Post-War Texas & the U.S.Technology and An Expanding Economy Chapter 24.1

Why It Matters Now…

Most businesses in Texas today were influenced by changes that occurred after World War II.

For your notes…

Aviation Electronics

Aeronautics Travel

Technology and the Expanding Economy

1950’s & 60’s

Getting Around Texas• By the end of WWII, Texas highways were crowded

and in desperate need of repair.• In 1956, Congress passed the Federal Aid Highway Act

and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law. The government paid 90% of building more than 40,000 miles of roads linking every major city in the country.

• Over 3,200 of those roads were in Texas.• With new roads, trucks soon replaced railroads as the

primary means of carrying goods to market.• With improved highways came increased auto sales…

more cars meant more petroleum products.

Inspiration?...Germany’s Autobahn

Interstates (U.S.)- Main Highways accessible by on and off ramps, no cross streets or traffic lights.- sign shaped like a shield

State Highways- May have cross-streets (Hwy..

377)- May have traffic lights- Signs are square or shaped like

state usually

Identify Social and Economic Effects

“The interstate system changed cities and the countryside alike, spurring the growth of suburbs farther and farther away from the central cities. Suburban shopping malls and supermarkets drew business away from corner grocery stores as residents hopped into their cars. Downtown retail areas declined along with mass transit. The highways attracted new businesses aimed at business travelers, truckers, and vacationers. These new businesses created new jobs for Texas workers”

ECONOMIC SOCIAL

Social:- New businesses grew

- Jobs created

Economic:- new lifestyles (suburban living)

- improved standards of living

Big Idea:

The interstate system enabled the spread of ideas, information, and goods in a more efficient manner

New Technologies and Conveniences Emerge

• Fast-food restaurants• Suburbs New

Homes/Construction• Motels with modern

conveniences (TV, a/c,) became common along Texas highways

• Because manufacturing was also growing, many of these modern conveniences were created or built here in Texas.

High Tech AviationAviation technology began to grow with the highway industry.• In 1950, Lawrence Bell established Bell Helicopter and built

the world’s first helicopter factory.• General Dynamics, Boeing, and Texas Instruments all played

major roles in the air-defense industry during the 1950’s.• When the 1960’s came along, the popularity of high-speed jet

air travel soared…jumbo jets made it possible to fly from the U.S. to Europe in a fraction of the time that it took by boat. Texas would need new urban airports…Houston Intercontinental was built in 1969, and DFW Airport was opened in 1974

The Electronics RevolutionAlong with advances in air travel and aviation technology came new, complex electronics.• Texas companies such as Texas instruments and Collins

Radio made great strides in electronics technology.• Gordon Teal, a Dallas engineer, invented a silicon

transistor in 1954. Four years later, another Dallas engineer named Jack Kilby, created the integrated circuit. Together, these two inventions led to the creation of the computer chip. Kilby won the Nobel Prize…

Developments in AeronauticsBecause of Texas’ high tech industries, in 1961, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) named Houston the home of its new Manned Spacecraft Center. It would open in 1963, and by 1966, the space center had more than 5,000 employees on 1,620 acres.

The Space Race

• In April, 1961, President John F. Kennedy sent a memo to Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, asking him to look into the state of America's space program, and into programs that could offer NASA the opportunity to catch up to the Soviets. Johnson responded about one week later, concluding that the United States needed to do much more to reach a leadership status in space exploration. Johnson recommended that a piloted moon landing was far enough in the future that it was likely that the United States could achieve it first.

• His justification for the Moon Race was both that it was vital to national security and that it would focus the nation's energies in other scientific and social fields.

The Space Race Continued…In 1962, president John F. Kennedy gives a speech to 35,000 people at Rice University in Houston near the future NASA Mission Control Center. He gives reasons for the advancement of the space program and explains his goal to win the worldwide race to put a person on the moon .

“…and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out—then we must be bold.”

Why did it happen?

It was a battle of ideology between two political systems. Communism (Soviets) vs capitalism (USA) and which system was the best. The U.S. and Soviet Union were the two superpowers of the world with opposing political ideologies. Other nations in the world were choosing sides, some becoming capitalists others communists. The space race was a symbol of which system worked better and the “race” lasted 18 years. The American populace along with the Soviet populace were both supportive of the space race during the 50's and 60's.

• Arms race was going on – everyone thought nuclear war was imminent• Whoever had the best technology or best accomplishment was in the lead…for the

moment…

Looking back, it may seem silly to spend all that money on the space race, but at the time it was of monumental importance and received support from the government all the way down to the average tax payer.

Date Significance Country Mission Name

August 21, 1957 Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) USSR R-7 Semyorka SS-6 Sapwood

October 4, 1957 First artificial satellite USSR Sputnik 1

November 3, 1957 First animal in orbit (Dog) USSR Sputnik 2

January 31, 1958 First US satellite; detection of Van Allen belts USA Explorer 1

December 18, 1958 First communications satellite USA Project SCORE

January 4, 1959 Artificial satellite (Sun's) USSR Luna 1

February 17, 1959 Weather satellite USA-NASA Vanguard 2

June 1959 Reconnaissance satellite USA-Air Force Discover 4

August 7, 1959 Photo of Earth from space USA-NASA Explorer 6

September 14, 1959 Probe to Moon USSR Luna 2

October 7, 1959 Photo of the far side of the Moon USSR Luna 3

April 12, 1961 Human in orbit USSR Vostok 1

July 10, 1962 First active communications satellite USA-AT&T Telstar

September 29, 1962 Artificial satellite by a non-superpower Canada Alouette 1

June 16, 1963 Woman in orbit USSR Vostok 6

March 18, 1965 Extra-vehicular activity USSR Voskhod 2

December 15, 1965 Orbital rendezvous2 USA-NASA Gemini 6A/Gemini 7

March 1, 1966 Probe lands on another planet - Venus USSR Venera 3

March 16, 1966 In-orbit rendezvous and docking USA-NASA Gemini 8

December 24, 1968 Manned Lunar orbit USA-NASA Apollo 8

July 20, 1969 Human on the Moon USA-NASA Apollo 11

April 23, 1971 Space station USSR Salyut 1

November 14, 1971 Satellite orbits another planet - Mars USA-NASA Mariner 9

November 9, 1972 Geostationary communications satellite Canada-BCE Anik A1

July 15, 1975 First U.S.-USSR joint mission USSR USA-NASA Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

So…. what’s the significance? Was the space race just a waste of time and resources between the two

world super-powers?

No… the space race resulted in an increase in funding for research and education. This, in turn, resulted in many products that we use today. These products were originally developed for NASA and for use in space. Things like…• LED’s• Medical treatments• Memory foam• Satellites (for tv’s, phones, GPS, etc.)• Plastics, metal alloys, and other materials.• New weapon technology

Post War America – Technology and the Expanding Economy (Summary)

Travel• 1956 – Federal Aid Highway Act(over 40,000 miles of roads built –Connected major cities across the

U.S.) Opened up trade, commerce, and travel across the U.S.

• Modern conveniences and industries targeting travelers sprang up (fast-food, motels, etc.)

Electronics• Dallas – Jack Kilby creates integrated circuit, Gordon Teal creates silicone transistor – together these

make the computer chip• Electronics and computer chips give rise to new industries and expand others like aviation and

consumer goods

Aviation• 1960 Jet technology expands air travel• Houston Intercontinental airport, DFW airport open in Texas• Texas is home to world’s first helicopter factory – Bell helicopter

Aeronautics• Space Race – U.S. vs Soviet Union – competing for recognition as dominant world power• Space Race/NASA promotes scientific discoveries used in other industries• U.S. is first to land a man on the moon – creates pride in the U.S.• Discoveries led to advanced air travel, products, and new weapon technology.