THE THE 1950s:1950s:

THE THE 1950s:1950s:

Essential Essential Question:Question:

How did How did Americans change Americans change

during the 1950’s?during the 1950’s?

Copy Pink & Black only

• 1944• Servicemen’s Readjustment Act• $4 Billion in benefits to 9 million

veterans of WWII (then Korea)• Education> Education> college, job training• low interest loans low interest loans for homes &

businesses• Result: Result: Prosperity for

children of depression

G.I. Bill G.I. Bill (of (of Rights)Rights)

G.I. Bill G.I. Bill (of (of Rights)Rights)

• GI Bill• Contolled post-war World economy• Spending war time savings

The Affluent SocietyThe Affluent Society

Baby BoomBaby Boom

In 1957, a baby was born every 7 seconds

Baby BoomBaby BoomIt seems to me that every other It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is young housewife I see is Pregnant!Pregnant!----British visitor to British visitor to America, 1958America, 1958

Dr. Benjamin Dr. Benjamin Spock Spock Best selling book:Best selling book:

•Baby & Child CareBaby & Child Care

Impact Baby BoomImpact Baby Boom• Overcrowded schools• Boomers’ Babies new boom

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

$7,990 or $60/month with no down $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.payment.

Levittown, L. ILevittown, L. I.: .: “The American “The American Dream”Dream”1949 1949 William Levitt William Levitt produced produced 150 houses per week.150 houses per week.

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

1 story high1 story high

12’x19’ living 12’x19’ living roomroom

2 bedrooms2 bedrooms

tiled bathroomtiled bathroom

garagegarage

small backyardsmall backyard

front lawnfront lawn

By 1960 By 1960 1/3 of the U. S. 1/3 of the U. S. population in population in the suburbs. the suburbs.

Suburban LivingSuburban LivingSHIFTS IN POPULATION SHIFTS IN POPULATION

DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION, 1940-19701940-1970

19401940 19501950 19601960 19701970Central CitiesCentral Cities 31.6% 32.3% 31.6% 32.3% 32.6% 32.6% 32.0%32.0%SuburbsSuburbs 19.5% 23.8% 19.5% 23.8% 30.7% 41.6% 30.7% 41.6%Rural Areas/Rural Areas/ 48.9% 43.9% 48.9% 43.9% 36.7% 26.4% 36.7% 26.4%Small TownsSmall Towns

By 1970, over 40% of the population By 1970, over 40% of the population in suburbsin suburbs. . U. S. Bureau of the U. S. Bureau of the Census.Census.

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

ConsumerismConsumerism1950 1950 Introduction of the Diner’s Introduction of the Diner’s Card, first multi-use credit card.Card, first multi-use credit card.

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

•Computers Mark I (1944). First IBM mainframe computer (1951).

Corporate Consolidation

• By 1960 600 corporations (1/2% of all U.S. companies) accounted for 53% of total corporate income.

• WHY??WHY?? Cold War military Cold War military buildup.buildup.

– Ike’s Military-Industrial Ike’s Military-Industrial ComplexComplex

Interstate Interstate Highway ActHighway Act1956 1956 largest public works largest public works

project in American history!project in American history!

• Cost $32 billion.Cost $32 billion.

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

Culture of the Culture of the CarCar

Culture of the Culture of the CarCar Car registrations: 1945 Car registrations: 1945

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

2-car families double from 1951-19582-car families double from 1951-1958

1959 Chevy 1959 Chevy CorvetteCorvette

1958 Pink 1958 Pink CadillacCadillac

Culture of the Car

Culture of the CarCulture 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 automobile.of automobile.

•The Franchise business The Franchise business boomed.boomed.

Drive-In Drive-In MoviesMovies

Howard Howard Johnson’sJohnson’s

The Culture of the Car

The Culture of the Car

The U. S. population was on the move in The U. S. population was on the move in the 1950s.the 1950s.

NE & Mid-W NE & Mid-W S & SW S & SW (“Sunbelt” (“Sunbelt” states)states)1955 1955 Disneyland Disneyland opened in Southern opened in Southern California.California. (40% of the guests came from (40% of the guests came from outsideoutside California, most by car.) California, most by car.)

Frontier Frontier LandLand

Main StreetMain Street Tomorrow LandTomorrow Land

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

**9% in 1950 to 90% by 19609% in 1950 to 90% by 1960Mass Audience Mass Audience TV celebrated TV celebrated

traditionaltraditionalAmerican values. American values.

Truth, Justice, and the American wayTruth, Justice, and the American way!!

Television – The Western

Television – The WesternDavy CrockettDavy Crockett

King of the Wild King of the Wild FrontierFrontier

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

Sheriff Matt Sheriff Matt Dillon, Dillon,

GunsmokeGunsmoke

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 lifemiddle-class suburban life..

But...But...

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

Changed American Changed American eating habits.eating habits.

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

1951 -- 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe First IBM Mainframe ComputerComputer

1952 -- 1952 -- Hydrogen Bomb Hydrogen Bomb TestTest

1953 -- 1953 -- DNADNA Structure Discovered Structure Discovered

1954 -- 1954 -- Salk Vaccine Salk Vaccine Tested for Tested for PolioPolio

1957 -- First Commercial 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. U. S. NuclearNuclear Power Plant Power Plant

1958 -- 1958 -- NASA NASA CreatedCreated

1959 -- Press Conference of the 1959 -- Press Conference of the First 7First 7 American Astronauts American Astronauts

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

1957 1957 Russians launch Russians launch SPUTNIK SPUTNIK II

1958 1958 National National Defense Defense Education Act Education Act

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

UFO Sightings UFO Sightings skyrocketed in the skyrocketed in the 1950s1950s..

War of the War of the WorldsWorlds

Hollywood used aliens as a Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor metaphor

for whom ??for whom ??

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

Atomic Anxieties:Atomic Anxieties:

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

Atomic Testing:Atomic 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 THE 1950s:1950s:

Teen CultureTeen Culture

THE THE 1950s:1950s:

Teen CultureTeen Culture

Essential Essential Question:Question:In what ways was In what ways was

the culture of the the culture of the 50’s a reflection of 50’s a reflection of rebellion against rebellion against

the political, the political, economic, social, economic, social, and technological and technological

changes?changes?Copy Pink & Black only

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

the market place. the market place.

By 1956 By 1956 13 mil. teens with $7 bil. to spend 13 mil. teens with $7 bil. to spend a year. a year.

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

Elvis Presley Elvis Presley “The “The King”King”

Chuck Chuck Berry: Berry: “The “The Prime Prime

Minister Minister of Rock & of Rock &

Roll”Roll”

Teen CultureTeen Culture““Juvenile Juvenile

Delinquency” Delinquency” ??????

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando iinn

The Wild OneThe Wild One (1953)(1953)

James Dean James Dean ininRRebel Without a ebel Without a

CauseCause (1955) (1955)

1951 1951 J. D. Salinger’s J. D. Salinger’s A Catcher in the RyeA Catcher in the Rye

Teen CultureTeen CultureRebellion Against Rebellion Against

Behavioral 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 Think About Don’t Even Think About Sex!!!Sex!!!

Rebellion in Rebellion in the 50’sthe 50’s

Rebellion in Rebellion in the 50’sthe 50’sThe “Beat” GenerationThe “Beat” Generation::

Jack Kerouac Jack Kerouac On The RoadOn The Road

Allen Ginsberg Allen Ginsberg poem, poem, “Howl”“Howl”

Neal CassadyNeal Cassady

William S. Burroughs William S. Burroughs

“Beatnik”

““Clean” Clean” TeenTeen

Well-Defined Gender Roles

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

and and cared for her familycared for her family, and kept herself , 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, 1956

MarilynMarilynMonroeMonroe

The The ideal 1950s man ideal 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 The Organization Man Organization Man

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

To what extent were To what extent were the 1950’s a retreat the 1950’s a retreat

from Feminism?from Feminism?