How did the nation experience recovery and economic prosperity after World War II? Factories shifted from manufacturing war supplies such as ships, planes, tanks, and guns to peacetime needs. The government made sure to help returning soldiers by passing the GI Bill of Rights, which provides a range of benefits. Benefits such as a year of unemployment compensation or financial aid to those who attended college. Americans experienced a baby boom right after the war, which made people believe an economic downturn was coming. “In 1957, at the height of the baby boom, an American baby was born every 7 seconds, a total of 4.3 million for the year.” (Section 1, page 546) After the war, the government ended its policy of rationing and price controls. This caused Americans to rush out and purchase large quantities of goods after the war ended. But companies have responded to this demand by hiring more people to make their products. This meant more people had money to put back into the economy. It has become a never-ending cycle. New technologies, such as computing or atomic energy, have enabled businesses to be more efficient and produce more goods. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay What social and economic factors changed American life in the 1950s? After World War II, people moved to the suburbs and the sun belt. One of the reasons people were drawn to the suburbs was because the average postwar American wanted to get married and have children. William Levitt and others figured out how to build affordable homes quickly. This method was also faster than the usual method because they could build houses in a matter of weeks instead of the usual waiting time of several months. “With the installment plan, buyers could pay $58 per month toward the cost of a home.” (Section 2, page 553) Another benefit of the GI Bill mentioned previously was that low-interest loans were provided to soldiers to finance the purchase or construction of a new home. Another factor that changed American life was the birth of car culture. Almost everyone owned a car in the 1960s. This worked hand in hand with the suburbs. If you're moving to the suburbs, you'll need a car so you can get to work or wherever you want to go. The opposite also applies: if you had a car, you would feel safer driving away from the city. New businesses, such as fast food and drive-in theaters, emerged to appeal to this new car culture. In 1953, President Eisenhower approved the first phase of funding for an interstate system. The Interstate Highway Act used 41,000 miles of highway to connect the nation's largest cities together. New highways made it easier for families to take road trips to places like Las Vegas or Disneyland in Southern California. The information industry rose to prominence in the 1950s. It contained the people who worked on the first computers. Computers were huge compared to today's computers. But despite this sizeable problem, hotels have used computers to carry out.