“Happy Day’s” The 1950’s

Essential Question: What were the events of the 1950’s that impacted North Carolinians and helped shape American culture during the decade?

President Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) Native of Missouri FDR’s last Vice-President Truman Doctrine- Contain the Spread of Communism Programs were Called the “Fair Deal” Married Bess Wallace Truman

The Cold War Icy Relations Between the Soviet Union and the United States between 1945- until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Warsaw Pact- Eastern European Countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia that the Soviet Union had invaded NATO-North Atlantic Treaty Organization, USA’s Allies Arms Race- Stockpiling of Nuclear Weapons

The Cold War Begins

The Korean War (1950-1953)

US Joins United Nations Troops to Stop Communist Advancement of the N US Joins United Nations Troops to Stop Communist Advancement of the N. Koreans and Chinese

The Korean War Highlights Americans became more fearful of communism as Mao Zedong established a communist government in China Japan had held Korea as a colony. Following WWII Soviet troops occupied and established a communist government in Korea north of the 38th Parallel. American troops controlled south of the 38th. North Korea also was supported by China.

Korean War Highlights Gen. Douglas Macarthur was the commander of US and United Nations troops was fired by President Truman after he kept insisting to invade or bomb the Chinese who were aiding the N. Koreans President Truman believed that he was the commander and chief and that such a plan could take the world into another World War

Results of the Korean War 55, 000 Americans Killed No Border Changes The war sent a clear message to China and the Soviet Union was committed to fighting the spread of Communism

Television 1949- WBTV: Charlotte, NC’s 1st TV Station 1954- WLOS: CBS,NBC, ABC-First Networks Popular Shows: I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, Mickey Mouse Club

“Rock-n-Roll” Origins in Southern Gospel, Southern Appalachian, and Jazz music Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and later moved to Memphis, Tennessee Other Rock-n- Rollers: Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry Popular African American Producer: ”Motown” short for Detroit, “The Motor Town”

Baby Boomers Increased Birth Rates following WWII and into the 1950’s

President Dwight Eisenhower (R) Thirty-Fourth President 1953-1961 Born: October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas . Married to Mamie Dowd Eisenhower West Point Graduate 1956-Created Interstate Highway System 1953- Cease Fire of the Korean War Vice- President Richard Nixon- Calif.

Soviets Launch Sputnik-1957

The Civil Rights Movement Begins Rosa Parks-1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for not going to the back of a city bus according to Montgomery, Alabama city ordinance

Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr Born in Atlanta, Georgia-1929 Baptist Pastor Organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott following the Rosa Parks incident through his church the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Practiced Non-Violent Protest

1954- Brown-vs- Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas 8 year old Linda Brown’s case that her Constitutional Rights were being denied because she had to attend a segregated school reaches the United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional and order that all public schools be integrated

Alaska and Hawaii Join the Union Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union in 1959 Alaska- 49th State Juneau Hawaii-50th State Honolulu