Chapter 16 History Repeated: Full Cycle into the Unfamiliar

The cultural phenomenon that occurred following World War II was characterized by an almost insatiable demand for consumer goods and a striving to raise the standard of living. These twin goals greatly stimulated the growth of technologies that could help fulfill the needs and desires of Americans. Thus the period from 1958 through 1967 was to be the decade of nuclear development, electronics, computers, and exploration in space. The magnetism of these new technologies heralded the beginning of a new era. It was estimated that, by the year 2000, annual electricity requirements in the United States would be 8 trillion kilowatt hours, more than seven times their 1966 level of 1,140 billion kilowatt hours.