Final answer:
The period from 1946 to the mid-1950s saw a significant increase in birth rates in the United States known as the "baby boom," with one infant born every seven seconds at its peak in 1957.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1946, the period known as the "baby boom" began, characterized by an unprecedented population explosion in the United States. This was a time when there was a significant surge in birth rates, lasting from the end of World War II until the mid-1950s. The baby boom was named as such due to the marked increase in birth rates and the added desires of veterans returning from war to have large families, spurred by economic security and the wish to establish family life.
At the height of the baby boom in 1957, it was recorded that one infant was born every seven seconds in America. Notably, this period saw a substantial increase in the national population, with an estimated 80 million Americans born during these years. The baby boom had profound societal impacts and shaped the demographic landscape of the country for generations.