Audio slideshow: Houses and highways

In the decades following the end of World War II, suburban sprawl started to stretch out from US cities - alongside new, fast, multi-lane freeways.

Here, Professor of International History David Reynolds - from the BBC Radio 4 series America, Empire of Liberty - charts the growth of the suburbs, and explains why skin colour prevented some families from starting a new life.

Photos courtesy Getty Images. Music courtesy KPM Music.
1952 audio archive courtesy Ford Motor Company.

Slideshow by Paul Kerley. Publication date 1 June 2009.

From Monday 1 June, Professor David Reynolds presents America, Empire of Liberty - a landmark series on the history of the United States.

This slideshow features extracts from the episode The Suburban Republic, which broadcasts on Wednesday 3 June at 1545 BST on BBC Radio 4 .

More audio slideshows in the series