1. 1950s Culture and Society

2. Did you know that this came out in the 1950s?
Silly putty

4. TV Changes American Life
Scientists worked on TV since 1920s
By end of WWII, ready for home use
Between , 5 million TV’s were sold
In 1959, 40 million were sold

5. Use of TV Politics Advertising
V.P. Candidate Nixon used TV to appeal to public
Checkers Speech
1954 Senate-Army Hearings
Altered career of Senator Joe McCarthy
Advertising
Combination of picture & sound had more persuasive potential than radio
By 1960, TV = major method of advertising
Commercials developed

6. Programming I Love Lucy
Texaco Star Theater with comedian Milton Berle = 1st big hit
Nicknamed “Mr TV”
American Bandstand appeal from cultural movement of 1950s
Rock & roll
Hosted by Dick Clark > forum for artists but also showed fashion/trends
On TV until 1987

7. Programming Continued…
Introduction of Daytime dramas (soaps), crime drama, game show
TV guide helped keep track
Some questioned effects on kids
Scandal in 1950s with rigged games (Quiz Show)
1954 CBS & NBC begin color broadcast

8. Technology Computer Polio -Most contagious disease
1951 available for commercial use
Called UNIVAC (universal automatic computer)
Weighed 30,000 lbs
Cost: $50,000
International Business Market (IBM)
Polio -Most contagious disease
Worst year on record 1952 with 57,000 cases
Scientist Jonas Salk developed vaccine

9. Children Baby Boom Extra-curricular Dr. Benjamin Spock Peak in 1957
Baby born every 7 seconds
Extra-curricular
Additional opportunities in Boy/Girl Scouts, music lessons, toys
1st generation raised with TV
Dr. Benjamin Spock
Child Care: women stay at home
Not spoil, use discipline
Family dynamics

10. “Boom” Economically Socially
Threats of nuclear war but economic success
World’s greatest economic power (yet just 67% of world’s population)
Socially
Baby boom
William Levitt created community of homes (Levittowns)
Stocked with appliances

11. New Communities Levittowns affordable > GI Bill
Not diverse (wouldn’t sell to African Americans)
“Cookie cutter”
Suburbs because crowding in cities
Sunbelt: warmer S.W. part of US
Air conditioning
CA = major destination
Highways
Ike favored highway development
1956 Congress approved funding for 40,000 miles of highway system

12. 1950s Rebellion Many rebelled against sameness & conformity
Marlon Brando & James Dean (actors)
Jack Kerouac & Beat Generation took position of outsiders > borrowed language from jazz music & rejected social norms

13. ’50s Music Music = rebellion of youth
Rock ‘n’ Roll: combo of bluegrass & rhythm & blues
Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis
Doo-Wop: “bubble gum” music
Angels: “My Boyfriend’s Back”
The Penguins: “Earth Angel”
The Five Stains: “In The Still of the Night”

14. Women In general, maintained a traditional role Marriage
Average age for women to marry in 1940= 21.5, drops to 20.1 in 1950
1950: 60% of women are married
Working
Women = 50% of workforce but earn only 60% of what men do; jobs are temporary & few in upper-management
Rights
Betty Friedan begins women’s rights movement
Activist vs. Housewife (June Cleaver)