Overview Economic Recovery Election of Eisenhower Growth of Suburbs Educational Opportunities Mass Culture Consumerism Post-war discontentment

Topics for Group Powerpoint Slide Create a slide using information from book about your assigned topic. G.I. Bill Baby Boom Dwight D. Eisenhower Growth of Suburbs Impact of Television in 1950s Impact of automobile

Economic Recovery after WWII Economy improved Only developed nation untouched by devastation of war Instead of spending energy and money on rebuilding – focused on production of consumer goods 50% of world’s total output of goods Computers and wartime technological advances were applied to consumer products

G.I. Bill Veteran’s were given $65 a month ($90 if they had a family) Most spent this allowance on higher education - 51 percent of GIs Created a new standard. College education became an expectation for the children of the men who were able to earn their degree because of the GI Bill. An important provision of the G.I. Bill was low interest, zero down payment home loans for servicemen. This enabled millions of American families to move out of urban apartments and into suburban homes.

1957  1 baby born every 7 seconds Baby Boom

Fertility rate ( # of birth’s per 1,000 women) peaked at 123 in An American baby was born every 7 seconds. Why? –More men in society due to end of WWII. –GI bill allows men to start a family. Married at a younger age then their parents ( 1 in 3 women married by age 19) –Medical science improved increasing the survival rate of babies. –Prosperous economy encouraged parents to have babies sooner.

Election of Dwight D. Eisenhower

Growth of Suburbs 62% of families in 1960 owned home (43% in 1940) 1949  William Levitt produced 150 houses per week. $7,990 or $60/month with no down payment.

Music Time writer groused in 1956 that rock did for music “ what a motorcycle club at full throttle does for a quiet Sunday afternoon, Elvis challenged the status quo and set trends that shaped youth culture

Top Songs of the 1950s 1.Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel Ray Charles - What'd I Say Little Richard - Tutti Frutti The Crickets - That'll Be the Day Bill Haley and His Comets (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock Elvis Presley - Hound Dog Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On Elvis Presley - That's All Right (Mama) Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes 1956

Song Analysis What is the song about? What about the song appealed to so many people? What types of things were cool to teenagers in the 1950s based on the song? Would parents protest the lyrics? Why or why not? Do you know the artist or do you think it was a one-hit wonder? What do you know about the artist?

Role of middle class women Popular culture glorified marriage and parenthood more then any other era. Women were told to be “helpmates” to their husband’s and full time mothers to their children –“A woman isn’t a woman until she is married and had children.” (The Tender Trap) –Working women were called “a menace” (Esquire) –The ideal wife was married at 16, raised 4 children, cooked and sewed, headed the PTA and exercised to keep her size 12 figure(Life).

Women’s roles continued… Education fueled the emerging new gender roles. –Girls learned typing and cooking while boys took carpentry and business courses. –Guidance counselors cautioned women to not “miss the boat” of marriage by pursuing higher education. –2/3 of college women failed to get a degree. Common joke was that they dropped out to get their M.R.S. degree or their Ph. T (Putting Hubbie Through)

Television

TV became the dominant mass media Portrayed on TV became the norm - ideal family, ideal schools, ideal neighborhoods