HOOK:

1
HOOK

• Based on what you know about the 1950s from
  watching classic TV shows and old movies, reading
  books, or talking to people who lived during the
  decade, what are two adjectives that describe
  what you think the fifties were like?

2
Peace, Prosperity, and Progress

• America in the 1950s

3
The Eisenhower Era Begins

• A Return to Normalcy!
• 1950s full of optimism
• But there are challenges to this optimism!
• Ex Korean War, McCarthyism, battles for Civil
  Rights.

4
Military Buildup and Anticommunism

• New focus on building up military strength,
  (Atomic Weapons) and Containment.
• Impacts social values in the country
• Air raid drills, taught anticommunist is heroic,
  promotes moral behaviors.

5
Bomb Shelters and the Nuclear Family

• New trends BOMB SHELTERS (Fallout Shelter)
• Became a symbol of family togetherness.
• Shelters reinforce the NUCLEAR family!

6
Fallout Shelter
7
The Booming Economy

• Big Spender
• Standard of living highest in American history!!
  (60 middle class)
• GI Bill, savings during wartime, and
  Congressional tax cuts spur this spending.
• Certain sectors, including minorities, had less
  access to the increased wealth.

8
The Baby Boom

• Postwar economy left Americans with more money to
  support larger families.
• Veterans returning home from war
• Encouraged to marry young!
• Population grows to 179 million!

9
Prefabricated Houses

• The country lacked places for the rising
  population to live.
• Federal Government pushed the housing industry to
  increase construction of houses, but make them
  affordable
• William Levitt and his Levittowns!
• Designed for the needs of a homemaker, with new
  gadgets!

10
Suburban Living

• The numbers living in the suburbs increases
• depopulation of urban centersmass destruction
  with bombs less likely
• Housing there is cheaper!
• Suburbia BOOSTS the economy
• Unions less likely
• Depend more on cars
• Built better roads
• Life in Suburbia
• Barbeques and cocktail parties
• Children playing in neighborhoods
• Segregation and discrimination in suburbs
• Suburbia is criticized for its isolation,
  conformity, and lack of individuality!

11
Little Boxes
12
Womens Roles

• Women lose jobs to returning GIs so pushed to
  become homemakers!
• Media reinforces proper gender roles, so
• Drop in female college enrollment and careers.

13
(No Transcript)
14
America takes to the ROAD

• New love affair with the automobile money to
  spend, suburban living requires transportation,
  and it is status symbol of wealth!
• Has an impact on family life
• Housewives no longer stuck at home
• Teenagers get licenses
• Drive in movies and diners
• Also creates construction, traffic jams, and
  pollution!

15
Automobiles and Suburbia
16
The Rise of Television!

• By the end of the decade, 88 of American
  Families at least had 1 TV set.
• TV shows reinforce stereotypes of man as the
  worker/provider and women as the homemaker.
• Ex I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best (all middle
  class families)

17
The Rise of Rock and Roll

• http//www.spike.com/video-clips/w2z4zs/elvis-pres
  ley-the-ed-sullivan-shows-the-performances

18
Elvis Presley- King of Rock and Roll!!

• New teenage religion Rock and Roll
• Elvis given credit of creating this controversial
  new music!
• Has African American roots
• Its rhythm and blues sound
• King of Rock and Roll!