1. An Era of Conformity
Despite fears that the Soviets would overcome us at any moment, it was a time of prosperity, relative peace, and conformity…you had to “go along to get along…”

2. The Election of 1952
Dwight D. Eisenhower
WWII hero (in charge of D-Day invasion)
presented the perfect image of what we wanted in a national leader:
Seen as a wise, father-like figure who reassured us that all would be OK.

3. A Consumer Decade
Pent-up demand for consumer goods (people did without during the War years)
New age of advertising…Madison Avenue (advertising agencies) persuaded us to buy!
TV’s…cars…refrigerators…dishwashers…
lawnmowers…and…and…and… and…

4. Advertiser’s new “weapon”: TV
# of TVs exploded in the 1950s…By end of the decade most families owned 1 or more
Newest and most effective way to reach people with a message
Mass medium that informed and entertained (still does, of course)
1950s TV commercials
Doctors Recommend Camels!

5. Families loved to gather around their new TV set to watch:
News and world events
Westerns (Gunsmoke ran for over 20 yrs)
Sitcoms and variety shows
SOME of the popular shows…

6. 1950s Sitcoms portrayed the ideal American family:
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Father Knows Best

7. YouTube - The Honeymooners: Brother Ralph

8. And everyone’s favorite redhead…
Lucille Ball… “Lucy”
Lucy candy 3 – YouTube

9. A New Kind of Music
Blending rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel songs, a new sound emerged: rock ‘n roll

10. The term was coined by Alan Freed, a Cleveland DJ
The music appealed to a new class in American society: teenagers with money to spend and a need to identify with something different from their parents

11. A FEW of Rock ‘n Roll’s early stars:
Bill Haley and the Comets
Jerry Lee Lewis
Fats Domino
Little Richard

12. The Everly Bothers’ harmonies heavily influenced the Beatles amongst others

13. Buddy Holly Plays the Apollo Theater (Harlem, NY)

14. Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens

15. 2 of the more colorful characters:
Chuck Berry

16. And of course…
Elvis

17. Of course, amidst this tranquil and innocent era, there was the ever-present threat of nuclear holocaust. We were reminded at school and at the movies…
(The following is a link to a compilation of gov’t. films shown to school children):
Download movies free video downloads movie classic movie free videos tv shows cartoons commercials music video media mpeg movies - Duck and Cover - Random's Re-Mix