The Phenomenal Growth of California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Phenomenal Growth of California - Essay Example After 1940, approach towards boosted advanced technology such as aerospace and electronics industries was a significant move towards improvement. Consisting of talented soldiers, a military also became readily available for the state, increasing its status and stability (Deverell and Igler 3). The film stars of Hollywood and a numerous amount of high – standard movies added up to make California the hot spot and a center of attention from the globe. California became an American cultural phenomenon; the idea of the â€Å"California Dream† as a part of the massive American Dream of finding a better living attracted 35 million new residents from the start to the end of the 20th century (1900 – 2010). Silicon Valley became the world’s one of the biggest and vital midpoint for computer innovation and production. Over the next 25 years, California’s population would grow by about 500,000 per year, and overtook New York as the nation’s largest state in 1963.  Ã‚  Many couples had two or more children, which fueled a â€Å"baby boom.†Ã‚  Ã‚  These growing families generated ever-growing demand for places to live, transportation facilities, and education. Housing was in short supply immediately after the war. In response, suburban communities sprang up and spread prodigiously based on advert of mass produced housing. The Westchester district of Los Angeles was a prime example of a community built by mass - produced housing (Kolko, Neumark and Mejia 25).   Ã‚   A better transportation system was needed to serve this growing economy.  Ã‚  In 1940, the first freeway was opened.  Freeway development resumed after a wartime suspension.  Ã‚  In 1947 the Collier-Burns Act raised the gasoline tax, which enabled significant freeway construction growth.  Ã‚  In the 1950s and 1960s, in addition to the tremendous growth of urban freeway systems in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay