed them.

aives4108 — 2024-05-01 15:11:02 UTC

The Levitt brothers knew how to help. In 1947, they created Levittown. This town was a post-war American suburb, and the purpose was to provide affordable housing when the demand for a few houses was high. Many young families jump on the idea of living in the suburbs due to the view of a clean, safe, children-friendly community. Between 1950 and 1960, the number of Americans living in suburban communities increased by 46 percent, according to History Alive! : Pursuing American Ideals

Impact on African Americans

pmcgovern0004 — 2024-05-01 15:12:20 UTC

Many African Americans saw that the war's end would finally bring them equal opportunities and respect. African Americans, especially those who had just fought for their country in WW2, believed they would be welcomed home and included in buying these new Levittowns. However, this was not the case; it was the complete opposite. In the reading, it says, "Many suburbs, including Levittown, did not sell to African Americans," which showed how racism was still applicable. They were refused houses, which was one reason the towns appealed to white families. African Americans were wholly disregarded for post-war housing.

Reactions of move to Suburban life

aives4108 — 2024-05-01 15:41:42 UTC

The new suburban development affected many Americans across the country. This new lifestyle was more accessible to whites and the middle class because many communities didn't sell their homes to African Americans. Although the GI Bill's goal was to distribute benefits equally among veterans, many white Americans received these benefits over African Americans. This showed how discrimination in the country still existed and left many people to survive on their own without any financial support.

aives4108 — 2024-05-01 16:25:06 UTC

Not all Americans were migrating to "Suburban life" and instead moved to the Sunbelt. This was the "belt" of all year around warm weather states in the southern US area, ranging from Florida to California: post-war manufacturing and other industry boom. Many companies were attracted to the Sunbelt because of the low labor cost and the less focus on unionization in the South. In the 1950s, many Americans became attracted to the new economic opportunities. The tourism market also grew in the Sunbelt regions because of new attractions like Disneyland and sunny beaches. According to 1950s Southern Culture, between 1950-1960, the population grew by 50%, from 10.6 million to more than 15.7 million people. The migration to the Sunbelt shows that not all Americans wanted to live the "Suburdan life" and were instead attracted to the new economy of the Sunbelt and what it provided.

Current Historical Implications

pmcgovern0004 — 2024-05-02 14:49:47 UTC

The everlasting effects of the post-WW2 housing demands can still be seen in America today. First, the racial impacts can be seen through many public housing conflicts today. 48% of public housing is Black Americans compared to 19% of all renter houses according to the U.S Housing Market. Another statistic is that 30% of households that can qualify or have the low income to have public housing are black. Since many of the Black Americans were not allowed to purchase certain homes, they never got the chance to be able to assimilate fully.

Current Historical Implications

pmcgovern0004 — 2024-05-02 14:58:30 UTC

Another current issue from this period was the significant population increase in suburbs to rural areas. Many people found the suburbs more desirable to live in, particularly many immigrants coming to America. This created an abundance of people in the suburbs compared to the city or rural areas. The high demand for housing in the suburbs is still seen today, and many people still struggle to find affordable affordable in general.

Work Cited

aives4108 — 2024-05-02 15:11:40 UTC