The 1950sCulture

The 1950sCulture

GI Bill of Rights

• Provided a year of unemployment payments to veterans unable to find work

• Received financial aid for college• Gave government loans to

veterans for building homes and starting businesses

• Helped WWII veterans integrate back into society successfully

Taft Hartley Act

• Workers wanted higher wages but businesses did not give raises

• Workers went on strike• Congress passed the Taft Hartley

Act, law that outlawed the closed shop- a workplace in which only union members can be hired

• Truman vetoed; Congress overrode veto

Baby BoomBaby Boom

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

Suburban LivingSuburban Living

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

Levittown: Levittown: ““The American DreamThe American Dream””

1949 1949 William LevittWilliam Levitt produced produced 150 houses per week. 150 houses per week.

ConsumerismConsumerism

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

1956 1956 Interstate Highway ActInterstate Highway Act largest largest public works project in American public works project in American history history

• Proposed by EisenhowerProposed by Eisenhower

• Cost $32 billion.Cost $32 billion.

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

1959 Chevy 1959 Chevy CorvetteCorvette

1958 Pink 1958 Pink CadillacCadillac

The Culture of the Car

The Culture of the Car

First McDonaldFirst McDonald’’s 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

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.

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

the American language. the American language.

1951 1951 ““ROCK ROCK ‘‘N ROLLN ROLL””

Elvis PresleyElvis Presley ““The The KingKing””

Religious Revival

Religious RevivalChurch membershipChurch membership: : 1940 1940 64,000,000 64,000,000

1960 1960 114,000,000 114,000,000

Television Television PreachersPreachers

Reverend Billy Reverend Billy GrahamGraham ecumenical ecumenical message;message; warned against the warned against the evils of Communism.evils of Communism.

““In God We Trust” In God We Trust” added to moneyadded to money

““Under God” added to Under God” added to Pledge of AllegiancePledge of Allegiance

Well-Defined Gender Roles

Well-Defined Gender Roles

The The ideal modern womanideal modern woman married, cooked and cared married, cooked and cared for her family, and kept for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the herself busy by joining the local PTA and leading a local PTA and leading a troop of Campfire Girls. She troop of Campfire Girls. She entertained guests in her entertained guests in her familyfamily’’s suburban house and s suburban house and worked out on the worked out on the trampoline to keep her size trampoline to keep her size 12 figure.12 figure. -- -- LifeLife magazine, 1956 magazine, 1956 Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe

The The ideal 1950s manideal 1950s man was the provider, was the provider, protector, protector,

and the boss of the house. -and the boss of the house. -- - LifeLife magazine, 1955magazine, 1955

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

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

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

1957 1957 Russians launch Russians launch SPUTNIK SPUTNIK II

Schools begin to focus on math Schools begin to focus on math and science in order to be more and science in order to be more advanced than the Soviets.advanced than the Soviets.

Progress Through ScienceProgress Through Science

Atomic AnxietiesAtomic Anxieties::

““Duck-and-Cover Duck-and-Cover GenerationGeneration””

Bert the Turtle FilmBert the Turtle Film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60

Other Information• Americans moved to Sunbelt region• Service sector grows• “Ideal” families• Improved healthcare• Some discontent among groups

– Farmers suffer hardships and move to cities– African Americans, Latinos, and Native

Americans continue to suffer discrimination– Poverty is widespread in urban and rural areas– Writers and artists protest life values in 1950s

• Beats