THE 1950s:

THE 1950s:

POST WAR POST WAR AMERICAAMERICA

POST WAR POST WAR AMERICAAMERICA

Postwar America

• Returning Veteran Issues:– 10 million released from service in 1946– Employment– Housing shortages– Family life

• 1 million war time marriages ended in divorce by 1950

– Economic problems• Rising inflation and falling wages

– Consumer goods shortages

Readjustment and Recovery

• GI Bill of Rights– Encouraged veterans to get

additional education (tuition support from the gov’t)

– Guaranteed one year of unemployment compensation

– Provided low interest loans

Political Issues

1946 - Postwar unemployment peaks; strikes breakout

1946 – Truman appoints Committee on Civil Rights

1947 – Congress passes Taft-Hartley Act greatly restricts the power and activities of labor unions. Congress passed over Truman’s veto .

1948 – Truman integrates the Armed Forces; Dixiecrats (southern Democrats form State’s Rights Democratic Party)

1948 – Truman reelected

1948 Presidential Election

Greatest Election Upset?

Almost all polls had Dewey as the Victor!!!

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

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

Levittown, L. I.: Levittown, L. I.: “The American “The American Dream”Dream”

1949 1949 William LevittWilliam 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. population 1/3 of the U. S. population in in the suburbs. the suburbs.

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

SHIFTS 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% 32.0% 32.6% 32.0%SuburbsSuburbs 19.5% 23.8% 19.5% 23.8% 30.7% 30.7% 41.6%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

U. S. Bureau of the Census.U. S. Bureau of the Census.

Baby BoomBaby BoomIt seems to me that every other It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant.young housewife I see is pregnant.

-- British visitor to America, -- British visitor to America, 19581958

1957 1957 1 baby born every 7 1 baby born every 7 secondsseconds

Baby BoomBaby Boom

Dr. Benjamin Dr. Benjamin SpockSpock

and the Anderson and the Anderson QuintupletsQuintuplets

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

CardCard

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.

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 (1/2% of all U. S. companies) accounted for 53% of total corporate income.

WHY?? Cold War military buildup.

A Changing WorkplaceA Changing WorkplaceNew Corporate CultureNew Corporate Culture::

“The Company Man”“The Company Man”

1956 1956 Sloan Wilson’sSloan Wilson’s The Man in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit the Gray Flannel Suit

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, 1956

MarilynMarilynMonroeMonroe

The 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 The Organization Man Organization Man

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

The Culture of the Car

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

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

2-family cars doubles from 1951-19582-family cars doubles from 1951-1958

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’sJohnson’s

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.

NE & Mid-W NE & Mid-W S & SW S & SW (“Sunbelt” states)(“Sunbelt” states)

1955 1955 Disneyland opened in Southern Disneyland 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.

1960 1960 50,000,000 TV sets in the U. 50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S.S.

Mass Audience Mass Audience TV celebrated TV celebrated traditionaltraditional

American values. American values.

Television is a vast wasteland.Television is a vast wasteland. Newton Minnow, Chairman of the Newton Minnow, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Communications Commission, 19611961

Truth, Justice, and the American way!Truth, 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

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

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 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 PresleyElvis Presley “The King” “The King”

Teen CultureTeen Culture““Juvenile Delinquency” Juvenile Delinquency” ??????

Marlon BrandoMarlon Brando inin

The Wild OneThe Wild One (1953)(1953)

James DeanJames Dean in inRRebel Without a ebel Without a

CauseCause (1955) (1955)

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

Teen CultureTeen Culture

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!!!

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 ecumenical ecumenical message;message; warned against the evils of Communism. warned against the evils of Communism.

Religious RevivalReligious RevivalHollywoodHollywood: apex of the biblical : apex of the biblical

epics.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

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

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

1952 -- 1952 -- Hydrogen BombHydrogen Bomb Test Test

1953 -- 1953 -- DNADNA Structure Discovered Structure Discovered

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

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

1958 -- 1958 -- NASANASA Created Created

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

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 Hollywood used aliens as a metaphor 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.