Answer:
__ Consumer spending increased.
__ Retail sales increased.
Explanation:
GDP is the sum of all production of goods and services in an economy over a given period of time. In calculating GDP, consumption, investment, government spending and the net balance of foreign trade (exports minus imports) are considered. <u>Increased retail sales mean increased consumer spending. This is an increase in aggregate consumption, which is one of the variables of GDP, so increased sales and consumer spending raises GDP. </u>Conversely, if sales and industrial production decline, GDP declines.
One of the major reasons why Americans distrusted public institutions like the government was because of the publishing of the Pentagon Papers. This series of government documents that were supposed to be classified, essentially showed that the US federal government had been lying about the progress the US was making in the Vietnam War. These documents caused outrage all over the country, as thousands of American men were drafted into this military conflict for what seemed like a failed mission.
