This paper will be a detailed description of what dance was like in the 1950’s specifically focusing on 1954 to 1959. It will also go beyond to demonstrate how the style of dancing is a direct reflection of the society during that time period. The topic will be presented in class and a brief reflection will be included in this paper. When most people think 1950’s the popular show “Happy Days” comes to mind; although, these were anything but happy days. The 1950’s were an era of prosperity, growth, and chaos in the United States; men were returning from World War 2 and many new babies were born. The population during this time was about 151,684,000 with an unemployment figure around 3,288,000 (Bradley). Industries began to expand in order to meet the needs for all the new people looking for work and thirty percent of the work force was in industry and commerce. Corporate America was emerging and corporation profits increased such that change could be seen on a macro scale. The economy was booming steady until the recession in 1957; although, this recession was nowhere near as great as the depression. During this decade the ratio of male to female in the work force was approximately 5 to 2 which tells us that women were still mostly at home taking care of the children while the men worked and paid for the family to live off of; because more men worked they had a typical life expectancy of 65.6 where as women lived to be about 71 (Bradley). However, service sectors and women’s employment were on the rise. The middle class became clearly distinguishable during this time. Harry Truman was president until 1952 when Dwight D. Eisenhower took office. While Truman was in office he approved and sent the hydrogen bomb to Korea; and the d... ... middle of paper ... ...now that as a student I just sit there and try to get everything written down before the professor moves on and am so focused on writing down everything that I don’t always hear what the professor is saying. What most students don’t realize is it’s not what the professor has put together, but what the professor has to say about the material that is really important. Works Cited “1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll, Mambo.” Dancetime Publications. 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. Bradley, Becky. “1950-1959.” American Cultural History. Lone Star College- Kingwood Library, 1998. Web. 30 Sept. 2013. “Buddy Holly Biography.” Rockhall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 2013. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. Cobb, Thom. Personal Interview. 20 Nov. 2013. Fong-Torres, Ben. “Biograpgy.” Alanfreed. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. Hayden, Nancy. “Dance Fashions of the 1950s.” eHow Style. 1999-2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
Another significant element to the 1950’s was the economy, creating a generation of materialism. The economy was thriving because the government had put
Society in America during the 1950’s was one that portrayed men and women in very different, but rigid roles. Women were housewives, secretaries, and mothers. Men were providers, war heroes, and businessmen. Television, newspapers and magazines played an important role as well in determining ways men and women should behave. Advertisements for real estate were designed to sell to the “All-American” family. For example; Dad would be the returned home veteran who is now running the company, Mom is an ideal housewife who works a couple days a week for extra vacation cash, little Billy likes baseball and his sister Susie plays with dolls. Houses designed with this type of family in mind would prove very effective in luring away many from the city to live in suburbs like this at a rapid pace. Most jobs in the work place were gender divided. Help-wanted ads placed in newspapers in the 1950’s were very gender biased as well. Some ads with attention getting headlines could have read: “Sales Girl,” and “Brides! Housewives!” Occupations offered to women at this time were very limiting.
“Buddy Holly.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition (2013):1. Master FILE Premier. Web. 24 Jan. 2014.
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Whitley, Peggy. "1920-1929." American Cultural History. Lone Star College Kingwood-Library, 07 Feb. 2011. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
The 1950s and the 1960s had many similarities, though they had many differences as well. Their similarities and differences include: the politics, the economy, the society, and the culture of both decades. In the 1950s, North Korea moved into South Korea and began a civil war between the two parallel countries. The reason for this dispute was the border lines as well as guerrilla fighting in the South, which created a greater tension on the issue. The reason why the U.S entered the Korean War was so that the Soviet Union would not gain another nation and, in turn, more power. Like the 50s, our country was also at war with another country in the 60s. This time, the U.S was at war with Vietnam. The U.S entered the war because the Vietnamese were known as an evil nation in the eyes of the American people. Communism was considered an immediate threat to the U.S in both Korea and in Vietnam. The president wanted to block the path of Communism so that it would not affect America or any of her allies. America was able to stop the Communism spreading in Korea. However, our country was not able to stop the Communism in Vietnam. The violence became so horrible, that the troops eventually had to move out of the country.
On the heels of war, new technology caused a decrease in prices of goods in the 1920’s and in the 1950’s the GI Bill increased income. The bureaucratization of business in the 1920’s meant that more people could be employed in higher paying white-collar jobs than before, including, for the first time, housewives. This new income combined with the reduced prices for goods that resulted from mechanized production, assembly lines and a general decrease of the cost of technology created a thriving consumerist middle class that went on to fuel the economy in all sectors, especially the upper classes. Likewise, during World War II Americans saved up around 150 billion dollars, and this sum combined with the income of the GI Bill allowed normal people to buy expensive things, from houses to cars to electronics to educations at a rapid rate, fueling the trademark prosperity of the 1950’s. The new automobile culture of the 50’s spawned new businesses that catered to mobile Americans, such as nicer and more standardized hotels like Holiday Inn, and drive-up restaurants like McDonalds. Just as the culture of the 1920’s was transfo...
"American Cultural History." American Cultural History. Lone Star College, June 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
It is important Because it was a very interesting topic and I could get a lot of information on it.is it relevant to other people Because some people think it's a dream some think it's a reality.When their was more people who had more than you and think their living the dream then you have the people with more stuff than you who wants to be famous or rich.Is the American dream a dream or reality it's a reality.What is the American dream.The idea that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination.I think it is important to write about because the american dreams is what you want to believe in.The american dream is described as the way of life. Michels ,Eva. What is the american dream.I choose this fact because it describes what the american dream is.
The 1800’s and early 1900’s brought about major changes to families and to the economy. People began to move away from farms and into cities where there were jobs. People began to rely solely on themselves rather than their extended families for support. As industrialization began machines began to take over work that was previously done by people. People found it increasingly hard to find work that could sustain their needs. People who were from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, had a difficult time getting their needs met. People began to have a real need for social welfare programs that were beyond what families and communities could provide. (Morales, Sheafor, 2000)
... Conference.” Reader’s Companion to American History. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991. Online. Internet. Available at HTTP: http://www.historychannel.com/. 23 Sept 2001.
Andrist, Ralph K., and Edmund O. Stillman. The American Heritage History of the 1920s & 1930s. New York: American Heritage/Bonanza, 1987. Print.
When WWII ended, Americans were left in the hands of Harry Truman. Known as an aggressive Cold War fighter, he led Americans against...
Whitely, Peggy. "American Cultural History." 1980-1989. Lone Star College-Kingwood Library, July-Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. .
Whitley, Peggy. "American Cultural History - The Twentieth Century: 1910 - 1919."American Cultural History. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2014. .