THE 1950s:

THE 1950s:

““Anxiety, Alienation, Anxiety, Alienation, and Social Unrest”and Social Unrest”

““Conservatism, Conservatism, Complacency, and Complacency, and

Contentment”Contentment”OR.. . OR.. .

. .. .OR.. . OR.. .

. .. .

Baby BoomBaby Boom““It seems to me that every other young It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant.”housewife I see is pregnant.” -- British visitor to America, 1958 -- British visitor to America, 1958

1957: 1 baby born every 1957: 1 baby born every 7 7 seconds!seconds!

Baby BoomBaby Boom

Dr. Benjamin SpockDr. Benjamin Spock and the Anderson and the Anderson

QuintupletsQuintuplets

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

$7,990 or $60/month with no down $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment. G.I. Bill financing for payment. G.I. Bill financing for

veterans/military.veterans/military.

Levittown, Long Island:Levittown, Long Island: “The American “The American Dream”Dream”

1949 1949 William LevittWilliam Levitt produced 150 produced 150 “cookie cutter” tract “cookie cutter” tract

houses per week. Housing houses per week. Housing shortage solution!shortage solution!

Suburban Living:The New “American Dream”Suburban Living:The New “American Dream”

k 1 story high1 story high

k 12’x19’ living 12’x19’ living roomroom

k 2 bedrooms2 bedrooms

k tiled bathroomtiled bathroom

k garagegarage

k small backyardsmall backyard

k front lawnfront lawn

k Tract housingTract housingBy 1960 By 1960 1/3 of the U. S. 1/3 of the U. S. population living in the suburbs.population living in the suburbs.

◄ Many returning postwar vets settled down to rebuild their lives

◄ Congress passed G.I. Bill of Rights to assist vets with housing and education expenses

◄ G.I. Bill paid partial tuition, 1 year unemployment benefits, and low-interest, federally funded home loans

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

Suburban Living:The Typical TV Suburban Families

Suburban Living:The Typical TV Suburban Families

The The Donna Donna Reed Reed ShowShow1958-1958-19661966

Leave It Leave It to Beaverto Beaver1957-19631957-1963

FatherFather Knows Knows BestBest

1954-19581954-1958

The Ozzie & Harriet The Ozzie & Harriet ShowShow

1952-19661952-1966

Suburban LivingSuburban Livingk Post-war demand for new Post-war demand for new appliances, furniture, cars, appliances, furniture, cars, clothes, and accessories grew to new clothes, and accessories grew to new heightsheights

k created unprecedented created unprecedented economic economic ‘boom’‘boom’

k also created growing consumer also created growing consumer competition competition “keeping up with the “keeping up with the Jones”Jones”

ConsumerismConsumerism1950 1950 Introduction of the Diner’s Club Introduction of the Diner’s Club

CardCard

All babies were “potential consumers” who All babies were “potential consumers” who spearheaded a brand-new market for food, spearheaded a brand-new market for food, clothing, and shelter.clothing, and shelter.

-- Life-- Life Magazine (May, 1958) Magazine (May, 1958)

ConsumerismConsumerism

A Changing WorkplaceA Changing Workplace

Automation:

1947-1957 factory workers decreased by 4.3%, eliminating 1.5 million blue-collar jobs.

By 1956 more white-collar than blue-collar jobs in the U.S.

Computers Mark I (1944). First IBM mainframe computer (1951).Corporate Consolidation:

By 1960 600 corporations accounted for 53% of total corporate income.

WHY?? Cold War military buildup.

A Changing WorkplaceA Changing WorkplaceNew Corporate CultureNew Corporate Culture::

“The Company Man” – usually a white, “The Company Man” – usually a white, young, middle-class, junior executive young, middle-class, junior executive career type who settles into a routine, career type who settles into a routine, mundane, corporate job, hoping to work mundane, corporate job, hoping to work out his time and retire to the “good life”out his time and retire to the “good life”

1956:1956: Sloan Wilson’s Sloan Wilson’s

The Man in the Gray The Man in the Gray

Flannel SuitFlannel Suit

The Culture of the Car

The Culture of the Car Car registrations: In 1945 Car registrations: In 1945

25,000,00025,000,000 By 1960 By 1960 60,000,000 60,000,000

1951-1958 1951-1958 many families now own 2 many families now own 2 carscars

1956 1956 Interstate Highway ActInterstate Highway Act largest largest public works project in American public works project in American history! history!

Å Cost $32 billion.Cost $32 billion.

Å 41,000 miles of new highways 41,000 miles of new highways built.built.

1959 Chevy 1959 Chevy CorvetteCorvette

1958 Pink 1958 Pink CadillacCadillac

The Culture of the Car

The Culture of the Car

First McDonald’s First McDonald’s (1955)(1955)

America became a more America became a more homogeneous nation because homogeneous nation because of the automobile.of the automobile.

Drive-In Drive-In MoviesMovies

Howard Howard Johnson’s Johnson’s RestaurantRestaurant

Gas is Cheap!

The Culture of the Car

The Culture of the Car The U.S. population was on the move in the The U.S. population was on the move in the

1950s.1950s.

• The family vacationThe family vacation

• Tourism, short road tripsTourism, short road trips

1955 1955 Disneyland opened in Southern Disneyland opened in Southern California.California. (40% of guests live out of state) (40% of guests live out of state)

St. Petersburg, FLSt. Petersburg, FL Disneyland, CADisneyland, CA Atlantic City, NJAtlantic City, NJ

TelevisionTelevision 1946 1946 7,000 TV sets in the U.S. 7,000 TV sets in the U.S.

1950 1950 50,000,000 TV sets in the 50,000,000 TV sets in the U.S.U.S.

Mass Audiences: TV Mass Audiences: TV celebrated celebrated traditional American traditional American values.values.

““Television is a vast wasteland.”Television is a vast wasteland.” Newton Newton Minnow, Chairman of the Federal Minnow, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 1961Communications Commission (FCC), 1961

Truth, Justice, and the American Way!Truth, Justice, and the American Way!

Television – The Western

Television – The WesternRoy RogersRoy Rogers

“Happy Trails to You”“Happy Trails to You”

The Lone RangerThe Lone Ranger(and his faithful(and his faithfulsidekick, Tonto): sidekick, Tonto): Who is that masked Who is that masked man??man??

Hoss, Ben, Hoss, Ben, Little Joe Little Joe

CartwrightCartwright

BonanzaBonanza

Television - Family Shows

Television - Family Shows

I Love I Love LucyLucy

The The HoneymoonersHoneymooners

Glossy view of mostly Glossy view of mostly middle-class suburban life.middle-class suburban life.

But...But...

Social Winners ... AND... Social Winners ... AND... Losers?Losers?

Teen CultureTeen CultureIn the 1950s In the 1950s the word the word “teenager”“teenager”

entered entered the American language.the American language.

By 1956 By 1956 13 million teens with $7 billion to 13 million teens with $7 billion to spend a year.spend a year.

1951 1951 “race music”“race music” “ROCK ‘N “ROCK ‘N ROLL”ROLL”

Elvis PresleyElvis Presley “The King” “The King”

Chuck Berry

Bill Haley & the Comets

Teen CultureTeen Culture““Juvenile Delinquency” Juvenile Delinquency” oror “ “

Born to Be BAD!”Born to Be BAD!”

Marlon BrandoMarlon Brando inin

The Wild OneThe Wild One (1953)(1953)

James DeanJames Dean in inRRebel Without a ebel Without a

CauseCause (1955) (1955)

Teen CultureTeen CultureThe “Beat” GenerationThe “Beat” Generation::

f San Francisco/Greenwich Village/LA – San Francisco/Greenwich Village/LA – groups who expressed the groups who expressed the nonconformity of art / poetry / writing nonconformity of art / poetry / writing

f ““groovy, cat...can you dig it?”groovy, cat...can you dig it?”

““BeatniBeatnik”k”

““Clean” Clean” TeenTeen

Teen CultureTeen CultureBehavioral Rules of the Behavioral Rules of the

1950s:1950s:U Obey Authority.Obey Authority.

U Control Your Emotions.Control Your Emotions.

U Don’t Make Waves Don’t Make Waves Fit Fit in in with the Group.with the Group.

U Don’t Even Don’t Even ThinkThink About About Sex!!!Sex!!!

Religious Revival

Religious Revival Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in Today in the U. S., the Christian faith is back in

the center of things.the center of things. -- -- TimeTime magazine, 1954 magazine, 1954

Church membershipChurch membership: : 1940 1940 64,000,000 64,000,000 1960 1960 114,000,000 114,000,000

Television PreachersTelevision Preachers: :

1. Catholic 1. Catholic Bishop Fulton J. SheenBishop Fulton J. Sheen “Life is “Life is Worth Living” Worth Living”

2. Methodist Minister 2. Methodist Minister Norman Vincent PealeNorman Vincent Peale The Power of Positive ThinkingThe Power of Positive Thinking

3. 3. Reverend Billy GrahamReverend Billy Graham evangelical evangelical message;message; warned against the evils of Communism. warned against the evils of Communism.

Religious RevivalReligious RevivalHollywood gets involvedHollywood gets involved: :

apex of the biblical epics.apex of the biblical epics.

It’s un-American to be un-religious!It’s un-American to be un-religious! -- -- The Christian CenturyThe Christian Century, 1954, 1954

The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben The Robe The Ten Commandments Ben HurHur 1953 1956 19591953 1956 1959

Well-Defined Gender Roles

Well-Defined Gender RolesThe The ideal modern womanideal modern woman married, cooked married, cooked

and and cared for her family, and kept herself cared for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the local PTA and leading busy by joining the local PTA and leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She a troop of Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her family’s entertained guests in her family’s suburban house and worked out on the suburban house and worked out on the trampoline to keep her size 12 figure.trampoline to keep her size 12 figure. -- -- LifeLife magazine, 1956 magazine, 1956The The ideal 1950s manideal 1950s man was the provider, protector, was the provider, protector, and the boss of the house. -and the boss of the house. -- - LifeLife magazine, 1955 magazine, 1955

1956 1956 William H. Whyte, Jr. William H. Whyte, Jr. The Organization ManThe Organization Man

A a middle-class, white a middle-class, white suburban suburban male is the male is the idealideal..

Well-Defined Gender Roles

Well-Defined Gender RolesChanging Sexual BehaviorChanging Sexual Behavior::

(Psychologist) Alfred Kinsey wrote:(Psychologist) Alfred Kinsey wrote: 1948 1948 Sexual Behavior in the HumanSexual Behavior in the Human Male Male 1953 1953 Sexual Behavior in the Human Sexual Behavior in the Human Female Female

v He published that:He published that:

v Premarital sex was common.Premarital sex was common.

v Extramarital affairs were frequent Extramarital affairs were frequent among married couples.among married couples.

Kinsey’s results are an assault on the family Kinsey’s results are an assault on the family

as a basic unit of society, a negation of as a basic unit of society, a negation of moral law, and a celebration of moral law, and a celebration of licentiousness.licentiousness. -- -- LifeLife magazine, early 1950s magazine, early 1950s

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

19511951 - - First IBM Mainframe Computer; M Seckinger First IBM Mainframe Computer; M Seckinger BORNBORN

19521952 - - Hydrogen BombHydrogen Bomb Test (Pacific) Test (Pacific)

19531953 - - DNADNA Structure Discovered; Structure Discovered; S. Hunter BORNS. Hunter BORN

19541954 – Dr. Jonas Salk created the – Dr. Jonas Salk created the Salk VaccineSalk Vaccine Tested for Polio Tested for Polio

19571957 - First Commercial - First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power Plant U. S. Nuclear Power Plant builtbuilt

19581958 - - NASANASA created; created; M Drayton BORNM Drayton BORN

19591959 - Press Conference for - Press Conference for First 7 American First 7 American AstronautsAstronauts

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

1957 1957 Russians launch Russians launch SPUTNIK SPUTNIK I I (U.S. now threatened with the possibility (U.S. now threatened with the possibility

of nuclear warfare) of nuclear warfare)

1958 1958 National National Defense Defense Education Act Education Act

Now, Americ

an

students can

“Thank” the

Russians for n

ew

U.S. school policies

requiring students

to take hard

sciences and math!

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

UFO SightingsUFO Sightings skyrocketed in the skyrocketed in the 1950s.1950s.

War of the War of the WorldsWorlds

Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor for whom for whom ?? ??

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

Atomic AnxietiesAtomic Anxieties::

““Duck-and-Cover Duck-and-Cover Generation”Generation”

Atomic TestingAtomic Testing::

1946-1962 1946-1962 U.S. exploded 217 U.S. exploded 217 nuclear weapons over nuclear weapons over thethe Pacific and in Nevada. Pacific and in Nevada.

• The 1948 Election:

• Southern Democrats in protest of Truman’s nomination for a second Presidential term formed the States’ Rights Democratic Party, better known as the “Dixiecrats”

• Their candidate in the election was SC governor, Strom Thurmond.

• Truman’s “Give’em Hell,

Harry” campaign worked and

by surprising upset,Truman

won a second term as

President.

It’s Only PoliticsIt’s Only Politics

Truman holding newpaper which prematurely predicted win for Dewey

• Truman’s Fair Deal:

• After his second election, Truman proposed Fair Deal which was an extension of Roosevelt’s New Deal

• Fair Deal proposal included:(1) national system of compulsory health insurance (failed)(2) crop subsidy system to provide farmers with steady income (failed)(3) minimum wage raised (passed)(4) money for urban renewal, clearing and renovating slum areas to make clean, affordable, housing (passed)(5) initiated flood control and irrigation projects (passed)

It’s Only PoliticsIt’s Only Politics

• Election of 1952• Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower

highly decorated and beloved Army General

• Won election by 55% of vote • V.P. running mate was Richard Nixon• Policy of “modern conservatism” –

conservative regarding money and liberal regarding human beings

Americans Like “Ike”Americans Like “Ike”

The 50s Come to a CloseThe 50s Come to a Close

1959 1959 Nixon-Khrushchev’s Nixon-Khrushchev’s “Kitchen “Kitchen Debate” Debate” involved mutual exchange of angry involved mutual exchange of angry words at the modern kitchen exhibit at U.S. Trade words at the modern kitchen exhibit at U.S. Trade Fair in MoscowFair in Moscow

Cold War Cold War ----->-----> TensionsTensions

<----- Technology <----- Technology

& Affluence & Affluence

• Kennedy – Nixon 1960 Presidential Debate

• First ever televised debate

• Experienced Nixon expected to win over inexperienced JFK

• HOWEVER, on camera Kennedy appeared calm, collected…Nixon appeared flustered, angry

• Kennedy barely wins 1960 election

• Televised performance may have cost Nixon the election

The 50s Come to a CloseThe 50s Come to a Close

The postwar era witnessed The postwar era witnessed tremendous economic growth and rising tremendous economic growth and rising social contentment and conformity. Yet social contentment and conformity. Yet in the midst of such increasing affluence in the midst of such increasing affluence and comfortable domesticity, social and comfortable domesticity, social critics expressed a critics expressed a growing sense of growing sense of uneaseunease with American culture in the with American culture in the 1950s.1950s.

Your Mission: Discuss your opinion Your Mission: Discuss your opinion as to the validity of the above statement as to the validity of the above statement and explain how the decade of the and explain how the decade of the 1950s laid the groundwork for the social 1950s laid the groundwork for the social and political turbulence of the 1960s.and political turbulence of the 1960s.

Class Discussion Topic:Class Discussion Topic: