American Dream -dream of a successful life -growth of big business conglomerates: large company of often what seems unrelated businesses franchising: chain stores with central management -conformity: influenced by others, ex: dress individuality disappears in corporate life

Consumerism -buying of material goods -new products polyester, Teflon, electronics -planned obsolescence: things will go out of date – have to buy new ones! -credit cards -advertising influence

Advertising!

Car Culture -post-war boom period “Automania”, business expands rapidly, car and gas affordable -growth of suburbia: commuting a necessity -Interstate Highway System Connects states with system of high travel roads -trucking industry: interstate makes long haul possible -social effects cruising teens, drive ins and drive- thrus, car advertisements

Cars!

Suburbia -most new homes were in the suburbs, 85% -baby boom generation by 1957 there was 1 baby born per 7 seconds Baby boom leads to: -Medical breakthroughs Jonas Salk: vaccine for polio -Childrearing; do it by guidelines Dr. Spock’s influence: raise kids a certain way, widely published, encouraged communication

Levittowns

Television -Widely available in FCC strongly controls the industry (Federal Communication Commission) -Golden Age of Television: rapid expansion Milton Berle Lucille Ball Edward R. Murrow Quiz Shows -spurred other industries

Television!

Effects of T.V. -women often appears as perfect homemakers -more males represented (3:1) -few minorities seen -portrayed ideal America No poverty, no racism, no struggles -programming concerns violence, quality of shows quiz show scandals

Radio and Movies -radio continued to prosper Due to local programming -movies struggled, but had several advantages - stereo sound - color - 3-D movies

Beatniks -beat movement social and literary non- conformists San Francisco, LA, Greenwich Village, NYC -non-material lifestyle shunned regular work -set precedent for the hippy generation with very little structure -clashed with regular America described as exact opposite

The major works of Beat writing are Allen Ginsberg’s Howl (1956), William S. Burroughs’s Naked Lunch (1959) and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road (1957). The major works of Beat writing are Allen Ginsberg’s Howl (1956), William S. Burroughs’s Naked Lunch (1959) and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road (1957). Both Howl and Naked Lunch were the focus of obscenity trials that ultimately helped to liberalize what could be published in the United States. Both Howl and Naked Lunch were the focus of obscenity trials that ultimately helped to liberalize what could be published in the United States. On the Road transformed Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady into a youth-culture hero. On the Road transformed Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady into a youth-culture hero. Members of the Beat Generation quickly developed a reputation as new bohemian hedonists, who celebrated non-conformity and spontaneous creativity. Members of the Beat Generation quickly developed a reputation as new bohemian hedonists, who celebrated non-conformity and spontaneous creativity.

Howl: … What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination? Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks! … Moloch whose buildings are judgment! Moloch the vast stone of war! Moloch the stunned governments! Moloch whose mind is pure machinery! Moloch whose blood is running money! Moloch whose fingers are ten armies! Moloch whose breast is a cannibal dynamo! Moloch whose ear is a smoking tomb! …

Rock-n-Roll -Alan Freed: coined term rock-n-roll music black and white -Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley: King of Rock and Roll -Ed Sullivan Show variety show, ET of all sorts -Dick Clark American Band Stand -reaction to rock music: Teens love it, Adults hate it

Rock ‘n Roll!

Poverty -1/4 of Americans were below poverty line (what is needed to survive) -”Other America”: book describing poverty in America -White Flight -million of middle class whites moved to suburbs -loss of tax dollars hurt city services -lots of rural poor move to cities -breakdown of inner cities -Urban Renewal: HUD, improve inner city, help poor

Women in America -many working women were paid less and restricted to certain jobs women working outside of home increases - More women attending four-year colleges -role of women -glorified role of the housewife -boredom and unfulfillment -Betty Freidan “Feminine Mystique” -beginning of women’s liberation movement discussed discontentment of women

Minority Groups -immigration from Mexico: needed to harvest crops, many stayed = illegal aliens -discrimination faced by all in all areas of the nation -Indians citizenship, Indian Reorganization Act moves away from assimilation and eventually towards no gov’t help

Essential Questions 6. What was the social and economic impact of the Cold War on American culture? 7. To what extent did social movements in America women, young people, and the environment? 8. How is America different because of the social movements of this era?

Review Questions! 1. Which statement describes most of the television shows available to Americans in the 1950s? a. Simplistic and stereotyped entertainment b. On-the-scene news reporting c. Multicultural programming d. Documentary and educational programs

2. The Feminine Mystique appealed to what kind of reader? a. Men who wanted to learn more about the lives of women b. Stay-at-home mothers who wondered if there was more to life c. Working women of the city d. All of the above

3. Why were many young people attracted to the beat movement? a. Teenagers agreed with the values of their parents b. They believed in the American culture of consumerism c. Teenagers were looking for an alternative to conformity and consumerism d. They believed television had become too popular

4. The effects of the increasing car culture of the 1950s included all of the following EXCEPT a. Freedom for teens b. Drive-ins and drive-thrus c. Needing to live closer and closer to work d. The development of the interstate highway system

5. Radio and movies maintained their appeal in the 1950s through all of the following EXCEPT a. Concentrating on a more national audience b. Focusing on local news, weather, music c. Color programming with stereophonic sound d. Using advantages to do what they had been doing best

6. How did women’s lives change during the 1950s? a. The number of working women decreased. b. Women began earning equal pay with men in the same jobs. c. Women entered a wide variety of formerly “male” professions d. More women attended four-year colleges

7. Why did auto sales surge in the 1950s? a. Cars were necessary for life in the suburbs b. Americans loved cars c. The growing economy allowed people to afford cars d. All of the above

8. What is a large company of what often seems to be unrelated businesses? a. Franchise b. Chains c. Conglomerates d. consumerism