America in the 50s and 70s

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Recommended: Conservative movements of 1960

The American society in the 1950’s saw tremendous increases in population and affluence. This addition, termed the Baby Boom, expanded the middle class and introduced new ideas of prosperity to the United States. With new conventions, such as bank loans and credit lines, the spirit of American commercialism thrived. The following decade, however, brought about many changes in the nation’s social, political, economic and philosophical way of life. With the push for social programs and greater equality for the disenfranchised, the progressive movement in America thrived.

Many groups of Americans were not pleased with the new progressive direction of the country, however. These groups began to seize upon the instances of social unrest and violent demonstrations to assert their reasoning for a pendulum shift back toward conservative ideals. Armed with a new radical approach, these conservatives committed themselves to reversing the tide of impending liberalism. Therefore, during the 1970’s many Americans spoke out against the social movements of the 1960’s and radically advocated for a return to the conservative values of the 1950’s.

Social morals of the 1950s leaned towards the conservative end of the spectrum. Women had their place in the home, minorities were economically and socially segregated from the ruling class, and homosexuals were rarely mentioned in society. The extreme liberal and progressive advance of the 1960’s, however, radically changed these American fundamentals and drastically altered the direction of the country. To counter the wave of the “New Left” movement, many segments of the American citizenry pushed to restore the nation to a more “traditional” state. Conservative women were one such segment...

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...wed to dictate our lives. These conservative figures advocated a return to the traditions of the 1950s, and in so doing, ushered in a new age of conservatism in America. This new movement reverberated throughout 1970s and would come into full bloom in the following decades.

Works Cited

Agnew, Spiro T. "Speech at a Pennsylvania Republican Dinner." The Dangers of Constant Carnival. Harrisburg, October 30, 1969.

Goldwater, Barry. The Conscience of a Conservative. 1960.

Nixon, Richard. "Acceptance Speech, Delivered before the Republican National Convention." Miami, Florida, August 8, 1968.

Schlafly, Phyllis. "Understanding the Difference." In The Power of the Positive Woman, by Phyllis Schlafly. 1977.

Time. "Gay Rights Showdown in Miami." Time, June 13, 1977.

Wallace, George. "Speech at Madison Square Garden." New York City, October 24, 1968.

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