For my project, I think I’m going to be mostly going into the impact of the implementation of highways after WWII. I think I’m going to be using a lot of the American Decades book in the resources available through Gale under the PSU library. So far, it’s given me a lot of information on automobiles throughout the decades, particularly in the transfer from more “gas-guzzling” cars to more energy efficient cars- I’m planning on referencing a particular article it has (I don’t know if this link is going to work as it requires login access, but it’s worth a shot) about the energy crisis from 1973-1974 where Americans, largely relying on foreign oil, struggled to get fuel for their vehicles and everyday life due to restrictions placed on oil by OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. I think it’s also important to take a look at the effects of WWII on the country- it’s largely the cause of the implementation of the Interstate (transfer of military vehicles/soldiers/equipment across the country). The GI bill is also something that I could study. I’d also like to take a look at the lack of public transportation and the minimization of the train system, but I’m not really sure where to find credible sources for that- I might be able to find records of when my hometown, Houston, decided not to try to make a better transportation system in and out of downtown (other than the HOV lane, which is only available at certain times of the day going one direction or another).
This topic is so cool I’m so excited to view your final product!
Very interesting potential sources! I would definitely try to be sure that you’re not going too broad (considering all the different ways you could go with this project), so you don’t overextend yourself, but there’s really so much information here that this seems like a great opportunity for research. I look forward to seeing where you go with this!