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Difficulty: MediumPostwar Economy, Suburbanization, and Demographics

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Message to Congress, 1955:

"Our unity as a nation is sustained no less by the free intercourse of citizens than by the reciprocal exchange of goods and services. Our country’s progress is dependent upon our highway systems... In case of an atomic attack on our key cities, the road net must permit quick evacuation of target areas and mobilization of defense forces... A modern, efficient highway network is essential to meet the needs of our growing population and our expanding economy."

Which of the following was a major long-term consequence of the development proposed in the excerpt?

  1. The acceleration of suburban growth and the decentralization of urban populationsAnswer
  2. B
    A decline in federal involvement in the economy and a return to laissez-faire principles
  3. C
    The immediate creation of federal social welfare programs to address inner-city poverty
  4. D
    The shift toward supply-side tax cuts to encourage private investment in infrastructure

Answer

The acceleration of suburban growth and the decentralization of urban populations
The option highlighting the acceleration of suburban growth and the decentralization of urban populations is correct because the Interstate Highway System enabled middle-class Americans to live farther from their workplaces, accelerating the growth of suburbs and contributing to the economic decline of central city business districts.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to identify the policy being proposed.
The stimulus shows President Eisenhower advocating for a national highway system on the grounds of economic expansion, population growth, and national defense.
Understanding the primary source establishes the historical context of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956.
2
Evaluate the options to identify the correct long-term demographic consequence of this legislation.
The construction of the highway system made suburban commuting practical, leading to massive suburbanization and the movement of businesses and residents away from central cities.
Connecting the infrastructure change to the corresponding demographic and spatial shifts demonstrates mastery of postwar demographic trends.

Key Concept

Postwar suburbanization and the role of federal policies like the Interstate Highway Act of 1956.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Postwar Economy, Suburbanization, and Demographics

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