why is the baby boom significant to american history course hero

by Tremayne Bogan MD 4 min read

Who are the baby boomers and why are they important?

The baby boomers were the first era to drastically increase the births of new born babies between 1946-1964. The baby boomers generation led to the first hotel chain establishment with opening their doors to welcomed family travel and adventures.

What impact did the baby boom have on society?

The sheer size of the baby-boom generation (some 75 million) magnified its impact on society: the growth of families led to a migration from cities to suburbs in the postwar years, prompting a building boom in housing, schools, and shopping malls.

Why did people delay having children after WW2?

The hardships and uncertainties of the Great Depression and World War II led many couples to delay marriage and many married couples to delay having children. The war’s end, followed by a sustained period of economic prosperity (the 1950s and early 1960s), was accompanied by a surge in population.

What happened to the TFR during the baby boom?

…during the post-World War II baby boom era. During this period, the TFR peaked at about 3.8, roughly twice the average 21st-century rate in the United States. The unusually high number of children born during this period left communities unprepared.

Why were African Americans denied access to the low-cost homes in the suburbs?

African Americans were denied access to the low-cost homes in the suburbs by means of both legal segregation—homes in Levittown were subject to deed restrictions that imposed limits on the property —and intimidation by violent hate groups and the average white American alike.

What happened to the suburbs after World War II?

Following World War II, many white Americans moved into small, mass-produced homes in the suburbs. Racial segregation continued to persist even in the suburbs, where African Americans faced discrimination based on Jim Crow laws.

What were the influences of the boomers in the 1960s?

As the “boomers” reached young adulthood in the 1960s and ’70s, their tastes in music and their hair and dress styles strongly influenced the national culture , and the political activism of some contributed to the unpopularity of the Vietnam War.

When did the Great Depression begin?

Great Depression, worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world, sparking fundamental changes in economic institutions, macroeconomic policy, and economic theory.