1. 13-3 Mass Culture & Family Life
Warm-Up – What is a fad? Give an example.

2. Culture of Consumerism
Spending is Easy
Consumerism – buying as much as you could, sometimes on credit
Spend more because have more money to spend.
Median family income – average family income
Rises from $3,319 to $5,417
Companies found new ways to encourage buying on credit.
“Buy Now, Pay Later”

3. Buying New Conveniences
Shopping centers
Supermarkets
Money to spend
Easy credit
+ New goods shopping becomes a pastime
Labor-saving appliances
Home Appliances
Washing machines
Dryers
Refrigerators
Ranges
Televisions

4. Checkpoint
What were some reasons why consumer spending skyrocketed in the postwar era?

5. Family Life in the Fifties
“Ideal Family”
Nuclear family – household of a mother, father and their children
Backbone of American society
Women = homemakers
TV shows portrayed this stereotype
Children are the focus
Family now revolves kids
$$$ spent on kids /teens
Dr. Benjamin Spock – Common Sense Book of Baby and Child
Nurturing, comfort, love
Religious Revival
Regular church attendance increases
TV used to reach audiences
“In God We Trust” added to $1
“Under God” added to Pledge
Religion in USA vs. atheist in communist societies
Improved Healthcare
Dr. Jonas Salk – vaccine for polio
Antibiotics (like penicillin) widespread use
Importance of diet
Longer life expectancy

6. Checkpoint
In what ways did Family life revolve around children during the 1950’s?

7. Television Takes Center Stage
Mass National culture begins
Threatens movie industry - Families stayed home to watch TV
Shows for kids and adults
Howdy Doody Show, Mickey Mouse Club, Lone Ranger, westerns
I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Father Knows Best
Reflect & reinforce ideal family
NO - divorce, important African American characters, major real life problems

8. Checkpoint
How did TV reflect and reinforce the ideal of the nuclear family in the postwar period?

9. Rock and Roll Shakes the Nation
Alan Freed – “rock-and-roll” – music that originated in the gospel and blues tradition of African Americans.
Borrowed heavily from R&B music
Originally kept separate from whites in Jim Crow south
Elvis Presley , Chuck Berry, B.B. King
Parents, ministers, Congress – disliked
Symbol of youth culture and growing power of teens

10. Checkpoint
How did rock-and-roll gain popularity?