american dream of the 1950s how do people live the “american dream”?

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American Dream of the American Dream of the 1950s 1950s How do people live the “American Dream”?

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American Dream of the 1950sAmerican Dream of the 1950s

How do people live the “American Dream”?

American Business

• more people move into higher-paying white collar professions (managers, sales, clerical)

• Corporations expand buying other companies, creating conglomerates

• Some form franchises – like Ray Croc who bought McDonalds & franchised out the business

Suburban America

• Middle-class whites leave the cities, go to suburbs “white flight”• Incredible # of children born after the war known as the “baby

boom”, family & values emphasized• 50s television also glorifies women as homemakers• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sam9wP_uMEA• Entertainment industry expands w incl. drive-in theatres & 3-D

movies & comics. Sports also very popular (MLB & NFL)

Automobile Culture• Suburban living made the car a necessity• Good advertising & easy credit terms made cars popular

Interstate Highway System• federal govt builds a nationwide network of roads & highways • Interstate Hwy make high speed trucking possible• People also flock to vacation spots

Pop Culture of the 50s• Television is the new form of mass media (5% of homes in 1950,

55% by 1954, 90% by 1959)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ-IPXpvRaU

• Invention of TV Guide & TV Dinners make viewing easier

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49Qn38WdTTs

Beatniks

• Beat movement starts in San Francisco, people who didn’t believe in the “mainstream” conformity of the 1950s

Teenagers

• 50s begins emergence of the teenager

• Numerous products geared towards teens (clothes, music, hygiene)

• Comics, movies & music geared toward the teenage audience

Rock ‘N Roll

•Chuck Berry, Richard Penniman & Bill Haley make Rock ‘N Roll popular amongst teens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fsqYctXgM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ofD9t_sULM&feature=related

•Elvis Presley brings Rock ‘n Roll into the mainstream

When America was Rocked

1. How did the Ed Sullivan Show help Elvis?

2. How was Elvis changing America?

3. How were teens influenced by rock?

4. How could rock n’ roll lead to the turmoil of the 60s?