Post-War America and the Rise of Suburbia

Marriage and Baby Boom

In the first year after World War II, over two million couples got married.
By 1950, the birth of 21 million babies marked the baby boom.
Personal Story: A Navy veteran returned in 1946, married his long-time pen pal, and lived with her family due to a housing shortage.

Post-war America faced a significant housing crisis.
Despite efforts, about three million married couples couldn’t find homes.
Housing dreams were influenced by school books depicting houses, not apartments.

Bill Levitt emerged as a key figure in suburban development, using techniques learned from World War II.
Levitt aimed to mass-produce affordable homes using assembly-line methods.
The first Levittown was established in Long Island, New York, followed by another in Pennsylvania.
Homes were affordable, marketed to veterans for as low as $100 down payment.
Levittown homes were efficiently built, up to 36 houses a day, changing the average contractor's output from 5 houses a year.

Designed for families of four, the Cape Cod homes featured:
- Four rooms, including a living room and eat-in kitchen.
- Basic amenities like a Bendix washing machine, which was novel for many.
Provided a sense of independence for young families moving from shared accommodations.

Levittown represented the American dream for many, offering a patch of green space and a better life for children.
Critics viewed Levittown as a symbol of conformity and a "voluntary prison."
Despite criticisms, Levittown's model spread, with 75% of new homes by 1955 built in similar subdivisions.

Levittown offered cultural and architectural equality but maintained racial segregation.
While fulfilling some dreams, it was criticized for lacking individuality.
The success of Levittown homes contrasted with the fears of Communist influence in the U.S.