The 1950's and 1960's: A Time of Great Changes Shaping the America We Have Today

998 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Role of women in the 1950s

When most people think of the 1950’s or 1960’s, they think of Elvis, Greasers, jukeboxes, Woodstock, and rainbow peace signs and hippie love. Although these symbols are somewhat accurate (and very popular), not many people think about the changes society and culture went through. The 1950’s and 60’s were a time of great change and freedom for many Americans. Everything from World War II, to the gay liberation movement, to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to change society. Many of the views American’s had on topics such as war, gender roles and sexual preference were changed greatly after these events and have led to our culture being what it is today. The 1950’s and 1960’s were a time where great changes took place that helped to shape our nation into what it is today.
The biggest cause of change in the 1950’s and 60’s was the end of the second World War in 1945. During these times of war, the men of society were off fighting for freedoms and beliefs. This left women at home with a great and rare opportunity. Many women took this opening to expand their horizons by joining the workforce. They took many jobs that the men had previously held and broke the gender barrier. Another big change, believe it or not, was women starting to wear pants, something that was not common due to the unspoken rules of female dress attire. Most women were expected to wear skirts or dresses, but this changed as women became active in the labor force. A woman’s becoming in the workforce during the 1950’s and 60’s caused great changes in our culture and society. It allowed women to begin to be involved in the working world, which ultimately led to women today having this same opportunity. However, women currently have the chanc...

... middle of paper ...

...ast has proven to be greatly influential to our current and future as a country. The 1950’s and 1960’s were eras of great transformation and liberation for fellow Americans. Events like World War II, the gay liberation movement, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to change society. Today, women can be U.S. Secretaries of State or CEO’s of huge, successful companies; the first openly gay professional football player can be drafted into the NFL, or the mixed race “power couple” that is Kim and Kanye have the chance to make millions off doing whatever it is that they do. The 1950’s and 1960’s were a time of great changes that helped to change and shape our nation into the land of great opportunity that we know it as today.

Work Cited
Brinkley, Alan. American history: connecting with the past. 14th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2012. Print.

Show More
Related

  • The Battle of Fox Hill and Toktong Pass

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Edward, Rebecca and Henretta, James and Self, Robert. America A Concise History. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2012.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Domesticity In The 1950's

    1482 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some historians have argued that 1950s America marked a step back for the advancement that women made during WWII. What contributed to this “return to domesticity” and do you believe that the the decade was good or bad for women? The end of World War II was the main contributing factor to the “return to domesticity”. During the war, women played a vital role in the workforce because all of the men had to go fight overseas and leave their jobs. This forced women to work in factories and volunteer for wartime measures.

    Read More

  • Students and the Civil Rights Movement During the 1960's

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1960's was a decade of tremendous social and political upheaval. In the United States, many movements occurred by groups of people seeking to make positive changes in society.

    Read More

  • Life During the 1950s in America

    1948 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Status Quo In The 1950's

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    America in the 1950s is often characterized with many important social, political, cultural, and economic events. Many aspects of life changed in the 1950s with the ending of World War Two causing veterans to return home, but also the country continued some of its long time traditions. As veterans returned home, men returned to their job, the economy began to boom, and large families began to move to the suburbs. Socially, culturally, economically and politically America in the 1950s challenged, more than embraced the status quo.

    Read More

  • Vaccinations In The American History Of The 1950s

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1950s were a decade in American history that was filled with many of successes. Everybody was excited and relieved now that the war was finally over and that their loved ones were safely home with their families. Families in the 1950s were very conservative and always had the perfect family image, until the “teenagers” came along. Teens were not the most likable people in society, because they listened to crazy, tasteless music and were known as rebels. The crazy, tasteless music changed music forever. Since the 50s were right after WWII, many foreign policies emerged, some provided assistance to countries that were in need. The U.S. was also dealing with and epidemic for years, until the early 50s when a vaccine was created which also changed the way vaccinations were given to the public. The 1950’s were the most influential decade towards contemporary America because, throughout this decade not only did we discover vaccinations that saved hundreds of live, but we also had the rise of Rock N’ Roll which changed music forever including a foreign policy which helped rebuild economies in Europe called the Marshall Plan.

    Read More

  • Stephanie Coontz's What We Really Miss about the 1950s

    560 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Inequality for African Americans

    1853 Words  | 4 Pages

    Newman, John. UNITED STATES HISTORYPreparing for the Advanced Placement Examination. Second Edition. New York: AMSCO SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS, INC, 2010. eBook. .

    Read More

  • What Were The Major Changes In The 1950's

    278 Words  | 1 Pages

    The 1950's were a time of great change in the United States. Firstly, there was the television. Television was a major product of influence during the 1950's. It affected the way people lived and how they behaved. The programs played on television affected the way people and families behaved, either positively or negatively.

    Read More

  • The Counterculture

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the sixties, Americans saw the rise of the counterculture. The counterculture, which was a group of movements focused on achieving personal and cultural liberation, was embraced by the decade’s young Americans. Because many Americans were members of the different movements in the counterculture, the counterculture influenced American society. As a result of the achievements the counterculture movements made, the United States in the 1960s became a more open, more tolerant, and freer country. One of the most powerful counterculture movements in the sixties was the civil rights movement.

    Read More

  • Rock And Roll's Influence On American Culture

    453 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the beginning of the 1960’s Americans believed they were in the dawn of the Golden ages. John F. Kennedy had just recently been elected and it was believed that America was once again great. Unfortunately for most adults, this was false. In fact the 60’s was a troubling time that only brought headaches. Rock and Roll had just become popular which inevitably led to many changes. Teenagers began to rebel against modern family values and began expressing their sexuality. The fashion industry drastically changed and young teens were exposed to sex and drugs. Rock and roll also had an immense influence on the African American race.

    Read More

  • The 1960’s: Decade of Disillusionment

    982 Words  | 2 Pages

    The 1960’s and early 1970’s were a time that eternally changed the culture and humanity of America. It was a time widely known for peace and love when in reality; many minorities were struggling to gain a modicum of equality and freedom. It was a time, in which a younger generation rebelled against the conventional norms, questioning power and government, and insisting on more freedoms for minorities. In addition, an enormous movement began rising in opposition to the Vietnam War. It was a time of brutal altercations, with the civil rights movement and the youth culture demanding equality and the war in Vietnam put public loyalty to the test. Countless African-Americans, Native-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, women, and college students became frustrated, angry, and disillusioned by the turmoil around them.

    Read More

  • The Counterculture Of The 1960s

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    As you can see, the 1960s was a turning point for America. Not only did we break free of social norms in society but also the generation fought for what they thought was right. Yes maybe they were looked at a little bit strangely but in the end the ended up changing America and molding it into the place that we all call home today. "If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal.” –John Lennon

    Read More

  • Women In The 70's Essay

    1385 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the 1960’s women were still seen as trophies and were beginning to be accepted into the work industry. They were still homemakers, raised the family, and made sure their husbands were happy. That was the social norms for women during that time period. They were not held to high work expectations like men were. But something amazing happened that would change women 's lives for centuries; it was the 1970’s. The 60’s put the equality movement in motion but 70’s was a time of reform where women were finally able to control their own paths. Not only was the 70’s a historical marker for the fiftieth anniversary for women suffrage, it was also a marker for the drastic change of different social norms, the changes of the American Dream, and the

    Read More

  • Montgomery Bus Boycotts: Role of Women in the Civil Rights Movement

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past. Bedford Books, Boston MA 1998. This material may be legally cited or reproduced as long as the author's name is not removed from the publication and full and proper credit is given in the citation.

    Read More

More about The 1950's and 1960's: A Time of Great Changes Shaping the America We Have Today

Open Document