1950’s & Death of a Salesman

The Economy

• In July of 1946 the government began to slowly ease out of control of the industries and the prices of goods shot up 25%.

• Beginning to look like the economy post WWI

• With this, wages of the workers could not keep up with the prices.

The Economy

• In 1946 about 4.6 million workers would potentially go on strike for better wages.

• This affected the Auto, steel, electric, coal, and rail road businesses.

• Truman feared that if the workers wages increased so would the prices of goods causing inflation.

The Economy• In 1947 Congress passed

the Taft-Hartley Act. – This allowed the President

to declare an 80 day cooling off period during which strikers had to return to work, if the industry was one that affected the country’s economy.

– Also required that all unions sign a contract stating that they were not communist.

Franchise• “assembly food-

production line.”• Franchise: a business

that contracts to offer certain goods and services from a larger parent company. – Not only in food but

clothing, auto shops, etc.

• Individual businesses had trouble keeping up with them.

Technology

• Production of hundreds of new products like dish washers and gas powered lawn mowers increased saving the population time and money.

Television

Americans fell in love with the television and its programs.

Developed in 1920-1930, but stalled during the war.

In 1955 the average American watched 4.5 hours of TV a day The Mickey Mouse Club,

Howdy Doody, American Bandstand, I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best.

SuburbiaWith more mortgages being

affordable developers, like William J. Leavitt began to cater to the demand for more homes.

Mass production techniques were used.

Took weeks instead of months to build a home.

Gained the nickname “Leavitt town.”

Actual Leavitttown is on Long Island where he built 17,000 homes , another in Bucks County in PA he built 16,000, and in Willingboro, NJ.

Cars and Highways

Stores moved from cities to shopping centers in the suburbs beyond the reach of public transit.

Auto designer began introducing new care designs every year.

During the 1950’s auto industries produced 8 million cares every year.

Between 1948 and 1958 the sale of passenger cars rose 50%.

Cars and Highways

This influx of cars resulted in new roads!

In 1956 the Federal Highway Act provided $25 billion to build an interstate highway system more than 40,000 miles long. Created new businesses

such as gas stations, repair shops, parts stores, drive in movies and restaurant, etc.

Arthur Miller

October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005

Biography• Arthur Asher Miller, the son of a women's clothing

company owner, was born in 1915 in New York City. • His father lost his business in the Depression and the

family was forced to move to a smaller home in Brooklyn.

• After graduating from high school, Miller worked jobs ranging from radio singer to truck driver to clerk in an automobile-parts warehouse.

• Best known for “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible”

Tragic Hero

• Miller believes. "It is time that we, who are without kings, took up this bright thread of our history and followed it to the only place it can possibly lead in our time-the heart and spirit of the average man."

hes' a human being, (protagonist)

• In the play, Miller writes, "Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But hes' a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him."

Protagonist: Willy Loman Antagonist: In a broad sense, competitive America society