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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.
Five years after the end of World War II, the United States' economy was booming.
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Unemployment was low, staying below 5% during the 1950s. People were working, making money, and buying like never before. The G.I. Bill offered government funding for World War II veterans attending college and allowed those who otherwise couldn't afford to continue their education to earn college degrees and get better paying jobs. Many women who had taken over the jobs of men during the war continued to work after the war ended. They made up about 1/3 of the entire workforce. More and more workers joined labor unions, which negotiated with management for pay raises, better working conditions, and health and retirement benefits. Government spending also stimulated the economy, helping inflation stay below 3%. Small businesses started and grew, and big companies merged and became even larger, more profitable, and more powerful. The expansion of the commercial banking industry, which included insurance, trust, and holding companies, entered the money business. This and the ready availability of jobs made it easier for people to buy many things simply for their material comfort. Between 1945 and 1960, the United States' gross national product grew 250% - an amazing achievement. The growth of the gross national product helped show other nations that a war wouldn't put a stop to the United States; in fact, it would help increase products being made and sold. The economy wasn't the only thing booming. The baby boom took place between 1945 and 1960. The start of the baby boom was 1946, the year after the war ended. 3.4 million babies were born that year, which was 20% more than the year before. Each year after, the amount of babies being born increased, and from 1954 to 1964, more than 4 million babies were born each year (history.com, The 1950s). By 1964, with more than 76.4 million babies being born in 19 years, the baby boomers made up almost 40% of the US population. The cause of the baby boom was most likely the return of many husbands from war combined with the positivity of the postwar future. The nuclear family was normalized in the 1950s; a husband, wife, and two children was the poster family. The baby boom helped boost the economy, and also went hand-in-hand with the suburban boom. One of the most iconic things about the 1950s was the emergence of rock 'n roll.
In the 1950s, rock and roll was a new genre of music that combined the generally African American rhythm and blues and rockabilly music genres. Many teenagers did not want to listen to the music their parents were listening to, so they began to listen to other radio stations that featured rhythm and blues. The rise of rock and roll was partially due to the limited willingness to accept African American musicians, so record producers discovered white musicians and had them play the same style of music. The rise of rock and roll can also be traced back simply to the youth. Previously, music had never been targeted towards teenagers. There had been music targeted at adults and at young kids, but never for teenagers. Many teenagers had money and were a large consumer group, and record producers took notice of that. This is why popular rock and roll music themes included young love, freedom from the oppression of the middle-class society, and rebellion against authority. It also promoted sexuality, causing many adults to find rock and roll a threat to American society. But that did not stop the popularity of rock and roll. In fact, more than 68% of the music played on the radio in 1956 was rock and roll. Perhaps the most iconic rock and roll musician was Elvis Presley. If rock and roll music promoted sexuality, Elvis was seen as the biggest promoter of it. When Elvis guested on the widely popular Ed …show more content…
Sullivan Show, the cameraman refused to record below his torso, leaving out his famous swiveling hips and shaking legs. Nowadays, adults would barely bat an eye at moves like that. Besides rock and roll, many other things were invented throughout the 1950s.
Super glue was invented in 1951. Colored kitchen appliances, which is one of the things people picture when they think of the 1950s-1960s, were introduced in 1954, allowing refrigerators and ovens to be colors besides white and black. The home microwave was first sold in 1955, and was extremely expensive. Children were also able to join in on the invention fun. Plastic army men were popular in the 1950s because many of the childrens' fathers had been in the war, which piqued child interest. Mr. Potato Head was created in 1952, but he wasn't what he looks like today. It was only face pieces, because a real potato was used as the body until 1964. The iconic Barbie doll that many girls still play with today was first sold in 1959, and sold 351,000 dolls in her first year. The successful company Wham-O invented both the hula hoop and the frisbee in the 1950s, and both went on to be extremely popular toys. At the peak of hula hoop popularity, 20,000 of them were being manufactured a day (Fifties Web, 1950s and 1960s Music, TV, etc). Many of these things are still around today, and are common things. Without the inventors and the influence of the 1950s, someone might still be using an oven to cook their TV dinners rather than their inexpensive
microwave. The 1950s was home to many iconic movie stars. The movie industry was becoming more and more popular, resulting in many movie stars being in the center of attention. Among these stars were Anne Baxter, Grace Kelly, Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Perhaps one of the most famous celebrities of the time period was Marilyn Monroe. Even today, she is seen as an icon and is looked upon positively to many. She was a rising star, and everything she did began to be thrust in the spotlight. Another rising movie star of the time period was a young man named James Dean, who was the main character of the movie 'Rebel Without a Cause'. Tragically, he passed away due to a car accident in 1955, shortly before the movie previously stated was released. The 1950s produced many icons whose movies are still loved to this day. While the 1950s was full of plentiful positives, there were few negatives, the biggest being the Cold War. World War II ended with most once-powerful countries in ruins, except for the United States and the Soviet Union. Though the Soviets had some rebuilding to do, they were better off than most other countries. Being the two superpowers, the two countries began a war; not a physical one, but an innovative one. Each country wanted to top the other and show their dominance. The war was back and forth. The United States invented the atomic bomb and first used it in Japan in 1945. Though it was meant for Japan, President Truman had used it as a scare tactic towards the Soviet Union. The Soviets, though, remained unbothered, and ended up testing their first atomic bomb in 1949, sending fear throughout the United States - they weren't the only ones with nuclear warfare anymore. Shortly after, President Truman ordered for the first hydrogen bomb to be created. This new, more powerful bomb was created the same year. The Soviets followed up in 1953 by creating a hydrogen bomb of their own. This caused even more anxiety to race through Americans. In school students practiced duck-and-cover drills in case of a nuclear attack, and families were encouraged to build their own bomb shelters in their backyards. Besides the nuclear weapons, the two superpowers had a race to reach space. Ultimately, the Soviets won this race in 1957 by sending Sputnik I, the first satellite in space (Khan Academy, The Start of the Space Race). They also were the first to send a man to space in 1961. The space race topped out when, in 1969, the US was able to send three men to the moon with Apollo 11. Without the constant pressure to be better than the Soviet Union, the journey to space might have taken much longer. The 1950s also wasn't very open to social change. The civil rights movement was beginning, and plenty of Americans were against the desegregation of schools. People would stand outside of schools and protest, holding up signs and shouting. Police brutality against African Americans was at a new high, and in a letter from Martin Luther King, Jr., he acknowledged how police would let their dogs loose to attack unarmed black citizens, and how the police would treat black women and children inhumanely, among other things. In the South, both blacks and white civil rights supporters were being murdered, sometimes even with the support of local law enforcement. During the Freedom Rides, where a group of civil rights activists rode buses through the south in order to try to force the desegregation of bus stations. The riders faced violence and attacks from white southerners, but their journey also gained widespread attention. Though they faced tough situations and racism, the civil rights activists were able to eventually achieve voting rights and desegregated public services. If the civil rights movement hadn't began during the 1950s, African Americans may not have had such timing to achieve their goals. The 1950s was an eventful time for the United States. The war had just ended, and people finally saw a bright future for their country. The economy was doing great, the population was exploding, music was evolving, and many icons were beginning to achieve their fame. During the 1950s, US citizens had to deal with negatives such as the Cold War and racism towards the Civil Rights Movement, but the positives, such as the booming economy and large quantity of inventions, outweigh them.
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.
Technology in the 1950s started with many great innovations that shape the way we live now. Probably the most important innovation of television was the introduction of cable T.V., television broadcasting, sitcoms and talk shows. Television went though many changes in its younger years. The way T.V. Developed in the early years is the foundation for what we watched now days. Transitory radios became very popular in the fact that Music could be heard in any location because it was now portable. Still T.V. Innovations were what the 1950s were all about from a technology and the birth of the T.V. show.
What emerged after the explosion of rock and roll in the 1950s abandoned the roll and has now come to be known just as classic rock. This rock that was created following the decade of The King became a completely unique and different sound that changed the musical landscape and what was once a single, unified genre gave way for multitudes of variation in its sounds. These new sounds, that came mostly from abroad, had been notably influenced by the American rock of the 1950s, such as Elvis, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. These pioneers of rock came to be the essential reason for the arrival of the British Invasion and other sounds that defined the decade of the 1960s.
This book provides a very detailed outline on how and where rock and roll originated. It places much emphasis on the transition from Black to White rock artists and how society reacted to this change. Szatmary also presents sufficient information on the many aspects of rock and roll, ranging from what the lyrics are about, to the beginnings of rock and roll and new age rock.
Since the beginning of time, humans have been changing, developing, and evolving. The 1950s was a fascinating era in American history, and whether its people altered for good or bad is debatable, but one thing is for certain - many drastic changes were made during this time, especially involving teenagers. Juvenile delinquency erupted from the depths of the community, and countless gangs arose. Different genres of music are also emerging. Old perspectives were being replaced with controversial ideas; a lot was about to change.
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.
The term teenager came to light at the early 1950’s due to the large population of individuals in that group. This group of individuals had a lot of freedom to purchase clothes, food and any type of music they preferred due to the increase in money for spending. It is during this period that the young individuals flocked up to listen to the most preferred music during those days; rock music. The situation today is very different despite the presence of a few similar elements.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People brought a lawsuit challenging the ruling, stating schools could be segregated. Teens in America became attracted to the rock and roll music, despite what their parents or religion said about it. Students were especially attracted to the music of Elvis Presley, who was originally discovered by the record producer, Sam Phillips. Many parents were shocked by the sexual types of dancing that rock and roll encouraged and commanded their children to stop listening to. Teenage love for rock and roll reveals how America challenged the status quo because no one would listen to music that seemed sexual or rebellious.
The Fifties were a good time to be a white middle class American These years brought an UN-thought of prosperity and confidence to Americans who barely remembered the Great Depression. Popular music of the early fifties mirrored the life of mainstream America: bland predictable and reassuring. Which didn't seem bad after the depre...
Rock and Roll was the start of a new revolution in America. It introduced the world to many of the famous artists that continue to be a part of our lives today. "Artists who became popular in the 1950s such as Elvis, began to pave the way for others such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly" (The History of Rock 'n' Roll until 1960). With the introduction of rock 'n' roll, there came many new changes to the lives of many Americans. Rock and Roll was a major contributor for the change in teens' behavior in the 1950s because it encouraged new freedoms for teenagers, encouraged new fads among teenagers, and caused a generation gap.
I believe that the history of rock and roll demonstrates a link between culture and social class race, and age; by the way a genre brings all the people in these different categories into one big group. When rock and roll began to emerge people from different cultures and social classes started to come together as a group by the way they dressed. It was not only the music but also the fashion it brought along with it. People from this era changed the way they dressed, styled their hair and their means of transportation. This brought together people from different cultures and social class, race and age all together.
The 1950s was a time when conformity held supreme in the culture at large. Issues such as women 's rights were thrown to the back as people tried to remain in the popular form of a family. These issues being put off only caused the prolonging of the tumultuous 1960s that would soon
In conclusion, the 1950s is considered to be a decade of progress by many historians, rather than a period of major conservatism. We can still find signs of progress from the 1950s in our world today, in everything from housing to appliances and popular culture. This period also introduced some new ideas to the American culture by the way of television shows, radios, and newspapers.
After many of World War II’s harmful effects, the 1950s served as a period of time of musical change that reflected the dynamic of society as well as the traditional norms and values. Many factors contributed to this transformation. For example, the civil rights movement heightened many racial tensions, and the music produced consequently manifested this tension in itself. Rock-n-roll and R&B music universalized music typically associated with African-Americans, and many African-American musicians gained fame; however, as with any relatively-widespread success, there were many musicians as well who missed their opportunities due to the same racial segregation. While “radical” genres such as R&B and rock-n-roll laid the foundation for music future forms of music, the standard pop, jazz, and country music adhered to traditional values, and thus continued to maintain popularity amidst phenomena such as the Elvis craze.
Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels were releasing new “cover songs” which were originally made by black artist, but now by white artist (Rock and Roll). These cover songs changed a few lyrics from the original songs to avoid copyright issues and to also make the song more appropriate for the white listeners. The biggest star of the 1950s was Elvis Presley, who was known as the “King of rock n’ roll”.