Students will need a red pencil for these line graphs. 
   Students should carefully study the table, then place small dots for the data on the graphs.  Connect the dots with straight line segments to complete the graphs.

What the Charts Show

   The first graph on this page shows an impressive rise in the Gross National Product from 1940 to 1970.  The GNP is a measure of the dollar value of all the goods and services a nation produces in a year.  The graph shows a rapidly growing economy that brought a rising standard of living to most Americans during this period.
   (The GNP is similar to the GDP, the Gross Domestic Product, although there are a few technical differences.)

   The second graph on this page shows a steady increase in the pay of factory workers during the period from 1940 to 1970.  The increase lifted most factory workers into the solid middle class of American society during this period. 
   Keep in mind that these are average wage figures.  Workers in some industries and areas often lagged considerably behind the average, while others did even better than the average.

   Students will need a red pencil for these line graphs. 
   Students should carefully study the table, then place small dots for the data on the graphs.  Connect the dots with straight line segments to complete the graphs.

What the Charts Show

   The first graph on this page shows an important measure of economic health in the nation:  home ownership rates. During the period shown on the graph, the home ownership rate rose from about 43 percent to about 62 percent. 
   The figure is considered important because of many social benefits related to home ownership.  Owning a home tends to tie families together and to a community.

   The second graph shows the dramatic rise during this period in spending by consumers on clothing, accessories, and jewelry.  It is a good indicator that the average American had enough money to enjoy some of the luxuries of life that in earlier times were seen mostly in the upper classes.  One writer used the term "The Affluent Society" for this widespread distribution of buying power.  (Affluent, in this use, does not mean "rich," but rather "solidly prosperous.")

   There is no simple and agreed-upon definition of  "The American Dream," but normally the term stands for attainment of financial security for oneself and one's family, and a fair chance of reaching one's personal goals.  Often, owning one's own house is considered a big part of achieving such success.
   The graphs shown here are strong arguments that The American Dream was being achieved by a high percentage of citizens.  Income, home ownership, and spending figures are all headed up during the 1950s. 
   Certainly examples can be found of social barriers in this period.  Race, class, and sex discrimination could and did frustrate the dreams and hopes of many millions of Americans. 
   But looking broadly at the nation in the 1950s, it is no exaggeration to say that no other society in the history of the Earth offered so much opportunity to so many people.  Across all social lines, there were clear signs the future would be even better, and that injustice and prejudice were steadily being pushed back.