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How To Use This Page
On this page, you will find a curated collection of videos, resources, guides, and opportunities for exploration that are tied specifically to post-World War II economy and society in Iowa. Educators and lifelong learners can use the compelling and supporting questions to guide their learning and focus their exploration on the major topics. The lectures, videos, featured content, and readings can be completed at each learner's own pace and will provide necessary knowledge and background to craft and deliver Iowa History lessons in a K-12 classroom.
Back to topCompelling and Supporting Questions
Compelling and supporting questions are designed for each unit and the materials below will provide content and context for teachers, students, and lifelong learners.
Compelling Question
How was life in Iowa transformed after World War II?
Supporting Questions
- How did Iowa’s economy change between 1945 and 1970?
- How did Iowa’s politics evolve between 1945 and 1970?
- Who was left out of the state’s economic growth and why?
- How did Iowans fight for civil rights?
Overview
The years after World War Two helped transform Iowa. The state became more urban and more industrial, as people left the countryside and moved to towns and cities. Rural depopulation radically changed Iowa. More factories moved to the state and fewer people were farmers. Iowa’s politics also became more competitive in the 1960s.
Americans had feared the return of the Great Depression after World War Two. But a long economic boom occurred from the war until the 1970s. This was driven by suburban construction, government spending, and family savings from the war. Vaccines became common, millions went to college, and suburbs spread around the country. Interstates tied the country together.
But many were left out of the economic good times. Discrimination and segregation limited opportunities for African Americans and other minority populations. The government and banks rated areas across the country, judging some to be inferior financial risks. These places were redlined. They were usually occupied by racial minority groups or the poor. Redlining left such areas poorer—even decades later—and with fewer government services and limited access to mortgages. Interstate construction was also routed through poorer neighborhoods. In Des Moines the vibrant Black Center Street neighborhood was destroyed.
The most famous Iowa civil rights case was that brought by Edna Griffin. A Des Moines business, Katz Drug Stores, refused to serve food to Black Iowans. Griffin sued Katz to force an end to the discrimination. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled against Katz and forced the establishment to end its racist policies. Other groups also fought against segregation but the Katz key is a key one in Iowa civil rights history.
Iowa’s economy was reshaped after the war. The shrinking rural population led to major changes. People moved to cities for better-paying jobs. Low farm prices and mechanization led to a migration away from agriculture. Fewer people were needed for farming. The number of one-room schools fell by 90 percent in the 1950s and early 1960s as the number of children plummeted. School consolidation led to the closure of thousands of rural schools. It still continues, much more slowly, in the 21st Century. Small towns suffered as their customers departed. Iowa lost forty percent of its farms between 1945 and 1974. Many took jobs in manufacturing, which had expanded in Iowa. Most industry in the state was tied to farm machinery production or meatpacking. Women increasingly took jobs away from home.
Back to topThink Like a Historian
In this video, historian Ashley Howard discusses historical thinking skills like evaluating sources, corroboration, and contextualization.
Major Topics of Study
When learning about post-World War II Iowa, some of the key areas to cover might include:
- The Iowa State Fair
- The Civil Rights Movement in Iowa
- Economic Changes in Iowa from 1945-1970
- School Consolidation
- Harold Hughes & Iowa Politics in the 1960s
Notable Iowans
Exemplary and significant people in Iowa history from this time period could include many of the below figures. Wherever possible, links to Iowa's digital biography provide opportunities for further exploration.
Back to topHistoric Sites
Iowa is full of valuable historic sites. The below sites provide opportunities to explore the value of place-based learning and the importance of storytelling through historic sites.
Back to topState Historical Society Objects, Documents, and Photos
Objects, documents, and photographs from the State Historical Society of Iowa are excellent catalysts for further inquiry in the classroom or for independent lifelong learners.
Back to topVideo Resources
If you are looking for longer, more detailed discussions or lectures related to the themes discussed in this unit, the following resources provide further context and information.
Back to topFurther Reading
This curated collection of readings allow teachers, students, and lifelong learners to explored a curated collection of primary sources, articles, books, and essays that supplement and provide depth to the topics covered in this unit.
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