1. The 1950’s

2. GG.I. Bill of Rights Our governments way of saying thank you to soldiers Paid for education (college or trade school) Gave low interest home loans Provided low interest business loans

3. The Baby Boom Between ‘46 – ’63 U.S. population increases over 30 million 1 birth every 10 sec.

4. The Suburbs Levitt & Sons create a type of neighborhood New homes cost $8,000 Allows families to move out of apartments or older building of the inner cities Fulfills part of the Amer. dream–home ownership

5. The Eisenhower Interstate Highway Act Largest public works project in history Update & modernize Americas roadways Connects the country Played on cold war fears – Evacuation made easier – Act as emergency runways

6. Driving/Car Culture Cars become more of a necessity Symbols of freedom & status Make it easier for families to live further from work & travel Closely tied to growth of suburbs and interstates

7. Conformity Conformity was comforting for a generation that had seen the depression and a world war It provided order for their lives Having social rules to follow made life more certain

8. Television By 1960 there were 46 million homes with televisions This is how people began to get their news & entertainment Political relevance

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10. 10 I love Lucy Playhouse 90 Howdy Doody Sid Caesar American Bandstand 1950’s TV shows

11. 11 Leave It to Beaver Father Knows Best The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 1950’s TV shows presenting ideal American families

12. Religion Religion & church attendance boom Plays into the conformity of the time Evangelist like Billy Graham hold revivals around the country and use the new medium of television

13. Working Women/Motherhood Many women enter the work force by choice Gain a sense of independence and self Paid less than men More women go to college For many motherhood became a full time job

14. Changing Views of Sexuality The controversial Kinsey Report brings sexuality to the forefront Exposes the a higher degree of pre-marital sex, marital infidelity, homosexuality, & ‘deviant’ behavior

15. Conglomerates Corporations grow in the post war boom In order to protect against economic downturns many companies diversify In order to further diversify, large companies buy smaller companies in new markets Creates a large number of white collar middle managers & company men who move often

16. 16 REASONS FOR THE UNPRECEDENTED POST-WAR PROSPERITY PENT UP DEMAND FOR CONSUMER GOODS BROUGHT ABOUT BY WWII SHORTAGES. THE NUMBER OF CARS PRODUCED QUADRUPLED AND CHEAP MORTGAGES LED TO A RAPID EXPANSION OF HOME CONSTRUCTION. INCREASED DEFENSE SPENDING TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COLD WAR. THE MARSHALL PLAN LED TO A HUGE EXPANSION IN EXPORTS. FULLY TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS QUALIFIED AS MIDDLE CLASS IN THE POSTWAR ERA. IN THE 1920’s, LESS THAN ONE-THIRD COULD BE CONSIDERED MIDDLE CLASS.

17. 17 Affluence

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19. Emergence of Rock Rock ‘n’ Roll music emerges as a new sound Appeals to the younger generations and provides a way for average youth with a way to rebel Starts as ‘black’ music combines blues with pop & western Elvis introduces white audiences

20. 20 Elvis eventually went on to sell 77 million albums in the 20 th century.

21. Rebellious Youth Some ‘Boomers’ rebel against the conformity of their parents generation and seek more individuality Beatniks experiment with music, poetry, clothing, sex and drugs Alan Ginsberg - Howl

22. 22 Fear of Juvenile Delinquency 1950’s movies which reinforced the idea there was an epidemic of juvenile violence

23. 23 Allen GinsburgJack Kerouac

24. My daughter did the reading….did you?

25. Advancing U.S.S.R. 1949 Russia develops a nuclear weapon In 1959 Russia launches, Sputnik, the first orbiting satellite into space The pragmatic & shrewd Nikita Khrushchev gains power after Stalin dies, and declares “We will bury you.” Support the revolution in Cuba in which Castro seizes power

26. Election of 1960 Nixon, a politician with a proven track record Kennedy, a young unproven politician The issue of Catholicism First televised presidential debates

27. The Kennedy Administration Camelot – the nickname for Kennedy & his cabinet, thought to be America’s ‘best & brightest’ Space Race – Kennedy answers the Russians by giving more funding to the space program and declaring that we would land a man on the moon Pushes for greater civil rights Not strong enough to prevent the Berlin Wall Begins sending soldiers into Vietnam

28. The Kennedy Administration(Cuba) Bay of Pigs – In an attempt to oust communist dictator Fidel Castro, Kennedy authorizes the CIA to train Cuban exiles – The CIA thought that Cubans would rally around and join the exiles to overthrow Castro…they did not – The exiles land at the Bay of Pigs but are expected, 1,400 are slaughtered

29. The Kennedy Administration(Cuba) Cuban Missile Crisis – Spy plane sees armed missile silos in Cuba – Russia is providing protection for Cuba and threatens retaliation if we act against them – Russian ships with nuclear warheads are headed for Cuba – Kennedy forces a showdown by having the U.S. Navy blockade Cuba to prevent delivery of warheads