1950’s AP US History

The “Fabulous Fifties!” What are the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the 1950’s?

Themes Political Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) Domestic: “Dynamic Conservatism” Balance budget Get rid of illegal immigrants “Operation Wetback” Assimilate Native Americans (Similar to Dawes) Federal Highway Act Foreign: “Massive Retaliation” Build up bombing capabilities: strike fear into enemies Eisenhower Doctrine: aid to ME nations at-risk to Communism

Themes Economic Growth and prosperity from post-war production Science and Technology Aerospace: commercial airliners Economy shifts to service-based over manufacturing White collar > blue collar Job opportunities for women: “Pink collar” jobs childcare, cleaning, nursing, secretarial work, teaching and waitressing Mass production of goods Standardization of products Cookie-cutter homes “Levittowns” Plastic Credit card introduced

Themes Cultural “Cult of Domesticity” Rock & Roll Wife as home maker, submissive to husband Influences feminist reactionary movement in 1960’s “Feminine Mystique” 1963 by Betty Friedan Rock & Roll New ideas/expectations of sexuality Conformity Expansion of middle class McDonalds: 1950’s California Disney Land: 1955 California TV: 1946 (6 channels)

Themes Social Movements of the 1950’s “McCarthyism” Anti-Communist crusader Joseph McCarthy American domestic spy looking for communists within government and society (anyone could be a ‘red’)! Civil Rights: Starts in the 50’s, gains ground in the 60’s Segregation still at large (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896) Jim Crow Overturned by Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 Topeka, KS Separate is NOT equal: schools, public facilities MUST desegregate Causes “White-Flight” to suburbs, out of the cities

Themes Civil Rights continued… Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955 Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957 Fed. Vs. State govs. Federal troops escort African-Americans to class Sets the stage for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s.

Themes Trouble Abroad Middle East Vietnam Europe N. Viet attempting to spread Communism into S. Viet 17th parallel American $ going to prevent spread of Communism Europe Soviets create “Warsaw Pact” in response to NATO formation Western Germany rearmed Middle East OPEC created by Middle Eastern Nations to keep Soviets from overtaking

Themes Space Race Sputnik 1 Sputnik 2 Eisenhower develops NASA October, 1957 Sputnik 2 November, 1957 Eisenhower develops NASA Billions of $ on missile development

Themes Arms/Allies Race Soviets have capabilities to launch ICBM’s Intercontinental ballistic missiles…. 1959: Castro becomes dictator over pro-American govt. Castro hates ‘Murica Allies w/ the Soviets Allows Soviets to place missiles in Cuba…(Cuban Missile Crisis) Soviets threaten to send missiles at US if we attack Cuba

Themes Elections go televised Election of 1960 First televised debates Dem: JFK vs. Rep: Richard Nixon Image becomes a major importance in elections now Kennedy wins, first Roman Catholic elected, and youngest