Suburb

==== Postwar suburban expansion ====
The suburban population in North America exploded during the [[post-World War II economic expansion]]. Returning veterans wishing to start a settled life moved in masses to the suburbs. [[Levittown, New York|Levittown]] developed as a major prototype of mass-produced housing. Due to the influx of people in these suburban areas, the amount of shopping centers began to increase as suburban America took shape. These malls helped supply goods and services to the growing urban population. Shopping for different goods and services in one central location without having to travel to multiple locations, helped to keep shopping centers a component of these newly designed suburbs which were booming in population. The television helped contribute to the rise of shopping centers by allowing for additional advertisement through the medium in addition to creating a desire among consumers to buy products that are shown being used in suburban life on various television programs. Another factor that led to the rise of these shopping centers was the building of many highways. The Highway Act of 1956 helped to fund the building of 64,000 kilometers across the nation by having 26 billion dollars on hand, which helped to link many more to these shopping centers with ease.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/history-1994/postwar-america/the-postwar-economy-1945-1960.php|title=The Postwar Economy: 1945–1960 < Postwar America < History 1994 < American History From Revolution To Reconstruction and beyond|website=Let.rug.nl|access-date=12 December 2021}}</ref> These newly built shopping centers, which were often large buildings full of multiple stores, and services, were being used for more than shopping, but as a place of leisure and a meeting point for those who lived within suburban America at this time. These centers thrived offering goods and services to the growing populations in suburban America. In 1957, 940 shopping centers were built and this number more than doubled by 1960 to keep up with the demand of these densely populated areas.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cohen|first=Lizabeth|title=A Consumer's Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar America|publisher=Vintage Books|year=2003|pages=Chapter 6}}</ref>