1. The American Dream in the 50’s With a little 50’s Rock n’ Roll mixed in…

2. The 1950s brought on new business trends in corporations.
Franchise: a company that offers similar products or services in many locations.
Standardized what people ate
Offered economic advancement to people who would conform
Offered job security to more Americans
Contributed to the baby boom and suburbanization
Offered consumers more choices
(What is the difference in these types of Jobs?)
By 1956 most of America had gone from blue-collar jobs to higher paying white-collar jobs
The 1950s brought on new business trends in corporations.
Conglomerates: a major corporation that holds a number of smaller related companies

3. In general the business would no longer wanted creative thinkers, rebels or anyone who would rock the corporate boat
Unions were most often affected by the use of machines. The unions were being investigated for misuse of funds and a report that unions might be supporting socialism or communism. These allegation began to reduce the power of unions.
This was the use of machines within the process or manufacturing products.
Several changes were emerging in the work place. Automation increased in many factories during the 1950’s resulting in the loss of many industrial workers job.

4. Technological Advancement
Jet planes
People were given the chance to life the
American dream.
Good Homes
Good Schools
Good Neighbors
A safe and healthy environment
for children
Within the development of a highway system, affordable cars and cheap gasoline people moved from the city to the suburbs.
The development of commercial jet planes helped in long-distance travel being less expensive and could carry more passengers

5. The Baby Boom Once the returning soldiers from… The effect…
was created the largest generation in U.S. history
lead to widespread overcrowding in schools an a teacher shortage
Once the returning soldiers from war settled into their lives an unprecedented population explosion occurred
The effect…
was created the largest generation in U.S. history contributing to suburbanization and business expansion.
lead to widespread overcrowding in schools an a teacher shortage. Communities began to create a boom of activities geared towards the needs of the youth.

6. Medical advances Dr. Jonas Salk
Medical advances would be made that would
save thousands of lives and prevent childhood disease such as typhoid fever. However, on of the breakthrough discoveries came when a vaccine for polio was created by Dr. Jonas Salk.

7. This movement created many effects on Americans, especially women, to feel dissatisfied with their lives
It also lead to the decline of cities creating racial and economic gap between suburban and city dwellers.
This movement created many effects on Americans, especially women, to feel dissatisfied with their lives

8. What opportunities will become available to women?
Career opportunities lie in nursing,
teaching and office secretaries
Women earn less than men in
comparable professions
Women attend college in greater
numbers yet receive little financial, academic and psychological support to pursue any goals

9. The Automobiles Culture
Gas is Cheap
Effect
Encouraged suburbanization
Helped the trucking industry
Helped to unify the nation
Offered Americans more possibilities for leisure activities
Stimulated other industries
created noise and air pollution and led to more traffic jams and accidents
In the 1950’s offered a major increase in leisure time due to 40 hour work weeks and multiple weeks of vacation per year
The effects of this growing free time causes growing demands upon business to expand its type and variety of leisure activities. Americans spend some 30 billion in leisure goods and activities.
This also gave people time to engage in a wide variety of recreational pursuits in active and passive activities.
The cheap supply of gas, costing fewer than 10cents a gallon and the easy credit terms to buying a car led to a rise in cars under private ownership.
Effect
building of roads and interstate highways
Encouraged suburbanization and urban decline
Helped the trucking industry to take business from the railroads
Helped to unify and homogenize the nation
Offered Americans more possibilities for leisure activities
Stimulated other industries, created noise and air pollution and led to more traffic jams and accidents

10. The Highway Act of 1956
Lt. Col. Dwight David Eisenhower argued for the highways for the purpose of national defense
25 billion for the construction of more than 40,000 miles of interstate highways over a 10-year period.
That experience, plus his observations of the German autobahn network during WWII, convinced him to support construction of the Interstate System
Eisenhower argued for the highways for the purpose of national defense. In the even of an invasion by a foreign power, the military would need good roads to be able to quickly transport troops around the country.
The act is said to have been developed by the drawing of siz lines (three vertical and three horizontal) on a piece of paper. Eisenhower told his people to base their freeway system on it.

11. Consumerism Unbound
By mid-1950 nearly 60% of America was middle class, nearly twice as much prior to WWII. With money and newly created products people searched for products that would give them prestige and free time
Helped to popularize the equating of material goods with success
Contributed to the expansion of business through media outlets
Encouraged manufacturers to produce a wider variety of goods to meet the changing tastes or habits of people
Encouraged planned obsolescence and the “throwaway society”
Increase in private debt
Boom in the advertising industry.

12. The cost of a television commercial in the 1940’s for a one-minute commercial was $9
In 1960 advertisers spent nearly 1.6 billion for television ads.
In a 2001 super bowl 30 second ad an advertiser will spend 2.2 million.

13. Could You Survive in the 50’s?
There were only 3 networks
Most families had only one TV, phone, and car
Most homes did not have air conditioning
40-60% of Americans smokes everywhere
McDonalds has only 9 items
No microwaves or diet soda
No self-serve gas stations
1946
there were fewer than 10,000 television sets in the US.
1948
only 9% of US homes have TV’s
1960
almost 90%, some 45 million homes have television sets

14. Another popular TV show was I Love Lucy starring Lucille Ball
Another popular TV show was I Love Lucy starring Lucille Ball. She would take on any challenge and did many of her own physical stunts
As much as TV became popular, radio and the movies still held their ground.
I love Lucy, could not be shown in the same bed as her husband, it was too controversial
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) regulated and licenses television, radio, and other communication industries.
Other television subjects presented were comedy, westerns, game shows, soap operas and dramas. Each of the shows had an individual sponsor.
TV success led to more and more commercials, by 1950 advertisers were spending more than 175 million per year and in 1960 it was 2 billion to influence American consumers.
An idealized white America is what was shown. TV stereotypes the portrayal of women and minorities.
As much as TV became popular, radio and the movies still held their ground. Some of the radio changes were reporting local programming and the targeting specialized audiences.
In African-American cultures hundreds of stations focused on African-American performers, helping to sell their records.
1st

15. Movie Innovations
Introducing innovation such as stereoscopic sound and Cinema-Scope to capitalize on its advantages over TV.
fads as piped-in smells and 3-D movies
Young people would attempt to identify with actors that were rebels
Distressed by the increasing number of closed theatres, studios and companies would find new and innovative ways to bring audiences back. These included attempts to literally widen their appeal with new screen formats. Cinemascope, which would remain a 20th Century Fox distinction until 1967, was announced with 1953's The Robe. VistaVision, Cinerama, boasted a "bigger is better" approach to marketing movies to a dwindling US audience. This resulted in the revival of epic films to take advantage of the new big screen formats. Some of the most successful examples of these Biblical and historical spectaculars include The Ten Commandments (1956), The Vikings (1958), Ben-Hur (1959), Spartacus (1960) and El Cid(1961).
Gimmicks also proliferated to lure in audiences. The fad for 3-D film would last for only two years, , and helped sell House of Wax and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Producer William Castle would tout films featuring "Emergo" "Percepto", the first of a series of gimmicks that would remain popular marketing tools for Castle and others throughout the 1960s.
Introducing innovation such as stereoscopic sound and Cinema-Scope to capitalize on its advantages over TV.
James Dean, who only made three movies due to a car accident at the age of 24, and Marlon Brando portrayed young rebels in popular movies.

16. A Subculture Emerges
Young writers of the time were known as “beat or beatniks”
beatnik: an anti-materialistic literary movement that began in 1948, stretching on into the 1960s
Their philosophy:
non-conformity,
Anti-materalism,
interests in higher consciousness
the shunning of structure in life
Coffee shop, pre-hippy! Creating music, lit, an appearance style, and break out of crew cut society.
Since 1958, the term beatnik has been used to describe an anti-materialistic literary movement that began in 1948, stretching on into the 1960s
Early beatniks writers
Ginsberg and Kerouac
Their philosophy:
non-conformity,
Anti-materalism,
interests in higher consciousness
the shunning of structure in life
The style of writing influenced some of the lyrics of popular 1960 musical groups such as early Pink Floyd and the Beatles was a precursor of the hippie generation.
The Beatniks were stereotyped
Men wearing goatees and berets and played the bongos
Women included black leotards and wearing their hair long, straight and unadorned.

17. A Rebellion against the Middle Class
Beatniks
Women were expected to get perms
Drank mainstream beverages such as beer, or hard liquor
Men wore slacks and button down shirts, ties, and shaven
Women dresses
Women wore their hair straight and long
Drank wine, coffee or tea
Marijuana use was associated with beatnik subculture
Men berets, and goatees.
Women tight leotards
Bebop: a complex mix of jazz, with a rapid pace that differed drastically from the straight forward composition of the swing era. It was instead characterized by fast tempos, complex harmonies, intricate melodies and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers.

18. Rock and Roll Originated in the Southern
Rock n Roll: played with an electric guitar, electric bass guitar, a drum kit and sometimes a piano or keyboard
In the early rock and roll style of the early 50s, the saxophone, later replaced by guitar in the late 50s.
Originated in the Southern US from the rhythm and blues to Rock n Roll.
Rock n Roll is most typically played with an electric guitar, electric bass guitar, a drum kit and sometimes a piano or keyboard
In the early rock and roll style of the early 50s, the saxophone was often then lead instrument, replaced by guitar in the late 50s.
Later evolved into the various sub-genres of what is now called simply ‘rock’ From the late 50s to mid 90s rock was one of the most popular forms of music in the western world.
Elvis was the biggest rock star of the 50s. His voice, charm looks and style of dancing helped him sell millions of records, starred in over 30 movies and was a main stay in Las Vegas.
Rock and Roll appeared in the US at the time when racial tensions were coming to the surface
African-Americans were protesting segregation of schools and public facilities.
Rock and Roll if formed by combining elements of white and black music. (coincidence?)
In March of 1952, in Cleveland, Alan Freed (also known as Moondog) organized the first rock n roll concert.

19. First Rock N Roll Concert
The audience and performers were black and white..
Rock n’ Roll was an overnight success
The record industry saw that there was a white market for black music that was beyond the social prejudice and racial barriers could do nothing against market forces.
The concert ended after one song in a near roit as thousands of fans tried to get into the sold-out venue.
Rock and roll was an overnight success in the US making ripples across the Atlantic, culminating in 1964 with the British Invasion.

20. This practice would lead to a violent and uneasy time within the 60s.
The Racial Gap
Throughout the 50s African Americans shows were broadcast on separate stations.
targeted specific groups and with specific marketing targets
Minority groups were not able to have their own TV
Segregation in this media and music
This practice would lead to a violent and uneasy time within the 60s.
In November, 1947, the first instance of an African American woman starring in a network, with ad copy noting that she is "queen of the kitchen" and "manages a household."
African-Americans had inspired the birth of Rock n Roll. But throughout the 50s African Americans shows were broadcast on separate stations.
These targeted specific groups and with specific marketing targets
Minority groups were not able to have their own TV sets and turned to radio as a source of entertainment and source for news.
Segregation in this media and music outlet led to further strained relationships within America
This practice would lead to a violent and uneasy time within the 60s.