Thinking Tool for Examining Context and Change Over Time

Sometimes events have a different consequence because of context. There tend to be two broad areas of context:

§ The differences within the United States between one era and the era before it

§ The difference in the world beyond the United States between one era and the era before it

The Post-World War II in both tables is what exists at the time of the presidencies of Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower.

Differences Within the United States Between One Era and the Era Before It

Issue	Pre-World War II	Post-World War II
Consumer society?
Credit cards?
Education?
Institutions for financial security? currency? Banks? Stocks? Transparency?
Institutions for national security? Transparency?
Institutions for international surveillance? Transparency?
Media?
Organizations of blacks? Others?
Organizations of labor unions?
National commitment to protection of minorities (such as an anti-lynching law)?
Political parties?
Tax-based (national program) funding for veterans’ home purchase?
Tax-based (national program) funding for veterans’ education?
Tax-based (national program) funding of retirement, unemployment insurance, orphans?
Technology?
Transportation (national program)?

Other issues you notice:

Issue	Pre-World War II	Post-World War II
Anti-Semitism and other issues of race or religion?
Education?
International organization? Its structure?	League of Nations § Council (9 nations = France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, United States + 4 countries selected by the major powers) § General Assembly of “all member nations”[1]	United Nations § Security Council – initial members of China, France, Great Britain, Soviet Union, United States + 6 “rotating members”[2] § General Assembly
Institutions for international security?
Institutions for financial security? currency? banks? stocks? Transparency?
Relationship with Great Britain?
Relationship with France?
Relationship with Germany?
Relationship with Japan?
Relationship with the Soviet Union?
Relationship with Europe in general?
Relationship with Africa in general?
Relationship with Latin America?
Relationship with the Mideast?

Other issues you notice:

[1] Ayers, p. 660 of the 3^rd edition, hardback

[2] The Oxford Companion to United States History, p. 793