Today the car has become commonplace as most of us use it almost every day. In America, places of work, play and home are connected and accessible exclusively by car. Cars have become such an important part of our lives that we can't imagine living without them, and we forget that there was a time, not so long ago, when cars were not as widely used as they are today. Although the automobile was not invented in the 1950s at all, we owe much of our lifestyle to the automobile of the 1950s. Americans went car crazy in the post-war era, creating a new subculture called "car culture." Millions of new cars have flooded the streets and forced a complete overhaul of America's infrastructure. Although car culture has grown in importance and popularity, it has had a wide-ranging impact as a result of a long list of side effects: more roads, parking, environmental problems, congestion, growth of suburbs, congestion in cities, and tourism. This car culture that developed in the 1950s has impacted every aspect of American people's lives, from the music they listen to to the places they live. During World War II, President Roosevelt wanted a postwar assistance package for returning veterans to help with the transition. from war to peacetime. In 1944, the Servicemen's Rejustment Act, or GI Bill, was passed and gave returning veterans many benefits that helped them not only return to civilian life, but also hit the ground running. GI Bill benefits included free college education, zero down home loans, and twenty dollars a week for a year while returning soldiers looked for work. All these advantages gave a significant boost to the economy and led to the consumer culture familiar to us today. Many industries...... middle of paper...... part of those ideals that everyone fought for. Road travel became very popular as it was then possible to drive across the country to see national treasures such as Mt. Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. The car itself had become a symbol of freedom as it granted every person in America a personal freedom that had previously been unattainable for many. Sarah Redshaw talks about this new symbol of freedom in her book In the Company of Cars. He says cars are "the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and individualism" because they offer the driver the ability to go anywhere and do anything whenever he wants. They took people places they otherwise couldn't go and got them there faster. There was no need to stick to a schedule or rely on anyone else. It was just you, your car and the open road. The possibilities were endless.