Conformity and Non-Conformity Conformity and Non-Conformity

in the 1950sin the 1950s

ConformityConformity

• Pressure to achieve the American dream

How do each of the following How do each of the following contribute to conformity in contribute to conformity in

American society?American society?

• Highways• Suburbs

• Chain businesses• Television

HighwaysHighways

• Interstate• http://www.history.com/topics/interstate-highway-system/

videos#keep-it-moving

SuburbsSuburbs

• Levittown, outside NYC-85% of new home construction located here

• # of people moving out of city is double

• Quote page 816

• Why moving out?

• “American Dream”

• “White Flight”

•

Chain businessesChain businesses

• Rise of the franchise• Uniform in look/style/food choice• McDonald’s-1940• US in 2006-$142 billion in sales in fast-food

industry• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5D6_6sSM-

8&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

John Taylor Dry Goods (dept. store) in KC was John Taylor Dry Goods (dept. store) in KC was renamed Macy's Missouri-Kansas in the 1950srenamed Macy's Missouri-Kansas in the 1950s

19621962

TelevisionTelevision

• Classic 1940s/50s spousal conflicts

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta10k2TuTWI

TelevisionTelevision

• Excerpt pg. 820• Began early 1940s-expensive• By end of 1950s-every household had one

• 1946: 7,000-8,000 in country• 1957: 40 million in country

• Conformity (rise in advertisements)• Athletic events• Portrayed common image• Movies decrease

• http://www.corp.att.com/history/television/

American Bandstand was a long-running dance music television show that aired American Bandstand was a long-running dance music television show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989. It is known not only for the emerging in various versions from 1952 to 1989. It is known not only for the emerging performers that it promoted but the many dance styles it featured through the performers that it promoted but the many dance styles it featured through the decades. The show featured teenagers dancing to Top 40-type music introduced decades. The show featured teenagers dancing to Top 40-type music introduced by Clark; at least one popular musical act would usually appear in-person to lip-by Clark; at least one popular musical act would usually appear in-person to lip-sync one of their latest singles.sync one of their latest singles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=hfHtvUr9Ycw&feature=fvsr&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1v=hfHtvUr9Ycw&feature=fvsr&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

•

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hkaghHu6ec

What does American conformity What does American conformity look like in the following areas?look like in the following areas?

• Women’s roles

• Men’s roles

• Material possessions

• Higher education

Women’s rolesWomen’s roles

• Read HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE

Men’s rolesMen’s roles

• Work and bring home the money

• Discipline of children

Material possessionsMaterial possessions

• Own/have same as neighbor

• Home appliances (advertising)

• Labor-saving machines

• Freezer

• 2nd car

Higher educationHigher education

• GI Bill

• Increase in attendance

• Becomes important/status symbol in society

• “Working professional”

What does American non-What does American non-conformity look like in the conformity look like in the

following areas?following areas?

• Birth control

• Youth culture

• Rock ‘n roll

• Inner city/rural

Birth controlBirth control

• Due to baby boom• 1945-1961 one kid born every 7 seconds

(65 million new babies)

Birth controlBirth control

• Due to baby boom• 1945-1961 one kid born every 7 seconds

(65 million new babies)

Birth controlBirth control

• Due to baby boom• 1945-1961 one kid born every 7 seconds

(65 million new babies)

• Lack of sex with WWII & Korean War

• Opposite of women’s role

• Make/control when baby comes

• Family planning

Youth cultureYouth culture

• Turn back on conformist ideas of adult society

• Longed for greater excitement and freedom

• Found this in new and controversial styles of music and literature

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfHtvUr9Ycw buzzin cousin

Rock ‘n rollRock ‘n roll

• Loud and heavy beat made ideal of dancing• Elvis Presley• Loud, mindless, dangerous (parents listened

to Frank Sinatra-banned in San Antonio, TX)

• Generation Gap• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=tpzV_0l5ILI

King of Rock ‘n Roll

Inner city/ruralInner city/rural

• Excerpts pg. 829 (20% Americans below poverty line)

• Poverty is most noticed in is area• Whites moved to suburbs (increase MC)• Inner city deteriorates when people go to

suburbs (tax money decreases)• Left blacks in cities who fled there during

Great Migration of war time