1. The Baby Boom and the Culture of the 1950’s

2. Atomic Culture One must be prepared to survive a nuclear attack
Families and towns set up bomb shelters
Schools and communities practiced “Duck & Cover” drills

3. Atomic Culture
This diagram published in The Detroit News in 1952 showed how an air raid warning system set up by Michigan Bell Telephone would work. When an unidentified plane is spotted the information would be rushed to the Grand Rapids Filter Center, which would relay the message to police posts. Police would then send out the alarm to various industries and public agencies via a flashing light on Michigan Bell switchboards. 

4. Atomic Culture
This chart purported to show the various levels of radioactivity that could be expected following a widespread nuclear attack.

5. Atomic Culture
This chart published in The Detroit News April 17, 1951, shows the hypothetical effects of a hypothetical nuclear attack on Detroit. 

6. Servicemen’s Readjustment Act— The “GI Bill”
Created in 1944 to help ease soldiers back into every day life
Job priority given to veterans
52 weeks of unemployment benefits
Monthly allowance
Zero down-payment low-interest loans to buy homes or businesses

7. The GI Bill…
Veteran’s were given $65 a month ($90 if they had a family)
Federal hourly minimum wage - $.40
Average yearly salary - $2,657
Median sales price of a home - $8,900
The GI Bill had a BIG impact…
By 1947 nearly half of all college students were veterans
Four million veterans bought homes with low interest government loans

8. Welcome to Suburbia
A survey taken in the 1950's found that Levittown residents were most concerned with 2 problems: unleashed dogs and world Communism-- in that order.
Rapid domestic growth leads to a “baby boom”
Creates a record demand for new goods and services
Leads expanding suburbanization
Suburbs accounted for 85% of new home construction
Escape crime and congestion
Commute to work
Cookie-cutter communities

9. Levittown, PA

10. Baby BOOM! In 1957 an American baby was born every 7 seconds! Why?
More men in society due to end of WWII
GI bill enabled men to start a family
Prosperous economy encouraged parents to have babies sooner
People married at a younger age (1 in 3 women married by age 19)
Improvements in medical science

11. Baby BOOM!

12. Family Life
Only the bible outsold Dr. Benjamin Spock’s book: Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care (1946)
The book urged mothers not to work outside the home, to comfort crying babies so that they wouldn’t feel rejected, and to spank and scold less to create a “democratic” family.

13. Role of Women marriage and parenthood Popular culture glorified
“A woman isn’t a woman until she is married and had children.” (The Tender Trap)
"They should use [their minds] in every conceivable way … so long as their primary focus of interest and activity is the home." (Life)
Guidance counselors cautioned women to not “miss the boat” of marriage by pursuing higher education.

14. Acting and looking "every inch the lady" was taught from an early age and wearing a dress was a given.
Fashion
Jeans were strictly for home…
Girls wore dresses to school.
EVERYBODY wore grey or blue suit. CONFOMRITY was the rule!
No man was “dressed” unless a hat adorned his head

15. Style Savvy
Straight hair was absolutely out—the look was short and curly or wavy
Pin curling and rolling! Remember - no blow dryers in the 50s.
The ducktail or “DA”—lots of grease was needed to hold the style

16. Television Revolution
TV became the center of consumer culture
TV ownership rose as the cost of owning them dropped
In 1952 TV Guide outsold every other magazine
The TV Dinner was introduced in 1954 and altered America’s eating habits

17. Television vs. Reality
Shows like Leave it to Beaver, and I love Lucy portrayed a perfect family life and not the reality of everyday homes
Moms were always pretty and doing domestic things
Children were adventurous… but obedient!
Dads never worked late, never lost their temper, and always knew all the right answer

18. Hooray for Hollywood Suffered because of TV, however…
Marlon Brando in The Wild Ones
Teen dream Sandra Dee
Teen angst: James Dean

19. Hollywood & The Cold War
From spies to invasions, it was easy to find the Cold War on the Big Screen

20. Consumerism and Advertising
Families began to eat out more often as their affluence increased
Rise of franchises like McDonalds appealed to the nation’s sense of conformity. Consumers could eat the same meal while on vacation as they could in their home town.
Appliances, Autos and homes were marketed to consumers both on television and in magazines

21. Selling the Good Life
Five years after the war, Americans spent 33% more money on food and 20% more money on clothing, but spending on household furniture and appliances increased a staggering 240%.

22. Car Culture

23. Fast Food

24. The Space Age
Sam the monkey was the first primate into space. Sam was launched in a rocket and ejected into space for a 15 minute flight
In the 1950's the transistor would be invented which allowed for small radios and changed the way computers looked (the seeds of the home computer).

25. Medical Miracles RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY
In the 1950's new, powerful antibiotics and vaccines to fight infection were developed. New techniques to fight cancer and heart disease were introduced.
PACEMAKER
CPR
Implanted in Abdomen – sent electronic pulses to heart
POLIO VACCINE

26. Leisure Time

27. Teenage Life “He’s a dream !” “What a blast” or “It’s Boss”
“What a wild cat”
“Like, crazy man”
“I’ve gotta cut out”
“Ya dig?”
“Oh, I’m frosted”
“He’s the most”
“Don’t be a square”

28. Beat Generation
early counterculture

29. The Great American Past Time
Debuts in 1947
Yankees win 6 Titles

30. Rocking Around the Clock