1. AMERICAN DECADES 1940-1950 On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. After just two hours of bombing, more than 2,400 Americans were dead, 21 ships* had either been sunk or damaged, and more than 188 U.S. aircraft destroyed. The attack at Pearl Harbor so outraged Americans that the U.S. abandoned its policy of isolationism and declared war on Japan the following day -- officially bringing the United States into World War II. On August 6, 1945, the United States used a massive, atomic weapon against Hiroshima, Japan. This atomic bomb, the equivalent of 20,000 tons of TNT, flattened the city, killing tens of thousands of civilians. While Japan was still trying to comprehend this devastation three days later, the United States struck again, this time, on Nagasaki.

2. n Mark Rothko was an American painter of Latvian Jewish descent. He is generally identified as an Abstract Expressionist, although he himself rejected this label and even resisted classification as an "abstract painter." With Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, he is one of the most famous postwar American artists. Nighthawks is a 1942 painting by Edward Hopper that portrays people sitting in a downtown diner late at night. It is Hopper's most famous work and is one of the most recognizable paintings in American art Within months of its completion, it was sold to the Art Institute of Chicago for $3,000, and has remained there ever since. 3. FASHION n During the 1940s fashion fell to the background as the majority of the decade was overshadowed by the second world war and instability of world power. But even in this dark era some trends were seen. American designers, became more popular. Also they were able to make improvements to sizing standards and began to use fiber content and care labels in clothing. 4. Rita Hayworth was an American dancer and film actress who achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars. Her appeal led to her being featured on the cover of Life magazine five times, beginning in 1940. 5. MUSIC STYLES Many musical styles flourished and combined in the 1940s and 1950s, most likely because of the influence of radio had in creating a mass market for music. n The musical style of rock n' roll originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s. It quickly spread to much of the rest of the world. n Folk music :The late 1940s and the early 1950s saw the beginning of popular folk music with groups like The Weavers. 6. TheMcDonaldbrothersopenedtheirfirstrestaurantin1937.Originally abarbecuedrive-in,thebrothersdiscoveredthatmostoftheirprofitscamefrom hamburgers.In1948,theyclosedtheirrestaurantforthreemonths,reopeningitin Decemberasawalk-uphamburgerstand.Asimplifiedmenu,andfoodpreparation usingassemblylineprinciples,allowedthemtosellhamburgersfor15cents,or abouthalfasmuchasatasit-downrestaurant.Therestaurantwasverysuccessful, andthebrothersstartedtofranchisetheconceptin1953 The first Mc Donald stand 7. n The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Western Allied forces in Normandy, in 1944 during the Second World War. n At the time it was the largest invasion to ever take place, the date of the initial assaults was Tuesday 6 June 1944 and included land and air forces. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated, as well as contingents from Belgium, Greece and most of the north countries. 8. n Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on 1948 by President Harry S. Truman. It abolished racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces and eventually led to the end of segregation in the services. In 1947, A. Philip Randolph, along with colleague Grant Reynolds, renewed efforts to end discrimination in the armed services. Truman's Order expanded on Executive Order 8802 by establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services for people of all races, religions, or national origins. 9. n Peter Goldmark was the one inspired to develop the CBS Color Television System . On a belated honeymoon to Canada in March 1940, Goldmark and his bride decided to see a Technicolor movie and Goldmark was awed by the beauty and richness of it. Immediately, he wanted to create a television which approached color. Returning to New York he developed a system. By June 1940 he was able to show still pictures from a color slide on a 5-inch color monitor. 10. n Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and film actor. Beginning his musical career in the swing era as a boy singer, Sinatra found success as a solo artist from the early to mid-1940s after being signed by Columbia Records in 1943. He released his first album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra in 1946. Frank Sinatra first recorded the song for commercial release by Columbia Records on 1945 It was during 1944 that Sinatra used "Put Your Dreams Away" as the theme song for his radio series. 11. n The first Bugs bunny cartoon : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OpsksrYIkw Bugs Bunny is a funny animal cartoon character, created by the staff of Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by the legendary "Man of a Thousand Voices," Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of theatrical short films, produced by Warner Bros. during the Golden age of American animation. His popularity during this era led to his becoming a cultural icon, as well as a corporate mascot of Warner Bros. Entertainment. n Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray hare or rabbit who is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality, a pronounced New York accent, his portrayal as a trickster, and his catch phrase "Eh... What's up, doc?" (usually said while chewing a carrot). Though Warner Bros. had been experimenting with a rabbit character in cartoons as early as the late 1930s, the definitive character of Bugs Bunny is widely considered to have made his debut in Tex Avery's Oscar- nominated film A Wild Hare (1940). 12. n The Grapes of WrathisanAmericanrealistnovelwrittenbyJohnSteinbeckandpublished in1939.Asaresult,hewontheannualNationalBookAwardandPulitzerPrizefornovels anditwascitedprominentlywhenhewontheNobelPrizein1962. n SetduringtheGreatDepression,thenovelfocusesontheJoads,apoorfamilyoftenant farmersdrivenfromtheirOklahomahomebydrought,economichardship,andchangesin theagriculturalindustryforcingtenantfarmersoutofwork.Duetotheirnearlyhopeless situation,andinpartbecausetheyweretrappedintheDustBowl,theJoadssetoutfor California.Alongwiththousandsofother"Okies",theysoughtjobs,land,dignity,anda future. n The Grapes of WrathisfrequentlyreadinAmericanhighschoolandcollegeliterature classesduetoitshistoricalcontextandenduringlegacy.AcelebratedHollywoodfilm version,starringHenryFondaanddirectedbyJohnFord,wasmadein1940.