2.  The first Kidney transplant is performed in 1950 by Dr. Richard Lawler  The artificial pacemaker is developed in 1951, and in 1952 the first artificial heart component was used  Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine is proven effective in 1953  The structure of DNA is discovered  The oral contraceptive pill is developed in 1955  The measles vaccine in developed in 1958

3.  Tritium, a hydrogen isotope, is discovered for use in the hydrogen bomb  In 1951, the first commercially- produced, large scale business computer (UNIVAC) is marketed  In 1954, the first nuclear-powered submarine and train are built  In 1957, Sputnik is launched by U.S.S.R. and orbits the earth while carrying 2 dogs into space

4.  Stereo records are introduced in 1958  In 1958, NASA is organized  Vanguard, the first weather station in space, is launched by the U.S. in 1959  The heat seeking missile is developed in 1959

5.  The 1950 census indicated that for the first time, the population in the United States was over 150 million people.  In November 1952 election, Dwight D. Eisenhower, a new politician, gained an easy win over Adlai E. Stevenson. The Electoral College vote was 442 to 89.  Racial segregation is declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court 1n 1954. It violated the 14 th amendment.  On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white person which prompted a boycott. This led to the declaration that bus segregation laws were unconstitutional.

6.  101 congressmen from the Southern states called for massive resistance to the Supreme Court ruling on desegregation in March 1956.  Eisenhower had an easy second term win in the November 1956 election over Stevenson with a 457 to 73 electoral vote. He was inaugurated in January of 1957.  On January 3, 1959, Alaska is admitted to the United States as the 49th state followed by Hawaii on August 21, 1959.

7.  Abstract expressionism was a specifically American post-World War II art movement.  It was the first American movement to achieve worldwide influence and also the one that put NYC at the center of the art world.  Art in the 50’s has an image of being rebellious and anarchic because of the Holocaust, combined with self expression and emotional intensity

8.  Action Painting: described painters with “life energy” being the driving force of the painting. The paintings were irrational, instinctive, and impulsive moments of existence.  Color Field and Hard Edge Painting: extremely large colored areas, no signs, or shapes the eye could see. The colors didn’t have perspective so it seemed to have impressive size.

9.  Television broadcasting was the most far reaching advancement  It was a dominant mass media because of the war with propaganda

10.  Musicals were very well received  Dance went through a serious change during the 50’s  The American dance theater featured all black casts and dance was culturally based  Radios were very popular because of people carrying small transistor radios to listen to rock and roll

11.  People loved sports in the 50’s  Having leisure time and more prosperity caused people to participate in more athletic activities, and added many more fans to all sports  As television grew more popular, sports like college football got more followers; people also watched the Olympics

12.  http://www.biography.com/people/rosa -parks-9433715/videos http://www.biography.com/people/rosa -parks-9433715/videos