Social and Culture of the 1950s

Social and Culture of the 1950s

PoliticsPolitics Era of prosperity and growth- Modern Republicanism of Ike leads to

much of this prosperity and change Concensus Era- what does this mean? Why? Republicans no longer bent on destroying New Deal Liberalism Actually expands the welfare state extended SS Dept of Health, Education and Welfare headed by Oveta Culp polio vaccine by Jonas Salk Interstate Highway System Opens St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 Atomic Energy Act 1954- research use of nuclear energy

Does keep a small role over widesweeping changes Tax cuts to wealthy smaller defense budget/balance budget education overlooked until National Defense Education Act 1958 Civil Rights avoided

Era of prosperity and growth- Modern Republicanism of Ike leads to much of this prosperity and change

Concensus Era- what does this mean? Why? Republicans no longer bent on destroying New Deal Liberalism Actually expands the welfare state extended SS Dept of Health, Education and Welfare headed by Oveta Culp polio vaccine by Jonas Salk Interstate Highway System Opens St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 Atomic Energy Act 1954- research use of nuclear energy

Does keep a small role over widesweeping changes Tax cuts to wealthy smaller defense budget/balance budget education overlooked until National Defense Education Act 1958 Civil Rights avoided

EconomicsEconomics Economy grows steadily with small recession in 1957 Inflation remains under control under Eisenhower Service Sector and women’s employment grows as farming (low prices on goods) and

factory work dies down with higher levels of mechanization (less workers) Takes half the hours to make a car, meaning less workers are needed

Corporations grow/profits grow Labor Unions enjoy success with he merger of the AFL and CIO to increase bargaining

power-BUT ultimately DECLINE! Industrial wages rise 40% membership down because of shift to service sector (No Unions) Stress of individualism against collective action (communist like) of strikes of unions

Move of industries to the South and West means a shift of the population to the SW Arizona becomes 50th State in 1958 with population boom California most populous state over NY!! Defense industries move (Gunbelt) 1/3 of AA’s who leave South go SW (Cali gets largest pop) for industry jobs

Economy grows steadily with small recession in 1957 Inflation remains under control under Eisenhower Service Sector and women’s employment grows as farming (low prices on goods) and

factory work dies down with higher levels of mechanization (less workers) Takes half the hours to make a car, meaning less workers are needed

Corporations grow/profits grow Labor Unions enjoy success with he merger of the AFL and CIO to increase bargaining

power-BUT ultimately DECLINE! Industrial wages rise 40% membership down because of shift to service sector (No Unions) Stress of individualism against collective action (communist like) of strikes of unions

Move of industries to the South and West means a shift of the population to the SW Arizona becomes 50th State in 1958 with population boom California most populous state over NY!! Defense industries move (Gunbelt) 1/3 of AA’s who leave South go SW (Cali gets largest pop) for industry jobs

Society of the 1950sSociety of the 1950s Focus on achieving middle class standard

Baby Boom: 152 mill in 1950, 180 million in 1960 2% Divorce rate by 1959 80% homes had a television, wash machine, refrigerator by 1960

(TV in 1923 by Vladimer Zworykin) 25% of people live in suburbs by 1960

11 of 13 million new homes in suburbs Levittown in NY - William Levitt (began by Philo T. Farnsworth patent in 1927) Parks, playgrounds, libraries, sidewalks, driveways

Interstate Highway Act 1956 (auto & gas taxes) Kills urban centers

Education- GI Bill sends 2 million to college, $ to schools to defense education (NEDA-1958)

1940: 1.5 mil, in college, 1960- 3.6 mil, 40% of young americans AA- 5% of pop in 1960 (37,000 to 90,000) Women- 33% by 1960

Movement to the sunbelt - CA, AZ, TX African-Americans move to cities, whites to suburbs Women and rise of domesticity in reaction to uncertainty of CW

Betty Friedan The Feminine Mystique 1963- attacks women’s role, equal to en, should not be simply servers!

Focus on achieving middle class standard Baby Boom: 152 mill in 1950, 180 million in 1960 2% Divorce rate by 1959 80% homes had a television, wash machine, refrigerator by 1960

(TV in 1923 by Vladimer Zworykin) 25% of people live in suburbs by 1960

11 of 13 million new homes in suburbs Levittown in NY - William Levitt (began by Philo T. Farnsworth patent in 1927) Parks, playgrounds, libraries, sidewalks, driveways

Interstate Highway Act 1956 (auto & gas taxes) Kills urban centers

Education- GI Bill sends 2 million to college, $ to schools to defense education (NEDA-1958)

1940: 1.5 mil, in college, 1960- 3.6 mil, 40% of young americans AA- 5% of pop in 1960 (37,000 to 90,000) Women- 33% by 1960

Movement to the sunbelt - CA, AZ, TX African-Americans move to cities, whites to suburbs Women and rise of domesticity in reaction to uncertainty of CW

Betty Friedan The Feminine Mystique 1963- attacks women’s role, equal to en, should not be simply servers!

1950s Culture1950s Culture Religion: Increase in church membership: up to 63% by 1960

-In God we Trust on money by 1955, “Under God” by 1954 Why

Culture of Abundance GDP and family income raised by 25% in decade, 60% middle class, 20% poverty, desire to be middle class

television I Love Lucy, Mickey Mouse Club, Honeymooners, Howdy Doody Time, Leave it to Beaver…

Movies James Dean (Rebel without a Cause), Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando Sandra Dee, Rock Hudson, Doris Day

Art & Literature Paul Jackson Pollack - abstract expressionist, painter Hugh Hefner - Playboy in 1953 Beat Generation- reject materialism, social restraints, sexual repression

Alfred Kinsey - Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (male 1947, female 1953) Allen Ginsberg - HOWL poetry on what frightens him in USA (bombs, suburbs…) Jack Kerouac - On The Road influence people to do their own thing, be passionate David Riesman - The Lonely Crowd looked at lack of independent thinking Sloan Wilson- Man in the Grey Flannel Suit

Dr. Spock - common sense book to raise children Music

Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Paul Anka, Bobby Darren,… Cool Toys

Silly putty, slinky, Hula Hoop, matchbox cars, Etch-A-Sketch, Lego, Barbie Technology

Jonas Salk - Polio vaccine Sputnik launched by Soviet Union 1957 1956 first solar powered wrist watch invented

Religion: Increase in church membership: up to 63% by 1960 -In God we Trust on money by 1955, “Under God” by 1954 Why

Culture of Abundance GDP and family income raised by 25% in decade, 60% middle class, 20% poverty, desire to be middle class

television I Love Lucy, Mickey Mouse Club, Honeymooners, Howdy Doody Time, Leave it to Beaver…

Movies James Dean (Rebel without a Cause), Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando Sandra Dee, Rock Hudson, Doris Day

Art & Literature Paul Jackson Pollack - abstract expressionist, painter Hugh Hefner - Playboy in 1953 Beat Generation- reject materialism, social restraints, sexual repression

Alfred Kinsey - Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (male 1947, female 1953) Allen Ginsberg - HOWL poetry on what frightens him in USA (bombs, suburbs…) Jack Kerouac - On The Road influence people to do their own thing, be passionate David Riesman - The Lonely Crowd looked at lack of independent thinking Sloan Wilson- Man in the Grey Flannel Suit

Dr. Spock - common sense book to raise children Music

Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Paul Anka, Bobby Darren,… Cool Toys

Silly putty, slinky, Hula Hoop, matchbox cars, Etch-A-Sketch, Lego, Barbie Technology

Jonas Salk - Polio vaccine Sputnik launched by Soviet Union 1957 1956 first solar powered wrist watch invented

Music Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon,

Fabian, Paul Anka, Bobby Darren,… Cool Toys

Silly putty, slinky, Hula Hoop, matchbox cars, Etch-A-Sketch, Lego, Barbie

Technology Jonas Salk - Polio vaccine Sputnik launched by Soviet Union 1957 1956 first solar powered wrist watch invented

Music Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Frankie Avalon,

Fabian, Paul Anka, Bobby Darren,… Cool Toys

Silly putty, slinky, Hula Hoop, matchbox cars, Etch-A-Sketch, Lego, Barbie

Technology Jonas Salk - Polio vaccine Sputnik launched by Soviet Union 1957 1956 first solar powered wrist watch invented

Native American SocietyNative American Society

What to do with the Indians? USA trend was to desegregate so… Termination Policy of 1953

Goal was to give Indians same rights and responsibilities as other Americans. To end federal responsibility of the Indians

Two challenges Indians will be faced with the termination policy First, Indians were required to vote if they wanted their tribe to be terminated (they

would lose their name,identity, federal aid like schools, free electricity…) The tribes would have 7-15 years to terminate / prepare Tribes were offered money for their land based on the available resources, so you can see the

problem - an Indian voting yes to get $80,000 cash. Indians didn’t use banks… what do you do with no home no land, and a paper bag with $80,000?

Klamath, Oregon & Menomenie, Wisconsin two of the first to accept - FAILED! Second, Indians offered to move to cities to work, shown pictures of suburbs (TV,

fridge, parks, … but they were relocated to cities not suburbs) Indians away from family, homeland, not used to phones, city slums - FAILED!

1961 Indians fight to stop termination and Menomenie (1972), Klamath (1988) fight for 11 - 27 years to get their tribal names legally back.

What to do with the Indians? USA trend was to desegregate so… Termination Policy of 1953

Goal was to give Indians same rights and responsibilities as other Americans. To end federal responsibility of the Indians

Two challenges Indians will be faced with the termination policy First, Indians were required to vote if they wanted their tribe to be terminated (they

would lose their name,identity, federal aid like schools, free electricity…) The tribes would have 7-15 years to terminate / prepare Tribes were offered money for their land based on the available resources, so you can see the

problem - an Indian voting yes to get $80,000 cash. Indians didn’t use banks… what do you do with no home no land, and a paper bag with $80,000?

Klamath, Oregon & Menomenie, Wisconsin two of the first to accept - FAILED! Second, Indians offered to move to cities to work, shown pictures of suburbs (TV,

fridge, parks, … but they were relocated to cities not suburbs) Indians away from family, homeland, not used to phones, city slums - FAILED!

1961 Indians fight to stop termination and Menomenie (1972), Klamath (1988) fight for 11 - 27 years to get their tribal names legally back.

1950s Civil Rights Movement1950s Civil Rights Movement Emmett Till murder - 1954

14 year old boy leaves Chicago to visit grandpa in Mississippi Witness say he whistle at white woman at Bryant’s Grocery & Meat Market Emmett’s body missing an ear, bullet through head, he’s found attached to a 75 pound

cotton gin industrial fan drowned in the Tallahatchie River Roy Bryant & J. W. Milam charged with murder… found not guilty

Brown versus Board of Education - 1954 Linda Brown walked 1 mile to school, case to go to white school blocks from her house NAACP and Thurgood Marshal make the case - overturn Plessy versus Ferguson Chief Justice Earl Warren rule education were inherently unequal

Montgomery Bus Boycott - December 1955 Rosa Parks refusal to give seat on bus up to a man Leads to Montgomery Bus Boycott - Martin Luther King Jr. of SCLC leads (also CORE,

NAACP) Little Rock, Arkansas - 1957

Governor Orval Faubus sends Arkansas national guard to protect (deny) 9 AA students from entering an all white school.

Ike tales over National Guard to allow students into the school, brings in 101st Army 9 students - Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Ekford, Melba Beals, Earnie Green, Terrence

Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Thelma Mothershed, Carlotta Walls, Gloria Ray.

Emmett Till murder - 1954 14 year old boy leaves Chicago to visit grandpa in Mississippi Witness say he whistle at white woman at Bryant’s Grocery & Meat Market Emmett’s body missing an ear, bullet through head, he’s found attached to a 75 pound

cotton gin industrial fan drowned in the Tallahatchie River Roy Bryant & J. W. Milam charged with murder… found not guilty

Brown versus Board of Education - 1954 Linda Brown walked 1 mile to school, case to go to white school blocks from her house NAACP and Thurgood Marshal make the case - overturn Plessy versus Ferguson Chief Justice Earl Warren rule education were inherently unequal

Montgomery Bus Boycott - December 1955 Rosa Parks refusal to give seat on bus up to a man Leads to Montgomery Bus Boycott - Martin Luther King Jr. of SCLC leads (also CORE,

NAACP) Little Rock, Arkansas - 1957

Governor Orval Faubus sends Arkansas national guard to protect (deny) 9 AA students from entering an all white school.

Ike tales over National Guard to allow students into the school, brings in 101st Army 9 students - Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Ekford, Melba Beals, Earnie Green, Terrence

Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Thelma Mothershed, Carlotta Walls, Gloria Ray.