The First Measured Century: An Illustrated Guide to Trends in America, 1900-2000Most history tells the story of the past through anecdotes, but anecdotes do not always present an accurate or complete picture. There is another way to look at history. The rise of widespread, systematic data collection in the twentieth century--the first measured century--allows us to examine the past 100 years with unprecedented clarity. Now, The First Measured Century uses social data to tell us what happened to everyday Americans in the twentieth century. Whether the topic is politics, sexual behavior, economics, immigration, living arrangements, religion, longevity, or public opinion, this myth-busting popular reference work shows that the facts often turn out to be more interesting than the fiction. A special feature of The First Measured Century is original 1999 research that builds on the landmark sociological study of the 1920s, "Middletown." With survey results that span more than seven decades, The First Measured Century offers the longest timeline of consistent attitudinal data anywhere. This panorama of the American twentieth century unfolds in a series of key trends, each explained in a one-page essay written for the general reader and illustrated by one or more vibrantly colored charts on the facing page. The First Measured Century is an essential tool for anyone interested in journalism, economics, history, political science, sociology, demography, public relations, business, the arts, or public policy. |
Contents
The American population nearly quadrupled during the twentieth cen | 2 |
During the first half of the century the proportion of centenarians in | 8 |
Two great waves of immigration swelled the American population | 14 |
During the second half of the century the proportion of minorities in | 18 |
The proportion of American men who were in the labor force declined | 32 |
The unemployment rate fluctuated with the business cycle and military | 46 |
Womens share of bachelors and advanced degrees trended upward | 54 |
Family | 67 |
Money | 159 |
Although the equalization of womens and mens earnings proceeded | 162 |
Private philanthropy increased more than fivefold in the last half of | 168 |
Poverty decreased significantly from 1959 when official measurements | 174 |
Democrats and Republicans shared presidential election victories almost | 180 |
The number of black elected officials increased greatly after 1970 | 186 |
Federal state and local governments expanded their activities | 192 |
Federal government employees were a smaller component of the labor | 194 |
The decline in the share of U S households maintained by a married cou | 80 |
Living Arrangements | 91 |
Religion | 105 |
Active Leisure | 119 |
The world record for land speed not subject to any particular human lim | 128 |
The health of children showed spectacular improvement | 134 |
The suicide rate fluctuated with economic conditions during the first half | 140 |
The popularity of psychotropic substances fluctuated | 146 |
Health care expenditures increased sharply toward the end of the century | 152 |
Veterans made up a large part of the civilian male population during | 208 |
The inmate population of state and federal prisons increased significantly | 222 |
Toward the end of the century the proportion of new state and federal | 224 |
Bicycles like horses and sailboats did not disappear when they were | 238 |
For much of the century only a small fraction of the population owned | 252 |
Material progress required large inputs of mechanical energy and greater | 256 |
The importance of advertising in the national economy increased slowly | 270 |
| 297 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accessed September adults American Andrew Greeley annual August 26 average baby boom became birth Bureau capita Catholic Census centenarians cities cohabitation corporations crimes death decades declined divorce dollars drug early earnings economic elected employees exceeded extramarital families farm female foreign G.I. Bill graduate Gross Domestic Product growth high school Hispanic homicide hospital House households HS series H immigration income increased Internet archives Investment largest lived majority male marriage married couples married women Measured Century Middletown military million newspaper circulation occupations officers peak percent Percentage personal computers Policy prisoners proportion pupil-teacher ratio religious Resident Scholar rose Scouts second half sexual activity share Social Survey television Theodore Caplow trend U.S. Census Bureau U.S. patents United upper chart veterans Washington workers World World War II York York Stock Exchange