America in Our Time
Printable Version
Digital History ID 3845
America in Our Time
Interpreting Statistics
Consumer Price Index | | Price Increase | 1972 | 2 percent | 1974 | 8 percent | 1976 | 5 percent | 1978 | 8 percent | 1980 | 12 percent | 1982 | 4 percent | 1984 | 4 percent | Consumer Prices, 1967 | 3-bedroom house | $17,000 | New Cadillac de Ville convertible | $6,700 | New Volkswagen | $1,497 | 5-ounce tube of Crest toothpaste | 39 cents | Sirloin steak | 89 cents a pound | Hershey chocolate bar | 5 cents | Regular gasoline | 34 cents a gallon | Portable typewriter | $39 | Transistor radio | $14 | Man's gray flannel suit | $69 | Black and white TV set | $79 |
Questions To Think About
1. How have prices changed since 1967? Are increases greatest, in your view, in luxuries or in necessities? 2. What factors have contributed to increased price levels?
Automobile Imports
Proportion of Auto Market Held by Foreign Manufacturers | 1946-50 | 0.2 | 1961-65 | 6.1 | 1966-70 | 10.6 | 1971-75 | 15.2 | 1976-80 | 20.1 |
Questions To Think About
1. When did automobile imports increase most rapidly? 2. Why, in your view, did automobile imports increase?
Families
The Changing Family | | 1960 | 1980 | Married couples | 75 % | 55 % | with children | 44 % | 48 % | without children | 33% | 27% | Female heads | 17% | 29% | with children | 3% | 22% | without children | 14% | 7% | Lone male head | 8% | 16% | with children | 1% | 1% | without children | 7% | 15% |
Questions To Think About
1. Describe the fundamental ways that the nature of work has changed over the course of the 20th century? 2. What kinds of work do people do if they do not make food or goods?
Income
Distribution of Wealth and Income 1980 | | Top Fifth | Middle Fifth | Bottom Fifth | Wealth | 76 % | 6 % | 0% | Income | 42 % | 18 % | 5 % | Families at Various Income Levels, 1980 | $50,000+ | 7 % | $25,000-50,000 | 33 % | $15,000-25,000 | 28 % | $10,000-15,000 | 14 % | $ 5,000-10,000 | 13 % |
$ 0-5,000 | 6 % | Ethnic Composition of the U.S., 1980 | German-Austrian | 19 % | English-Scottish | 17 % | African | 12 % | Irish | 11 % | Hispanic | 7 % | Italian | 6% | Scandinavian | 6 % | U.S. Population Statistics | Year | Population | Median Age | 1790 | 3,929,000 | 15.9 | 1800 | 5,297,000 | 16 | 1810 | 7,224,000 | 16 | 1820 | 9,618,000 | 16.7 | 1830 | 12,901,000 | 17.2 | 1840 | 17,120,000 | 17.8 | 1850 | 23,261,000 | 18.9 | 1860 | 31,513,000 | 19.4 | 1870 | 39,905,000 | 20.2 | 1880 | 50,262,000 | 20.9 | 1890 | 63,056,000 | 22.0 | 1900 | 76,094,000 | 22.9 | 1910 | 92,407,000 | 24.1 | 1920 | 106,466,000 | 25.3 | 1930 | 123,188,000 | 26.5 | 1940 | 132,122,000 | 29.0 | 1950 | 151,683,000 | 30.2 | 1960 | 180,671,000 | 29.5 | 1970 | 204,879,000 | 28.1 |
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