THE 1950s:

THE 1950s:

““Conservatism, Conservatism, Complacency,ContentmeComplacency,Contentme

nt and Teenagers”nt and Teenagers”

1A. Baby Boom1A. Baby 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

1B. Baby Boom1B. Baby Boom

Dr. Benjamin Dr. Benjamin SpockSpock

and the Anderson and the Anderson QuintupletsQuintuplets

Notice the dramatic change in school enrollment after the 1950’s!

Federal Assistance• GI Bill: Loans to

Veterans for Education– Loans for Housing

• Federal Housing Loans:– White Americans used

the loans to buy in Suburbs

– African-Americans, Rural Poor use to move to cities

2A. Suburban Living2A. Suburban 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.

2A. Suburban Living:The New “American Dream”

2A. 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

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

2B. Suburban Living2B. Suburban 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.

2c. Suburban Living:The Typical TV Suburban Families

2c. 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

modern laundry room of the 1950's

Embracing home life and consumer

culture

Embracing home life and consumer

culture

3a. Consumerism3a. Consumerism

1950 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)

3B. Consumerism3B. Consumerism

3B. Consumerism3B. Consumerism

1952

1955

1956

1957

1954

4A. A Changing Workplace

4A. A 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.

4B. A Changing Workplace

4B. A Changing Workplace

New 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

5A. The Culture of the Car

5A. 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

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

5B. The Culture of the Car

5B. The Culture of the Car

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

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

Drive-In Drive-In MoviesMovies

Howard Howard Johnson’sJohnson’s

5C. The Culture of the Car

5C. The Culture of the CarThe 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

6A. Television6A. Television 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.

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!

6B. Television – The Western

6B. Television – The Western

Davy CrockettDavy CrockettKing 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

6C. Television - Family Shows

6C. 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… Loosers?Loosers?

7A. Teen Culture

7A. Teen 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”

7B. Teen Culture

7B. Teen 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

7C. Teen Culture

7C. Teen CultureThe “Beat” GenerationThe “Beat” Generation::

f Jack Kerouac Jack Kerouac On The RoadOn The Road

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

f Neal CassadyNeal Cassady

f William S. Burroughs William S. Burroughs

““BeatniBeatnik”k”

““Clean” Clean” TeenTeen

7D. Teen Culture

7D. Teen 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!!!

8A. Religious Revival

8A. 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.

8B. Religious Revival

8B. Religious Revival

HollywoodHollywood: 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

9A. Well-Defined Gender Roles

9A. Well-Defined Gender Roles

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

A a middle-class, a middle-class, white suburban white suburban

male is the male is the ideal.ideal.

9B. Well-Defined Gender Roles

9B. Well-Defined Gender Roles

Changing Sexual BehaviorChanging Sexual Behavior:: Alfred Kinsey:Alfred Kinsey: 1948 1948 Sexual Behavior in the Sexual Behavior in the HumanHuman Male Male 1953 1953 Sexual Behavior in the Sexual Behavior in the Human Human Female Female

v Premarital sex was common.Premarital sex was common.

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

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

10A. Progress Through Science10A. Progress 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

1958 -- First Plastic 1958 -- First Plastic CokeCoke bottle bottle

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

10B. Progress Through Science10B. Progress Through Science

1957 1957 Russians launch Russians launch SPUTNIK SPUTNIK II

1958 1958 National National Defense Defense Education Act Education Act

10C. Progress Through Science10C. Progress 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 ????

10D. Progress Through Science10D. Progress 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 50s Come to a CloseThe 50s Come to a Close

1959 1959 Nixon- Nixon-Khrushchev Khrushchev “Kitchen Debate”“Kitchen Debate”

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

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

& Affluence & Affluence

The postwar era witnessed The postwar era witnessed tremendous economic growth and tremendous economic growth and rising social contentment and rising social contentment and conformity. Yet in the midst of such conformity. Yet in the midst of such increasing abundance and comfortable increasing abundance and comfortable domestic lives; some social critics domestic lives; some social critics expressed a growing sense of unease expressed a growing sense of unease with American culture in the 1950s.with American culture in the 1950s.

Assess the validity of the above Assess the validity of the above statement and explain how the decade statement and explain how the decade of the 1950s laid the groundwork for of the 1950s laid the groundwork for the social and political turbulence of the social and political turbulence of the 1960s.the 1960s.

Class Discussion Topic:Class Discussion Topic:

ComparisonComparison

The 1950s and 1920s share a great deal in common.

What are some ways that these two eras in America history

are similar?