Changes

Every young family dreamed of owning its own home.  Contrary to the Great Depression, when many families did not own their own home, the American Dream in the 1950s was to save up and have your own home.  A housing shortage developed, in contrast to the surplus of houses that we see on the market today.  Builders could hardly keep up.  As houses were built, Americans began to spread out into suburbs, instead of living in cities.   

Every young family dreamed of owning its own home.  Contrary to the Great Depression, when many families did not own their own home, the American Dream in the 1950s was to save up and have your own home.  A housing shortage developed, in contrast to the surplus of houses that we see on the market today.  Builders could hardly keep up.  As houses were built, Americans began to spread out into suburbs, instead of living in cities.   

On July 13, 1950, the leading national magazine (called "Time" magazine) put a man named William Levitt on its cover.  Using rapid construction techniques that he mastered as a Seabee<ref>A "Seabee" was a Construction Battalions (spelled "CB", and hence the pronunciation "Seabee") that built bases for the United States Navy.</ref> in the Pacific, Levitt built an entire town of thousands of identical houses on Long Island, called "Levittown".  It was immediately a huge success.  A post war housing crunch and the low prices of the Levittown homes led many young couples to move there.  They loved living in houses just like the houses around them.  They could work in jobs in New York City or on Long Island.  Life seemed very good.

On July 13, 1950, the leading national magazine (called "Time" magazine) put a man named William Levitt on its cover.  Using rapid construction techniques that he mastered as a Seabee<ref>A "Seabee" was a Construction Battalions (spelled "CB", and hence the pronunciation "Seabee") that built bases for the United States Navy.</ref> in the Pacific, Levitt built an entire town of thousands of identical houses on Long Island, called "[[Levittown]]".  It was immediately a huge success.  A post war housing crunch and the low prices of the Levittown homes led many young couples to move there.  They loved living in houses just like the houses around them.  They could work in jobs in New York City or on Long Island.  Life seemed very good.

The explosion of new families after the war led to the the "baby boom" (1946 to 1964).  Having put off marriage and children due to the Great Depression and World War II, young men and women married, settled down, and began families.  The number of baseball Little Leagues nationwide increased from 776 in 1950 to 5,700 by 1960.  It was a time of great prosperity.  People obtained jobs and earned money.  The country grew stronger.

The explosion of new families after the war led to the the "baby boom" (1946 to 1964).  Having put off marriage and children due to the Great Depression and World War II, young men and women married, settled down, and began families.  The number of baseball Little Leagues nationwide increased from 776 in 1950 to 5,700 by 1960.  It was a time of great prosperity.  People obtained jobs and earned money.  The country grew stronger.