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Social and Cultural change in the 1950s and 1960s
Social and Cultural change in the 1950s and 1960s
Social and economic conditions of the 1950s
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In United States history their has been been controversial topics. Each controversial topic has opposing views which makes it difficult to sort out information. More specifically the 1950’s was different then preceding years in history. The 1950’s offered more opportunities and excitement for the people of the day. An analysis of United States history revealed certain aspects of american life in the 1950’s: great peace, progress and prosperity as a vast part of the populations lives. On December 8th, 1941 the United States declared wars in Japan after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. The attacks on Pearl Harbor were unexpected due to the fact that the United States and Japan were in the process of becoming allies. The violent attack brought …show more content…
Peace played a gigantic role in 1950’s. World War Two had finally ended. The war had a huge loss of life, thus it left America scared and in need of recovery. This led to peace because America did not want to engage in another war. The gross national product doubled which made it around 500 billion dollars. According to the History Channel “During the 1950s… its (United States) economy was booming, and the fruits of this prosperity–new cars, suburban houses and other consumer goods–were available to more people than ever before”(dhiug). This quotation relates to the idea of progress and prosperity. During and before the war good were scarce, after the war they were prevalent. This showed a great increase in …show more content…
Africans Americans fought in World War Two were not given the same rights as whites. This was not right or fair. The Civil Right Movement was a way of making life equal for the African American population of the United States. This movement was primary in the South, due to the fact that was where the majority of the African American population was located. The main focuses of the movement was to equalize: education, social segregation, and voting rights. “The civil rights movement was a mass popular movement to secure for African Americans equal access to and opportunities for the basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship. Although the roots of the movement go back to the 19th century, it peaked in the 1950s and 1960s. African American men and women, along with whites, organized and led the movement at national and local levels. They pursued their goals through legal means, negotiations, petitions, and nonviolent protest demonstrations “ ( scholastic ). This quote demonstrates progress in the 1950’s. The problem was that the African Americans were not getting equal rights, thus a progressive solution was found. Americans demonstrated the ability to look past their past views and looks forward to modern
The Battle of Pearl Harbor was one of the most atrocious events that happened in U.S. history. On December 7, 1941, Japan made a surprise aerial attack on the United States naval base and airfields at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. More than two thousand Americans died and a thousand two hundred were wounded. Eighteen ships were badly damaged, including five battleships. The next day, President Franklin Roosevelt with the support of the Congress, declared war on Japan. It led United States’ official involvement in World War II. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because of a deteriorating relationship with the U. S. The “New World Order”, expansion and resources, and economic sanctions were factors that conducted to another disaster on the Second World War.
The 1950s seemed like a perfect decade. The rise of suburbs outside cities led to an expansion of the middle class, thus allowing more Americans to enjoy the luxuries of life. The rise of these suburbs also allowed the middle class to buy houses with land that used to only be owned by more wealthy inhabitants. Towns like Levittown-one of the first suburbs- were divided in such a way that every house looked the same (“Family Structures”). Any imperfections were looked upon as unfavorable to the community as a whole. Due to these values, people today think of the 1950s as a clean cut and model decade. This is a simplistic perception because underneath the surface, events that took place outside the United States actually had a direct effect on our own country’s history. The rise of Communism in Russia struck fear into the hearts of the American people because it seemed to challenge their supposedly superior way of life.
Stephanie Coontz's essay `What we really miss about the 1950's' is an essay that talks about a poll taken in 1996 by the Knight-Ridder news agency that more Americans preferred 1950's as the best decade for children to grow up. Coontz doesn't believe that it is a decade for people to remember fondly about, except for financial reasons and better communication within families. Coontz doesn't believe in it as the best decade because of the votes, the 50's only won by nine percent, and especially not by African Americans. Examples from family and financial issues in the 50's that makes it better than other decades from 20's to 80's. She doesn't believe that the 50's should be taken `literally' because from 50's there were changes in values that caused racism, sexism discrimination against women. Even though the 50's were good, it didn't lead to a better 60, 70, and 80.
It would take many years for African-Americans to acquire the freedoms that they had fought for over seas. Those efforts were accelerated by the war and the prosperity that it brought. Eventually Jim Crow would fall in the south and African-Americans would take their struggle to every part of the nation. It was never an over night sensation. The civil rights movement was one long continuous effort that occurred before and after World War II. The process has been a long one and still continues.
The United States’ fight against Japan during World War II, occurred between the years 1941 and 1945. The US was dragged into the war when the Japanese, or the “Japs” bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, killing over 2,300 Americans. This was unacceptable to a country as prestige as the United States. Led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, thus declared war on Japan the next day. ("Atomic Bomb-Truman Press Release-August 6, 1945.").
Out of some of the most turbulent times in history have come the greatest ages of success and prosperity. The 1920’s and 1950’s are two eras that exemplify the spirit of triumph and wealth. In both decades, a nation thrilled by the victorious conclusion of war and the return of their loved ones from war entered into an age of capitalism and materialism, bolstering the economy and with it national pride. Some of the features most common to the 20’s and 50’s were consumerism and the accompanying optimistic mindset, the extent to which new ideas entered society, and discrimination in terms of both sexism and racism. 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.
[4] The United States didn’t initially enter WWII until December 7th, 1941 when America's isolation from war ended as Japan staged a surprise attack on American military installations in the Pacific. The most destructive strike came at Pearl Harbor, the Hawaiian naval base where the majority of the US Pacific Fleet was stationed. For over two hours, Japanese warplanes either sank or damaged 18 warships and destroyed 164 aircrafts. More than 2,400 servicemen and civilians lost their lives. On December 8, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt was quoted saying, “no matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory." Though stunned by the events of December 7, Americans were also determined to avenge the terrorist attack on their country and military. On December 8, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war against Japan. The declaration passed with just one dissenting vote. Three days later, the Axis power, consisting of Germany and Italy allied with Japan, declared war on the United
On December 7, 1941, in an unexpected and sudden move, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drawing the United States into the world war that the US had insofar remained neutral. On December 8, just hours after the attack, the United States of America declared war on the Empire of Japan.
Entering the 1950s, the United States was an ever changing society. Following the end of World War II, the United States was unrecognizable from its 1930, Great Depression state. By 1950, signs of new, unfamiliar American affluence were everywhere. More money in Americans’ pockets brought a new idea of society along with it.
During the post WWII period in America, the face of the nation changed greatly under the presidency of Truman and Eisenhower. America underwent another era of good feelings as they thought themselves undefeatable and superior over the rest of the world. Communism was the American enemy and American sought to rid the world of it. Because of the extreme paranoia caused by Communism, conformity became an ideal way to distinguish American Culture from the rest. Conformity became a part of every American Life to a large extent. It became evident through the medium of culture, society and politics throughout the era of the 50s.
The Roaring Twenties is the period from 1920 to 1929 which took place between World War I and the start of the Great Depression. This time period is called the Roaring Twenties because of the many political, economic and social changes that occurred. The Roaring Twenties introduced the birth of a new modern lifestyle. “War-weary Americans wanted to enjoy themselves and began to value convenience and leisure over hard work and self-denial.” (Roaring Twenties, n.d.)
Whenever someone says the 1950s, peoples' minds tend to go to poodle skirts, drive-in movies, milkshakes, and leather jackets. The 1950s was a very influential and unique time period for the United States and is easily recognized by many people. Many things were invented or made popular during this period of time. While many believe the 1950s were a time of constant happiness and economic growth, the Cold War loomed over Americans throughout the 1950s and beyond. Though the 1950s had to deal with negatives such as the Cold War and racism towards the Civil Rights Movement, the positives, such as the booming economy and large quantity of inventions, outweigh them.
The decade of the 1950’s was the greatest decade in all of American history. Following the end of World War II in 1945, the United States was able to pull away from other nations becoming the greatest and most powerful country in the world. Sometimes referred to as the 50’s, the decade of the 1950’s distinguished itself on nearly every subject matter: Dance, technological innovations, music, culture, and food. This culturally rich and fast-paced decade will always be remembered for the way it changed America, but what made this decade the best in American history?
The African American Civil Rights Movement was a series of protests in the United States South from approximately 1955 through 1968. The overall goal of the Civil Rights Movement was to achieve racial equality before the law. Protest tactics were, overall, acts of civil disobedience. Rarely were they ever intended to be violent. From sit-ins to boycotts to marches, the activists involved in the Civil Rights Movement were vigilant and dedicated to the cause without being aggressive. While African-American men seemed to be the leaders in this epic movement, African-American women played a huge role behind the scenes and in the protests.
On December 8th, 1941 the United States of America declared war on the Empire of Japan in response to its attack on Pearl Harbor the prior day. Congress drafted the “Declaration of War” an hour after the acclaimed “Infamy Speech” of Franklin Roosevelt.